I'm a Private Pilot!

Mike777 · 06-17-2009, 05:55 PM

Passed my oral and checkride today!!! I'm now a private pilot, airplane single-engine land.

I've looked forward to this day for as long as I can remember. I started my flight training January 14 of this year, and have logged 56.2 hours total time to date, including my checkride. At times I thought this day would never come, but it has, and it's amazing!

u.s.airways92 · 06-17-2009, 06:25 PM

Mike what a big accomplishment! CONGRATS BUDDY! Best of luck goes to you for further goals!

dylan · 06-17-2009, 06:28 PM

Congrats Mike! I remember the day I got mine like it was yesterday. On the way out to the practice area, the examiner fell asleep. He was about 126 years old, and I thought he might be dead.

Congrts again.....next up: Instrument!

Mike777 · 06-17-2009, 06:50 PM

Thanks guys! Dylan, that's hilarious!

yyzjo777 · 06-17-2009, 09:26 PM

Congratulations Mike, that's awesome! I'm happy for you!

Justino · 06-17-2009, 10:28 PM

Congrats Mike!!

What all did you have to do for your ride?

Mike777 · 06-18-2009, 12:28 AM

Thanks Jo-Anne and Justin.

Justin, here's a quick rundown of the flight. (Keep in mind I'm at a 141 school that does in-house checkrides for private and instrument.)

Did a short-field take-off initially, and proceeded to the first couple checkpoints of the cross-country that they had me plan for the oral. Basically they wanted to see that I can spin the whiz-wheel (E6-B) in flight and correctly crunch all the numbers (minutes of fuel left, ground speed, estimated times en-route to next checkpoint, to destination, etc.) as if I was on a cross-country. After that, I went under the hood for some simple turns, climbs, descents, VOR radial tracking, and unusual attitude recovery. After that was some airwork: steep turns, slow flight, stalls. He then killed my engine, so of course I picked a field, trimmed for best-glide, and ran through all the re-start and forced-landing procedures. After that, he took away my GPS and told me to find my way back to our home airport by pilotage (we were only about 15-20 miles away at the time, so it wasn't that hard to do.) Stayed in the pattern for some landings (soft, short, no-flap) and that was pretty much it. Pretty simple stuff in reality, but still stressful.

How bout you Justin? You doing your oral and checkride soon?

Justino · 06-18-2009, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike777

Thanks Jo-Anne and Justin.

Justin, here's a quick rundown of the flight. (Keep in mind I'm at a 141 school that does in-house checkrides for private and instrument.)

Did a short-field take-off initially, and proceeded to the first couple checkpoints of the cross-country that they had me plan for the oral. Basically they wanted to see that I can spin the whiz-wheel (E6-B) in flight and correctly crunch all the numbers (minutes of fuel left, ground speed, estimated times en-route to next checkpoint, to destination, etc.) as if I was on a cross-country. After that, I went under the hood for some simple turns, climbs, descents, VOR radial tracking, and unusual attitude recovery. After that was some airwork: steep turns, slow flight, stalls. He then killed my engine, so of course I picked a field, trimmed for best-glide, and ran through all the re-start and forced-landing procedures. After that, he took away my GPS and told me to find my way back to our home airport by pilotage (we were only about 15-20 miles away at the time, so it wasn't that hard to do.) Stayed in the pattern for some landings (soft, short, no-flap) and that was pretty much it. Pretty simple stuff in reality, but still stressful.

How bout you Justin? You doing your oral and checkride soon?

I know what you mean...seems like so much, yet it really isn't! That all seems like easy stuff to do. My toughest thing is working the whizz-wheel while keeping the plane straight and level. The rest of the flying sounds fun actually.

All thats left for me is the oral and checkride, then I'll be joining the private pilot ranks as well!

BTW, what aircraft did you do your checkride in? C172?

Mike777 · 06-18-2009, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justino

I know what you mean...seems like so much, yet it really isn't! That all seems like easy stuff to do. My toughest thing is working the whizz-wheel while keeping the plane straight and level. The rest of the flying sounds fun actually.

All thats left for me is the oral and checkride, then I'll be joining the private pilot ranks as well!

BTW, what aircraft did you do your checkride in? C172?

Do you have a date set for your checkride yet? Best of luck to you whenever it happens! Just remember that they aren't necessarily looking for perfection on your checkride, just that you are safe, make good decisions, and are situationally aware.

I did all my training in a Garmin G1000 equipped 172R.

Rex · 06-18-2009, 03:59 AM

Good Job Mike. Way to go, happy wings, mate !

airbro · 06-18-2009, 07:40 AM

Congrats Mike My Uncle has a private pilot licence but hasent flown for a while couse he ate a hamburger before he went up and he was sick in the plane all by himself. Are you going for a commercial one?

1:200Freak · 06-18-2009, 10:10 AM

Wevy Wevy Noice! Congrats Mike777

Justino · 06-18-2009, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike777

Do you have a date set for your checkride yet? Best of luck to you whenever it happens! Just remember that they aren't necessarily looking for perfection on your checkride, just that you are safe, make good decisions, and are situationally aware.

I did all my training in a Garmin G1000 equipped 172R.

Not yet, I'm waiting for my CFI to get back from one of his trips so we could go up and get signed off to do my checkride.

G1000 172R, huh? Nice! I'm flying in a old steam gauge 172N!

Mike777 · 06-18-2009, 02:14 PM

Thanks Rex, airbro, and Freak!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justino

G1000 172R, huh? Nice! I'm flying in a old steam gauge 172N!

Yeah, it's pretty nice. In a way it's overkill for private training though.

Here are a couple shots of the glass I took during my solo cross-country (GGG-PSN-LFK-GGG).

Justino · 06-18-2009, 02:52 PM

So umm....you still fly the plane, right? lol

Thats like an electronic kneeboard...very nice! I like how it maps out the route and has all your gauges displayed right there. I've heard that G1000 training is good from the get-go if your commercial pilot bound. That way your constantly using the displays and systems, etc.

Mystère · 06-18-2009, 02:56 PM

Congratulations ! Wow this glass cockpit looks so weird to me, it feels like you're playing FS !

I would feel uneasy if there wasn't one or two good 'ol gauges in my field of view !!

Justino · 06-18-2009, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mystère

I would feel uneasy if there wasn't one or two good 'ol gauges in my field of view !!

There are. They're just under the screens where you can't see them.

Mike777 · 06-18-2009, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justino

So umm....you still fly the plane, right? lol

Haha, yeah. We don't have autopilot on our planes, but it is available for the 172.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mystère

Congratulations ! Wow this glass cockpit looks so weird to me, it feels like you're playing FS !

I would feel uneasy if there wasn't one or two good 'ol gauges in my field of view !!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justino

There are. They're just under the screens where you can't see them.

Yep! There are 3 standby gauges below the glass screens: airspeed, vacuum-driven attitude, and altitude.

That first pic I posted looks like I'm in solid IMC haha, but I'm not of course. I guess the outside is just overexposed/not in focus (I don't know much about cameras). Here are a couple outside shots...

airbro · 06-19-2009, 06:45 AM

Just like in the flight simmulator lol.

knma'91 · 06-20-2009, 03:01 AM

Mike777, Congrats on PPL. Fly High and Fast. Where are you training out of?

RandySF · 06-20-2009, 10:51 AM

Congratulations, Mike!! I know nothing about becoming a pilot (only that my loss of hearing and imperfect vision prevented me from becoming one), so how long will it be before you can apply to work for Continental?

Mike777 · 06-20-2009, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knma'91

Mike777, Congrats on PPL. Fly High and Fast. Where are you training out of?

Thanks! I fly out of East Texas Regional Airport (KGGG) in Longview, TX.

Quote:

Originally Posted by B773ER

Congratulations, Mike!! I know nothing about becoming a pilot (only that my loss of hearing and imperfect vision prevented me from becoming one), so how long will it be before you can apply to work for Continental?

Hehe, thanks Randy! Still a LOOONG time before I can even THINK about applying for even a REGIONAL.

airbro · 06-20-2009, 11:35 PM

Hi Mike Just in intrest what subjects do you do to get a lisence? thanks.