The Check Ride

Hey there, how are you? I know we just spoke yesterday, but I had my check ride today so I thought I'd quickly update you, and myself.

So here we go, the flight was scheduled for 9:00am, weather conditions were less than favourable with cloudy skies, precipitation to the north and east (which is where the practice areas are), and winds gusting to 22 Knots (about 50 Km/H).

We went up anyway. As stated in previous postings, I was accompanied by a different instructor this time around. Check flights are done to have another set of eyes evaluate my progress, and also evaluate my instructor's progress. Having said that, I think that it's a relatively informal process. Today's instructor didn't go too hard on me. Though, taking into account the bad turbulence, poor visibility at times, and having a new instructor, I felt that I didn't perform as good as I usually do. Our radio quality was poor and I found myself having to ask him to repeat instructions.

If you think you've experienced bad turbulence during a flight on an airliner, then flying in turbulent weather in a small Cessna is a whole different story. The effects of the turbulence can cause the airplane to yaw, roll, descend, and ascend, all without control inputs from the pilot. There were times today where I felt like the airplane just did it's own thing for about a half a second.

We also experienced precipitation during the flight, which reduced visibility, and generally just made me a bit nervous. For no good reason though. Cessnas are built to take this kind of weather. It's just a matter of me getting used to the effects the weather has on the airplane.

I tried to search Youtube for a video that would show the kind of turbulence I experienced today, but I could only find this video below, which does show some turbulence as well as percipitation, but not as heavy as I experienced today. Take a look if you wish:


Due to the limitations that the weather conditions imposed on us, the instructor only told me to perform a limited amount of exercises. We only did some side slips, and one spiral. If weather conditions would be better, he would get me to do stalls, slow flight, steep turns, etc.

All in all it was important for me to have another instructor for a lesson. Some of the details within procedures are preformed differently, some of the explanations differ from instructor to instructor, and I also got some useful tips.

I'll also mention that I passed my Radio exam. Not sure of the mark because it just says "passed". So that's a good thing. From a bookkeeping point of view I will be authorized to fly solo when my instructor and an evaluator deems me worthy. In the meantime though, I'm going to Cuba! for a week. That's right, I believe that the official name of Cuba should end with an exclamation mark. Cuba!

So no flying for me this week. Oh wait, I guess getting to Cuba! involves me flying there. But I'll be a passenger this time. It will be my first time getting in an airliner since I started my flight training. It will be interesting to see and guess all of the procedures as they are happening.

So that's about it. Other than that, I'll check in with you after next week.

Cuba!