Well I finally completed my Instrument Airplane checkride. I had an extra incentive to finish quickly since my knowledge test was set to expire at the end of this month and I really did not feel like studying for that one again, let alone pay for another knowledge test.
I really started training for the instrument rating in late February when our plane came back from its annual inspection. Finding an instructor in the Blacksburg area was a pain, so I ended up using an instructor from a nearby airport. I found Jason through an instructor who was too busy to take on another student. Jason and I got off to a bumpy start, but we were able to iron out our differences and make it all work. The initial training was quite boring, constant rate climbs and descents, standard rate turns, constant airspeed climbs and descents. Long story short, makes for a more accurate pilot. After the boring stuff, we got on to the fun stuff, approaches! Once I figured out how to read an approach plate, my life became so much easier. After many hours of hammering out the small points of instrument flying, Jason determined I was ready to take the practical exam. I gave the designated examiner in my area, Cecil, a call to set up the checkride. Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at 9:00 am was the time we agreed upon. So much work still to be done on my end, but I was determined to get this done.
The night before the checkride, I gave Cecil a call to figure out where we were going to be going for my checkride. After much discussion, we decided upon Winston Salem, NC as our destination. I was to plan a flight there and obtain all pertinent information regarding the flight. That night I also had to swing by the airport to pick up the maintenance logbooks for my plane to show Cecil that it was indeed in an airworthy condition. Once I had determined that my plane was ready for flight, I went home and got back to studying for the oral. Like usual, I could not concentrate on whatever book I had out. I was hot, cold, hungry, thirsty…and the list goes on. So I decided to make another trip out to the airport to calm my nerves, this being at quarter till midnight.
I arrived at the airport around midnight, letting myself in to the hangar and pulling up a step stool to sit on. I brought a book to study and also my handheld transceiver to turn the airport lights on (one of the nicest sights I have seen is an illuminated airfield at night). I was out at the airport for about an hour or so, watching the mist come and go giving an eerie horror movie feeling. That being said, it truly relaxed me enough to decide to go home and try to get some sleep. I say try because on my first checkride, it was just about impossible to sleep the night before and I did not expect this one to be any different. I was right in that assumption, getting about three hours of sleep before my alarm went off at six in the morning.
The morning came; I woke up, got ready, and went straight to finishing up my flight planning. I called the weather briefer to check for weather and any other pertinent information pertaining to my flight that was scheduled to take off at 10:40 am. The weather all checked out, just some notices for low visibilities due to mist which was expected to burn off by the time we got airborne. I packed my car and was off to BCB around 7:15. I made a quick breakfast stop and then brought my food out to the airport to watch the sunrise over the field. I ate, parked my car, unloaded, and did the abbreviated version of my preflight to bring the plane over to the main terminal.
Once at the terminal, I unloaded everything I had just thrown in the plane so I could occupy an entire conference table with charts, books, and log books. I was ready to go on time and Cecil showed up a little early and decided we could get started on the test early. We went through the paperwork to make sure I was qualified to take the test, going through endorsements, logbook signoffs, and anything else the FAA deemed that I should have done. I submitted my 8710 application to Cecil and the test begins.
The oral portion of the test was nothing much to write home about. We went through my cross country planning, the weather information I received, and how I had applied what I learned to my planning. We talked about the rules and regulations specifically pertaining to instrument flight and how to deal with any emergency situation that may arise in the flight. Cecil also made sure my plane, N55203, was airworthy, which he indeed deemed it was. This concluded the oral, and we made our way out onto the ramp for the practical portion of the checkride.
The practical began as any flight begins, with a thorough preflight inspection. It felt kind of weird knowing someone was looking over my shoulder, but as usual it was a learning experience. Cecil has some great stories and his knowledge of planes and their systems is extensive. Popping the cowling, he asked me about a component of the engine, which I did not know and incorrectly guessed what it was (primer fuel line in this case). Preflight was now complete and startup went off without a hitch. I picked up out IFR clearance from Roanoke after a little teeth pulling, but we were ready to depart.
I departed runway 30 at 10:45 am and we were on our way to Winston-Salem, NC as I had planned. ATC was kind and I only had one minor communication delay with them, which was quickly resolved with switching of the radios. It also took a little coaxing into having the controller give us the ILS 33 approach even though we were in visual conditions. We landed about twenty till noon and taxied over to Landmark Aviation for a quick break and a drink to discuss what was ahead.
After departing Winston-Salem, we were headed back North towards Galax, VA to make some approaches and complete all required tasks for the ride. Enroute I performed constant airspeed climbs, climbing turns, and a simulated failed vacuum system. The clouds were against us on the return trip, making us divert left and right. (Of course when we were on an IFR flight plan we did not encounter one cloud, and now they are everywhere.) Once to Galax, I completed a holding pattern and then continued on the NDB approach there, circling to land and making a missed approach. After the missed, I was headed to Pulaski for the VOR/DME 6 approach. Of course this being a checkride, Cecil decided to fail my airspeed on the climb. No biggie, just making me pay attention some more. My one slight deficiency on the entire checkride was with this approach. I was on the proper radial to make the straight in approach, but we needed to complete a DME arc and this approach had a DME incorporated into one of the entry methods. Cecil gave me vectors and I got slightly disoriented in my position relative to the airport. It took me a minute, but I figured out where I was and how to reorient myself on the DME arc. I made the approach and once again Cecil tried to do something by covering one of my VOR receivers, but that did not affect me. We made the approach and went missed, headed back to Blacksburg this time.
The trip back to Blacksburg was the longest flight from Pulaski to Blacksburg I have ever made. I knew everything had gone well so far and any mistake now could still result in failure of the entire ride. The last approach was going to be an amended NDB circling approach at Blacksburg. It definitely made use of all that I had used in my private training, losing over a thousand feet of altitude from being over the middle of the field while having to stay as close as possible to not lose sight of the field. Pretty much, this showed me that every descent is not going to the prettiest for the passengers if you see the field and the conditions are not the best. The entire approach to landing was completely safe and controlled the entire way down, touching down a little over halfway down the runway. I did not apply maximum braking as I know the plane’s stopping distance pretty well by this point. I taxied back to the ramp and shut 55203 down. I chocked the tires and locked the controls. The ride was over! I grabbed my papers and walked back into the terminal to finish off the paperwork to make everything official.
After about fifteen minutes of endorsements, signatures from me, and of course paying Cecil…I am done! I did have to turn in my old certificate, but that is a little in the realm of what I can do now. Clouds!!!
I have not totaled the final cost of getting my instrument airplane add on, but all I know is that it has made me a much better and more accurate pilot. Prior to beginning the checkride I had 136.4 hours logged total time, with 62.4 hours logged since beginning my instrument training (46 of which were with an instructor). I had a little over ten hours of actual instrument conditions with another thirty being simulated. The checkride began at 8:45 am and was over by 2:30 pm: long, but nothing too bad in my opinion. Time in flight was about two and a half hours with the rest being on the ground doing paperwork or the oral portion.
I owe big thanks to Jason for putting up with my stubborn self and getting me prepared for this checkride. The next big thanks is to my parents for funding my flying endeavors. I also owe a big thank you to Bart for helping me build time by flying with me from Maryland all the way to Daytona Beach, FL and to my plane captain, Kathryn, who has supported me, offered to help me out whenever I needed it, and kept 55203 in top shape while keeping her records legible. I also owe a thank you to my roommates Will and Sean for letting me stay with them after school had ended. All in all, a very worth the effort rating.
Now it’s time to get it wet!!!
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