Check Ride Coming

ka7eej · Post by **ka7eej** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:42 am

Frank

Please read the PTS... Here is the section on Sport Pilot Short Field Landings::

F. TASK: SHORT-FIELD (CONFINED AREA—ASES) APPROACH AND LANDING (ASEL and ASES)
REFERENCES: FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-23; AFM/POH.
Objective. To determine that the applicant:
1. Exhibits knowledge of the elements related to a short-field (Confined Area—ASES) approach and landing.
2. Adequately surveys the intended landing area. (ASES)
3. Considers the wind conditions, landing surface, obstructions, and selects the most suitable touchdown point.
4. Establishes the recommended approach and landing configuration and airspeed/attitude; adjusts pitch attitude and power as required.
5. Maintains a stabilized approach and the recommended approach airspeed/attitude, or in its absence not more than 1.3 Vso, +10/−5 knots.
6. Selects the proper landing path, contacts the water at the minimum safe airspeed with the proper pitch attitude for the surface conditions. (ASES)
7. Touches down smoothly at minimum control airspeed. (ASEL)
8. Touches down at or within 200 feet beyond a specified point.
9. Maintains crosswind correction and directional control throughout the approach and landing sequence.
10. Applies brakes if equipped (ASEL), or elevator control (ASES) as necessary, to stop in the shortest distance consistent with safety.

It says NOTHING about full flaps... Use whatever you need to achieve the results specified in the PTS. Mainley touching down at or within 200 feet beyond a specified point.. Nothing more nothing less...

Again please read the PTS.. That is the ONLY thing that the DPE is allowed to test you on..
Good Luck...
Brian

FrankR · Post by **FrankR** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 6:35 pm

Tried again today, and had a rough day.

The plane was available, I was available, and the weather was VFR for the first time in a couple of days. It was windy.

My personal limits are the same as my planes: 12mph crosswind.

My plan was to fly again with the cheif instructor and get his sign off to go take my checkride. He's a good pilot who told me he can land our Allegro in 30mph crosswinds. I can't.

Just before takeoff, I listened to AWOS and the wind had climbed a few knots over the limit. He said go for it. I should have stuck with my limit. I own this one.

It didn't go well. Power on stalls are still squirelly. During the stall I got lateral pushback on the aelerons(sp?) and overcompensated and tried to correct with aeleron rather than holding my aelerons neutral and correcting with rudder.

Landing wasn't much better. Simulated engine off, at the airport, into a stiff headwind (minimums?). I came up short once and flew too slowly into the headwind the second time.

I was nervous. Maybe it was the guy in the right seat. I've flown with him twice and have been nervous both times. I'm going to have to get over that for my check ride.

My next plan is to fly with my regular instructor. He's the one that ultimately has to sign me off anyway. It might be a bit though, there's more weather coming.

Waiting for a clear, calm day to take my check ride might be a challenge if it takes me three weeks to find 5 hours next to each other to reserve the plane.

drseti · Post by **drseti** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 6:59 pm

FrankR wrote:Waiting for a clear, calm day to take my check ride might be a challenge if it takes me three weeks to find 5 hours next to each other to reserve the plane.

Frank, it's an unwritten rule at my flight school that checkrides get scheduling priority over all other uses of the aircraft. If a student has the plane reserved, and a window of opportunity opens up for another student to take a checkride, whomever has the plane reserved will gladly give it up (knowing that similar courtesy will be extended when the time comes for his or her own checkride).

Targetbuster · Post by **Targetbuster** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 5:28 am

Don't know if you've taken your check ride yet. But I took mine on a pretty crappy day with rain squals and moderate cross winds. Worked out very well for me as I had to demonstrate nearly all the maneuvers in real conditions. The landings were given some lee way due to the winds. All in all, the weather seemed to take the pressure off cause all I had to do was fly the plane. Ground reference maneuvers were demonstrated on my pattern approach and pattern turns. I was flying nearly 90 degrees to the runway to maintain a 45 to downwind at my alternate airport. I apologized to the dpe for it looking so ugly, but it was just what had to be done. All I'm saying is that mildly to even moderately ugly weather takes the jitters out by forcing you to focus on just plain flying the plane. And I think you get extra credit for it!