one step closer...

[gotyacovered]

i have scheduled my written 12/5, and checkride 12/15. any input on the timing of these? i would have them scheduled for November sometime if the dates were available!

i was a little surprised that was the quickest i could get my written. i was also surprised at the cost, it is $150. thought it was like $60!!!

just for the record, my first lesson was 9/5. this includes a 7 day trip to kansas deer hunting and getting my prop seal fixed.

[theFlyingHog]

I had to take my written before I could solo. Lucky you! haha. Those written test fees have gotten ridiculous! I paid 80 for my private, I think around 120 for my commercial several years later. Will you get to fly much over Thanksgiving week? This was always a bad time of year for me to get any instruction in....seemed all my instructors would just about take the entire winter off. Who will your examiner be?

[gotyacovered]

I had to take my written before I could solo. Lucky you! haha.

to be honest, i was planning, and wish i did this. if i had it out of the way, i would be taking my check ride before thanksgiving.

Will you get to fly much over Thanksgiving week? This was always a bad time of year for me to get any instruction in....seemed all my instructors would just about take the entire winter off.

ya... my cfii is my dad, we are spending thanksgiving with him, so i will get to fly quite a bit around then. i am going to fly everyday the weather permits over the next couple weeks. my feet are itching to get off the ground, my prop should be on and spinning by friday. i have a cfi friend that is going to give me a 'mock checkride' a couple times, my dad encouraged this so i could get input from another cfi. i liked the idea. i have been very fortunate to have some people around me that have been very helpful.

Who will your examiner be?

bill high out of hot springs. he said he was tied up the next two weeks, i just arbitrually pick the 15th as a goal, he wants 2 weeks notice and he can get it done.

[theFlyingHog]

to be honest, i was planning, and wish i did this. if i had it out of the way, i would be taking my check ride before thanksgiving.

ya... my cfii is my dad, we are spending thanksgiving with him, so i will get to fly quite a bit around then. i am going to fly everyday the weather permits over the next couple weeks. my feet are itching to get off the ground, my prop should be on and spinning by friday. i have a cfi friend that is going to give me a 'mock checkride' a couple times, my dad encouraged this so i could get input from another cfi. i liked the idea. i have been very fortunate to have some people around me that have been very helpful.

bill high out of hot springs. he said he was tied up the next two weeks, i just arbitrually pick the 15th as a goal, he wants 2 weeks notice and he can get it done.

Sounds like you've got it all planned out very well. I've done two ckrides with Bill, well 3 if you count busting on instrument and having to do one more approach. There could not be a better guy to do your check ride! He will teach you a lot. He'll lead you in the right direction on your oral if you're close, on the flying part he loves to see checklists(of course). Oh and AFD!!! He'll ask quite a few questions where the answer is in the AFD or you can say, "I'm not sure, let me check the AFD".
I could get my oral book and mark questions that he asked and mail it to you if you want. It's been a few years but I think I remember most of it

[gotyacovered]

I could get my oral book and mark questions that he asked and mail it to you if you want. It's been a few years but I think I remember most of it

one of my character traits/weaknesses is attention to detail. to counteract this i have been diligent with my checklists. so that is good. i am a creature of habit. need to est good habits on the front end!!!

and yes... i wold really appreciate it. i can mail you my book and you can mark it if you dont want to get rid of yours... as soon as i send this i will pm you my info.

how long did you wait after getting your private to get your instrument? i am trying to decide if i should dive right in or just enjoy VFR for a bit...

[theFlyingHog]

I'll mail you mine. I've got a CFI oral book and it's got all the same stuff in it.

I jumped into instrument right away. A day or two later if I remember right. I tried to do the 141 program for it so to fit everything into each lesson we could only shoot approaches at LIT and it got very frustrating doing that day after day. It's really up to you. If I had the means to do a VFR hop occasionally to break it up some then it would have been much better.

[gotyacovered]

aight, once again... one step closer.

had my check ride scheduled scheduled for mid-December and my wifes aunt died, combine that with the weather, Christmas, work, etc i had to reschdule. gonna happen the 3rd week in janurary.

unfortunately my transponder certification is out so i have to take it to Pine Bluff to get everything legit again, but you fellas cross your fingers for me.

[theFlyingHog]

aight, once again... one step closer.

had my check ride scheduled scheduled for mid-December and my wifes aunt died, combine that with the weather, Christmas, work, etc i had to reschdule. gonna happen the 3rd week in janurary.

unfortunately my transponder certification is out so i have to take it to Pine Bluff to get everything legit again, but you fellas cross your fingers for me.

3rd week in January...I'll send you some of my birthday karma. haha.

[gotyacovered]

3rd week in January...I'll send you some of my birthday karma. haha.

have the day nailed down, 1/20. when is your bday?

[gotyacovered]

Need some luck fellas. My 1/20 date isn't looking good. As of right now it's scheduled.

[Flying Razorback]

Go get 'em!  Knock that ride out!  Checkrides suck so it's awesome to get them out of the way.

[gotyacovered]

Go get 'em!  Knock that ride out!  Checkrides suck so it's awesome to get them out of the way.

i am tired of it hanging over my head, if it gets canceled - it wont be of my doing.

[theFlyingHog]

My bday is on the 25th. Good luck getting it to happen on the 20th! It SUCKS waiting for it and you have waited long enough!

[gotyacovered]

No joy.

Next week.

[gotyacovered]

I got screwed.

Show up at the airport Friday morn, puddle of gas under my plane. Bad O-ring on engine sump. Didn't get fixed until 4pm... And then the weather got me today. 

[Flying Razorback]

I got screwed.

Show up at the airport Friday morn, puddle of gas under my plane. Bad O-ring on engine sump. Didn't get fixed until 4pm... And then the weather got me today. 

What I tell all my students when their check rides get pushed back:  "Sweet man, think of all that extra time you get to study!  You're going to blow them away with your GK and they'll realize any rust is based on a break in training..."

Sometimes it's very refreshing to get a student who has obviously been in the books and put in the effort to get to where they're going to be.  You know they've got the drive, desire, and dedication to make it in the next phase.  It makes it a lot easier to overlook some rough spots in the flight when you know they have prepared.  We all have a rough spot or two, just keep it safe.

Good luck!  I hope you finally get to knock it out soon.

[gotyacovered]

What I tell all my students when their check rides get pushed back:  "Sweet man, think of all that extra time you get to study!  You're going to blow them away with your GK and they'll realize any rust is based on a break in training..."

Sometimes it's very refreshing to get a student who has obviously been in the books and put in the effort to get to where they're going to be.  You know they've got the drive, desire, and dedication to make it in the next phase.  It makes it a lot easier to overlook some rough spots in the flight when you know they have prepared.  We all have a rough spot or two, just keep it safe.

Good luck!  I hope you finally get to knock it out soon.

Good point, still no fun though!

[theFlyingHog]

I hate that you're having to wait. But you can make the flight portion way easier with Bill if you nail the oral.


If he points to a sectional to something that looks like [-16] , that's airspace(altitude up to but not including). Like Class E underlying Class C. There was one down in louisiana that he tripped me up on.