Checkride Prep

The winds that had been pummeling us for the last couple days had subsided enough for me to get out with a student last night. We had a really deep seated low pass over us Saturday leaving us without even the option to do instrument training. Ceilings and Vis were about 300 overcast and ½ mile. Sunday, as the front passed by, gave way to clear skies but horrendous winds. As is the norm where I fly, when the winds blow they blow across the runway. For some reason the airport was designed perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction. Oh well. Just another part of flying in Leesburg-KJYO.

So, we departed runway 35 at Leesburg for what was to be part of the three hours of training with a CFI in preparation for the Private Pilot practical test. The FAA requires that all candidates for the PPL practical spend 3 hours within 60 days with a CFI in preparation. For the student that flies regularly this isn’t usually a big deal and happens by default. But for the individual who likes to drag his heels this can be a legitimate concern.

My student also needed some hood work, or flight under simulated instrument conditions. The FAA requires 3 hours of basic instrument instruction for the private license. That’s also time for the CFI to have some fun doing unusual attitude recovery. This allows the CFI to get as close to aerobatic flight as permissible then leave the controls in an unusual attitude, either nose low bank or nose high bank with varying power settings. It is the student’s job to look up and recover the aircraft. Good learning tool for the student and CFI.

The FAA states that a student also must have 3 hours of night flight. If you ask me that’s just barely enough for a low time pilot to get into trouble. But, that’s the regs so Ill abide by them. Night landings are tough to master, even for the seasoned pilot. For the second time with as many students we went around on the first approach back home. Not that a go-around is bad…in fact I teach my students when in doubt to go around and give it another shot. There is no shame in a go-around…only shame in bent metal.

So, hopefully Ill have this kid ready for his test in the next month or so. He will be my first sign off, even though I didn’t do most of the dirty work. I will still get the signoff and, hopefully, a “passed test on the first try” result on my record.