Although I am now considered a fully capable pilot, I am still in shock that I passed. Although nothing horrible happened on the checkride, there were a few minor errors that worried me along the way. Before the DPE arrived I was sitting at the FBOs computer preparing to discuss the weather when she arrived. However, she had different ideas and asked what I thought about the visibility. I mentioned that everything looked good for our planned route and she accepted my answer and we proceeded to preflight the airplane.
The preflight was uneventful until she asked why I hadn't lowered the flaps to examine their integrity before departure. I proceeded to explain that the sport cub's checklist did not outline this as a necessary check while my previous trainer, the 172, did in fact require full flap extension during the preflight. She accepted my answer and went on to explain that I might not have all of the information to make confident a go/no-go decision. Although the checklist for the cub does not require this, I will continue to use this step to gain that much more information concerning the plane's airworthiness before departure.
Upon completion of the preflight, we contacted tower with our intentions and followed accordingly to make a departure form KHKY to the east towards KFAY. We departed using the shortfield departure technique and climbed to 3500'. We reached TOC at the exact calculated time and position. This trend continued for the subsequent two checkpoints until the DPE had me divert to KSVH. Heading towards SVH she gave a choice between shortfield or a forward slip to landing. I chose shortfield and set up for a left downwind. I applied carb heat abeam the numbers and throttled back to 1500 rpm. We turned base and I realized then that we were significantly lower than my previous approaches. I should have gone around here. However, I was confident I would be able to hold it off and make thousand foot markers. I used power to drag us in, something my instructor was not fond of, and touched one wheel before making the decision to go around. She said I should have gone around sooner, I agreed, and she asked if the displaced threshold threw me for a loop. Indeed it had, but it is no excuse; which is why I would have failed myself here. For whatever reason I neglected to consider the added distance before I made my base turn. We went up for round two and I greased it on the captains bars. The third landing was a forward slip that went off without a hitch.
After a few landings at Statesville, she had me don the foggles and navigate to the BZM VOR. This was quite boring and drawn out due to a nice headwind. Once past the VOR we made some constant rate turns to various headings. I took the foggles off and performed some steep turns, which she said felt shallower than the required 45 degree bank. She subsequently admitted that she could not confirm this since the the cub does not have an attitude indicator. Following this I performed a power on and off stall. I strayed a little on the heading for the power on stall, but was able to maintain enough of a heading not to fail.
Before heading back to KHKY she pulled the power on me and I had to run through the ABCs and checklists for an emergency landing. When she determined we would make the field we throttled up and headed back to KHKY for a soft-field landing that turned out to be less than a soft-field landing. I was sure this had been the final straw, but after taxiing to the FBO she let me know I had passed!
Since passing the checkride, I have not flown. In fact I am in considerable withdrawal. The next few years are going to be very difficult financially as my wife is going to grad school and we will be footing the bill without loans. We figured that I could have a $60 monthly allowance to fly. If I can split the cost with someone, this would allow for two bi-weekly, half-hour flights, or one monthly one hour flight. I can live with this as long as I am able to maintain my currecncy until she is finished with school. I am also to feed my addication by acting as a safety pilot for another pilot I work with who is going for his instrument rating.
More importantly, I have been trying to figure out how I might be able to use my license to help others by establishing a non-profit organization that might provide foster children with an opportunity to take free rides and expose them to something they may never have the opportunity to experience. So, if you have any ideas as to how I can use my newly learned skills to help others, please let me know.
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I am in the same shoes you are in. I recieved my license at the exact same time and due to college expenses I cannot afford the cost of flying. I'm worried I might lose all my knowledge and the 'edge' I had once before. I really like your idea of helping others down the road. I had the same thought and was wondering the same thing. Have you found any solutions??
ReplyDelete-Brad