Check Ride this weekend...

[fast03cobra]

I will be doing my check ride this weekend. Any last minute things I should prepare for? I know the examiner is big on aerodynamics, so I have been hitting that hard. I think the biggest thing for me is to relax on the "checkrideitis."

[helo08]

Assuming private pilot:

1. Know your weather reports and what all the symbols mean

2. Know the emergency procedures for your aircraft

3. Know the performance limitations of your aircraft.

4. Creating a flight plan and explaining it to him.

5. Proper way to make a diversion, turn first:)

6. The certificates and documents required in the aircraft.

7. Minimum equipment list FAR 91.205 I believe correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Overall be confident and know your limitations. The things listed above were the main things I was asked to talk about and perform. Don't be stressed about it, if you've done your homework and you know what your talking about you'll be alright. The thing I found to be the best was when the examiner asks you a question on the oral exam make it as short as possible. In the flight my instructor told me the best thing to do is not to talk unless asked. This avoids digging yourself deeper with the examiner, the less they know the better you are. The most memorable moment from my checkride was during the hovering autorotation. The dialogue goes as follows:

 

(After hovering autorotation)

Me: Was that a pass or a fail (It was a little hard landing, but not too bad)

Examiner: Did we crash?

Me: Nope

Examiner: Then what do you think?

 

Then he proceeds to fly the helicopter back to the ramp. (It's what that particular examiner likes to do at the end of your checkride if you passed) and I shut down and after a hand shake and a signature. I'm a PILOT!!! (Scary I know)

[Mikemv]

fast03cobra, there should be NO last minute items. Your Instructor should have taken you thru the PTS item for item on a pre-ck ride oral and flight. Instructor should have been thru your log book with you and possibly highlighted the loggings that show you meet the requirements. You should not get any surprises! Being it is the weekend, make sure that you have the Aircraft log books available and can show where the last 100 hr & annual inspection were performed and aslo when the next inspection is due! Be relaxed, the Examiner is there to make sure that you meet the PTS standards. Listen to any questions, understand what is being asked, think and only then answer!. Also, note your wind speed and direction and tempertures that day, think how it will effect your flight maneuvers. You will do fine, best wishes to you, Mike

[Chi-town]

Good post. I make sure my students can answer each item in the PTS for the oral. Most DPEs use the PTS as a laundry list to make sure they hit everything the FAA wants them to cover.

 

Make sure you have done every maneuver in the PTS to the check ride standards CONSISTENTLY.

 

This method has given me a perfect record so far for check ride sign-offs (8 for 8).

[Goldy]

Backwards auto's is all that comes to my mind. Do a couple of those, finish off with some vertical auto's and you'll be fine.

 

(Ducking the tomatoes)

 

Ok...just kidding. Just go out and do it. You will always be nervous..good luck,

 

Goldy

[Tenacious T]

Don't study the night before, it's too late by then, just relax have a good meal get a good night's sleep. Show up rested before your appointed time, lay out your IACRA info, logbook open to endorsements, and copies of your personal documents so that when the DPE shows up everything is ready for him. He will appreciate it.

 

Good luck

[Ryan G]

Backwards auto's is all that comes to my mind. Do a couple of those, finish off with some vertical auto's and you'll be fine.

 

(Ducking the tomatoes)

 

Ok...just kidding. Just go out and do it. You will always be nervous..good luck,

 

Goldy

 

 

Almlost spit out my coffee laughing when I read your post!

 

Just relax, I am sure you will do fine.

[southernweyr]

7. Minimum equipment list FAR 91.205 I believe correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Remember the MEL is a STC for that specific aircraft. 91.213 talks about the MEL.

 

91.205 is the required equipment for vfr day and night flight. These are two different things.

 

Are you required to have a manifold pressure gauge in your R22 or Schweizer 300?

 

If your manifold pressure guage is broken can you still fly and if so what do you have to do first?

 

If you can answer these questions correctly then you probably have a decent understanding of 91.205 and 91.213.

[helo08]

Thanks southernweyr

[lelebebbel]

for the flight part of the checkride:

no matter how bad you think your last maneuver went, as long as the DPE didn't say "lets fly back", it was good enough.

push it aside and concentrate on the thing you are about to do.

[fast03cobra]

Thank you all for the posts.. Some of the stuff I knew, but had forgotten, so it's a great refresher. My instructor has been VERY GOOD, and we have beat the aircraft for the last few days. We are going to go up for a quick flight prior to the checkride just to observe the conditions of the day which I feel is a great idea. Again thank you all for the posts.

 

Goldy,

 

Don't worry I've been doing backward autos with foggles on so I should be OK... BTW here's a few tomatoes for you!! LOL

[Witch]

Backwards auto's is all that comes to my mind. Do a couple of those, finish off with some vertical auto's and you'll be fine.

 

Goldy

 

Oh boy, did that one hurt my side. I think I need to see a doctor.

 

I wonder how a backwards auto might work?

 

Later

[K-38]

Oh boy, did that one hurt my side. I think I need to see a doctor.

 

I wonder how a backwards auto might work?

 

Later

I heard a great story at the safety course about backwards autos.

[Goldy]

I heard a great story at the safety course about backwards autos.

 

OK, Witch..you asked for it. Frank gets really pissed to hear about these, but yes, you don't need to have forward speed to do auto's....you can do it backwards, sideways, or straight down vertically. HOWEVER, these are advanced manuevers, like the acrobatic fixed wing flying you see at air shows...this is not for the average or advanced pilot, and would never be done in a real life scenario. Like the RedBull BO 105 show, there are manuevers out there that us meek helo pilots will never ever do....backwards auto's in an R22 falls into that category.

 

But if the question is...are they possible? The answer is yes, absolutely.

 

OK, K 38...whats the story ??

 

Fly safe ( fly even safer in a 22)

 

Goldy

Edited December 8, 2007 by Goldy

[K-38]

OK, K 38...whats the story ??

 

Old story. Most have probably already heard it. Frank gets wind that some of the RHC test pilots might have tired doing backwards autos to see if it was possible. As the story goes a very small number of them had and had actually gotten pretty good at them. So Frank plays dumb during a RHC staff meeting, and throws s a "theoretical question" to the group asking if a backward autorotation is aerodynamically possible. Most of the test pilots sense danger in this "theoretical question", and play dumb looking at the floor, and shrugging their shoulders. One of the test pilots however for unknown reasons misses the ominous feeling in the room, and replies something to the effect of "I wondered the same thing, and so I tried it out one day in a 22. They are definitely possible, and after some practice I got pretty good at them. Then begins an explanation of how to perform them." About that time Frank asks everyone else to leave the room, and close the door behind them. Apparently he was not very pleased with the guy, and they had a "nice chat" in Franks office. Just what I heard during the course. It gave me a good laugh.

[Goldy]

When I was at the factory, Frank said something along the lines that " he would instantly fire anyone he sees or hears doing backwards autos. They serve no purpose, he does not want to see or hear anyone demonstrating that manuever". end of story.

Edited December 9, 2007 by Goldy

[fast03cobra]

When I was at the factory, Frank said something along the lines that " he would instantly fire anyone he sees or hears doing backwards autos. They serve no purpose, he does not want to see or hear anyone demonstrating that manuever". end of story.

 

I'm not a R22 guy so, I'm assuming Frank is with Robinson? I can tell you there are times when a backward auto would be practical, if (and only if) you were current with your training. I know of a few Law Enforcement agencies that have started training in backward autos. Some of them are doing this as part of their recurrent training.

 

Scenario: A Law Enforcement mission over a heavily wooded area in a HOGE and the only safe place to auto is below you. The same could go for a ENG mission, where most ENG operations are conducted in HOGE. I'm not sure I would want to do it with a low enertia rotor system though. Just food for thought.

[FlyNHighNFast]

I'm not a R22 guy so, I'm assuming Frank is with Robinson?

 

Frank is Robinson, as in the man responsible for giving us the R-22 and R-44 and soon the R-66.

[lelebebbel]

I'm not a R22 guy so, I'm assuming Frank is with Robinson? I can tell you there are times when a backward auto would be practical, if (and only if) you were current with your training. I know of a few Law Enforcement agencies that have started training in backward autos. Some of them are doing this as part of their recurrent training.

 

they'll happily show/teach vertical autos, but not backwards. I suppose you could just pedal turn yourself around if your spot is behind you and there is not time to accelerate for a normal turn.

[fast03cobra]

Well I PASSED!! It was awesome, what a huge relief!

[captkirkyota]

Well I PASSED!! It was awesome, what a huge relief!

Congratulations!

[montu]

Awesome! Was it as bad as you thought it was going to be?

 

Jordan

[fast03cobra]

Awesome! Was it as bad as you thought it was going to be?

 

Jordan

 

No it really wasn't. I felt my instructor really prepared me well. I was nervous and the DPE really made me feel comfortable, and did everyhting he could to relax me. Of the course the oral was tough. The DPE didn't "instruct" me; however he gave a lot of GREAT real life examples of what can happen if you are not prepared for ANYTHING to happen. Being prepared, and have a plan was his big thing...

Edited December 10, 2007 by fast03cobra

[Goldy]

I'm not a R22 guy so, I'm assuming Frank is with Robinson? I can tell you there are times when a backward auto would be practical, if (and only if) you were current with your training.

 

Yes, I can tell you're not a Robbie guy ! As far as training for backwards auto's, I wouldnt waste my time, thats the whole idea behind 180 autos is if you just passed your spot, and you can go vertical if you need to drop some altitude...

 

Anyway, congrats on passing ! Its a great feeling.

 

Good luck on your next one. Goldy

[svtcobra66]

No it really wasn't. I felt my instructor really prepared me well. I was nervous and the DPE really made me feel comfortable, and did everyhting he could to relax me. Of the course the oral was tough. The DPE didn't "instruct" me; however he gave a lot of GREAT real life examples of what can happen if you are not prepared for ANYTHING to happen. Being prepared, and have a plan was his big thing...

 

Where did you train?