A Two and a Half Year Journey Comes To An End
Every student pilot dreams of the day that they complete their check ride with an examiner and sign the paperwork saying they are now a qualified pilot. For me, on the 24th of September, that day finally came.
As the title suggests, it hasn’t been a quick process. My very first lesson was in May 2015 on a sunny Monday afternoon and since that day flying has been something constantly on my mind. Throughout my training I have been promising family and friends a flight but due to university and work commitments, the time taken to complete my training had been pushed further and further back and there was a point where I thought I’d never finish it. But finally, the time came where I had completed all my ground-school exams, ticked off all my flight training exercises and had the required number of hours flying time to go in for my skills test. I looked into what was required for the skills test and I knew it would be a long flight testing every element of my training but after having the skills test brief with the examiner it soon hit me that the test will be extremely challenging. With the brief given to me I went away and started to put together a plan for the test to make sure I was happy will all the manoeuvres and skills I was being tested on. My skills test plan was as follows:
PPL Skills Test
1 Pre-Flight
· Prepare flight plan from Stapleford to Cambridge via Walton-on-the-naze.
· Fuel calculations – 2.5hrs.
· Mass and Balance – Instructor 180lbs, Myself 155lbs.
· TO & LND performance calculations depending on WX.
· Perform pre-flight checks and fuel the aircraft as per fuel calculations.
2 Navigation
· Examiner acting as an experienced passenger (Can hold charts, pick up pens, lookout for aircraft etc.) but cannot fly the aircraft.
· I will be in charge of the navigation of the flight, handling the radios and the safe conduct of the aircraft.
· Perform all the checks as per standard checklist for before engine start, after start, taxi checks, power checks and pre-take off checks.
· Take off
- Rotate (Vr) 50 kts
- Initial Climb (Vx) 55 kts
- Climb out (Vy) 65 kts
· When on route provide examiner with Altitude, Heading and ETA to first waypoint Walton-on-the-naze then to second waypoint, Cambridge.
· En-route Cambridge examiner will ask for current location then a diversion to a specific location. Again, provide the examiner with Altitude, Heading and ETA to diversion point.
· Once examiner is happy with diversion Navigation phase will be complete.
3 General Handling
· Straight and level at different airspeeds – fast (100 kts), cruise (90 kts), slow safe (65 kts).
· Climbing at Vx (55 kts) and Vy (65 kts).
· Steep turn at 45° left and right 360° maintaining altitude and speed.
· Stalling
- Fully developed stall, flapless. Recover at Vy
- Base → Final, 20° AOB, 2 stages of flaps and 1500rpm. Recover at first instance of stall warning.
- Final approach, 1500rpm, 3 stages of flaps. Recover at first instance of stall warning.
· Steep gliding descending turn. 30° at 60 kts, then 45° at 70 kts.
· Recovery from a spiral descent to level flight with minimum altitude loss.
· Rate 1 instrument turn for 180° using hood.
· Engine failure (PFL) → Go-around (will be very low) → Engine failure after take-off → Go-around and climb out.
4 Radio Navigation Aids
· VOR tracking. Maintain the track for a few minutes.
· Obtain a position fix using radio navigation aids and mark on the chart the position.
· Return to Stapleford
5 Circuits
· Re-join the circuit as per standard procedures.
· Approach – can be anything from flapless, glide or normal approach.
· Bad weather circuit with performance approach (flap x3 at 55 kts).
6 After flight
· Perform after landing and shut down checks.
· Test ends when the tech log for the aircraft is fill out correctly.
As you can see there is a lot to the skills test and it may seem very daunting. But your instructor would not put you forward for a test unless he thought you were ready and nothing being tested will be new to you.
The day came where I was going to take my skills test. I arrived to Stapleford with of time and informed my examiner that the weather was going to be a little hazy but should clear by 9am. With this he pushed the exam back an hour to allow the fog to clear. This gave me extra time to go over my flight plan, weight & balance calculations and the aircraft performance calculations. With this all complete I decided to relax in the clubhouse and have a cup of tea whilst waiting for my examiner to arrive.
My examiner arrived and we started the test with me explaining my flight plan to him, why I chose the route I did and what I should expect in-flight. Then we went through all my calculations and he asked me numerous question based on the aircraft, the plan and general aviation questions. From there I went out and checked over the aircraft and he joined me about 10 minutes later. We got in the aircraft and I started going through the usual checks I would do every flight before departing Stapleford en-route to Walton-on-the-naze. Throughout the test nothing he asked me to do was a surprise as everything was explained during my brief and I was well prepared for the test. Just over two hours later the flight was complete and we went back into the clubhouse to fill out the aircraft tech log. It was after this that he told me I had passed the exam and we went into the office to fill out the paperwork.
For anyone that is near the stage of taking their skills test, one word of advice would be to just treat the skills test as any other flight you have done with your instructor. The examiner is not looking to fail you but looking to see if you are safe in the air. If you make a mistake, as long as you safely and quickly rectify it, it won’t be an issue. If you have any specific questions about the test or any other questions please don’t hesitate to ask.
As always happy flying and thank you for reading this blog.
PPL Licence Horizon Rain Dover Take-off
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