Instructor says I'm ready for checkride

[N4567A]

Check ride? You mean somebody has to approve your piloting?
What a concept!

Rodg (staying below the radar) Petersen

[Troy Hamon]

I guess that depends whether I want to carry passengers (legally). Or fly in controlled airspace (legally...I heard an interesting commentary from a high-time, highly by-the-book but also very detail-oriented and somewhat of a hornet-nest-kicker kind of a guy that since FARs are primarily administraive rather than criminal, and class G is 'uncontrolled', it is theoretically possible to own and airplane, park it at a class G airport, never fly out of class G airspace, and not need a license to do any of that...I'm sure the FAA would have a different take on that...). Anyway, I do want to do carry passengers, and I would like to make cross country flights without reviewing the flight with my instructor (he's a great guy, but I'm ready), so yes, I do have to get somebody else to approve my flying. And I'm okay with that...and I suspect my future passengers would not fly with me otherwise...

[bigjohnnie]

Curly, you are abso-freakn'-lutely right about distractions/questions asked by instructors and examiners at the MOST inopportune times. My instructor(s) would ask me the "stupidest" questions , especially when I was in the patern, scanning for traffic or wrestling with a fickle crosswind on final. After the first time one did that, ( which I DID become distracted), I was sternly corrected, and it only took once as it WAS quite stern ( deservedly so ). I then got into the habit of saying " Yup. Uh huh. Uh huh. Yeah, ok", THEN after safely on the ground and off the active , I would reply " Now what was it you were saying ?" Kinda funny as my lovely wife ( The Lil' RedHead ) did the same thing the first time I took her for a ride when we were first dating. I replied with the usual "Uh-Huh" thingey and she got a little irritated . She told me that at that time, she was thinking " What kind of insensitive pin-head is this guy, anyway? Won't even listen to me ..". After an explanation about the importance of avoiding the "smoking-hole" syndrome, she fully understood and agreed with my "lack of listening". BTW she tells me she will fly with ME anywhere, anytime. Gotta love RedHeads.
Johnnie

[Troy Hamon]

Went out and flew a mock checkride by myself (obviously skipped hood work) Thursday, and had a great time. Down and stopped within 400 feet of the numbers on short field, definitely getting better at that and the 12 knot wind at 20 degrees off the nose helped. Looks like I won't get back out before next Thursday, but hopefully that will be soon enough to keep making progress on the little things, as that is the deal this week (though Wednesday might work out, we'll see...).

[Troy Hamon]

Well, getting ready to try for this week. We'll see if the weather cooperates, it looks a bit iffy for Wednesday at this point, which is when we can leave. Nonetheless, I'm getting ready and we'll see how it goes.

I'm trying to think my way through all the things that have been tickling around in the back of my mind. I have a 1951 PA-22. It has a set of 3 sheets of paper, and the first line of the first page lists the aircraft type under the CAA. The rest of the sheets include the operating limitations. I was told by three instructors and four A&Ps that this one line is what passes for an airworthiness certificate for my plane. Does that sound right? I just keep thinking of really bad surprises that I could come up against. When I look in FARs I see no statement about airworthiness certificates being any one thing, just that I must have one. The sheets of paper look like 50 year old mimeograph rather than a certificate, but as long as it is okay with the dpe, I guess that is sufficient.

[Steve Pierce]

Not the airworthiness certificate but the pilot's operating handbook. Yes, it sounds like the document I have seen in most early Pacers and Tri-Pacers.

[JohnW]

No disrespect, but the "three sheets of paper" are not the Airworthiness Certificate, and it isn't the Pilot's Operating Handbook, either. The POH is simply a "booklet" that Piper originally supplied describing BASIC flight parameters and a few maintenance procedures, but THAT is NOT required to be in the airplane whenever it is Operated. Those "sheets of paper" of which you speak are the AFM (Airplane Flight Manual), and MUST BE in the aircraft at all times that it is being operated. It contains the basic information about operating the airplane (Vspeeds, and a few Operating limitations you should have available for flight). This "basic information" also includes the Weight and Balance Reports and these often bring the total number of pages up to five, or more. With Piper ragbags, the W&B and Equipment List (the last page of the W&B) are "attached to the AFM" and are "part of it". Additionally, there must be ALL of the Supplements to the Flight Manual (SAFM) there that are pertinent to it's legally altered condition. These would be STC-added Supplements (or other alterations) that ARE IN ADDITION TO the info that the basic airplane details required for operation. Just as an example, if your airplane was converted to the taildragger configuration, there would be a SAFM for the opeartional changes; if you had a Piper Wing leveler, or a L-R fuel tank the operational instructions/limitations would be there as a SAFM; If you were "operating the airplane" for your Check Ride with Federal skis installed, you would need another SAFM for THEIR installation. "Flight with the rear door removed is another SAFM. Again...these all NEED TO BE in the aircraft whenever it is "operated". Common sense prevails, and if you AREN'T taking your Check Ride with skis on, or the rear door removed, you do NOT need the SAFM "on board". The Airworthiness Certificate almost always hangs inside a little plastic holder screwed to the interior some where (popularly, in the baggage compartment, or the "Hat Throw", in Piper models that have them, or somewhere near the Pilot's knee on the sidewall". "Semi-permanently attached". Also, the Aircraft Registration will be found either right next to it in another identical setup, or maybe even "in the same pouch". If you require a FCC Radio Station License, it too is usually right there (but for ops in the Contiguous U.S. in a U.S. Registered a/c, you don't need one anymore). I've never heard of a CFI that didn't point all this out to you specificall,y at some point...and/or that didn't "REVIEW" these documents at some point before your Check Ride is scheduled. Not having either document in the aircraft, you WILL BE embarrassed when the Check Ride does not happen because the Examiner will NOT "get in the airplane" because the required documents are on board (tough to pass a checkride when you don't "have an airplane" there! Since these documents are REQUIRED to be there when you operate the airplane, it ISN'T an airplane if they aren't there!). DO NOT "jump in the airplane and fly it Home" if you are "caught like this". You may very well be getting a visit from an unhappy Federal Employee who will have to do something to you that he probably does not LIKE to do. That said, I can see how it MIGHT just get overlooked once in a great while (and I certainly don't mean to sound "snotty" about it). It's a REALLY GOOD THING that you asked this question! Consult your CFI for ONE MORE "am I really ready to go there and get my Check Ride" once-over concerning the AIRPLANE... FOR SURE before you fire up and go see the Examiner. Best of Luck with your Ride!!!

[skydogk]

Troy,

Are you planning any stops on your way/return to Kenai? If you stop in Iliamna, visit Iliamna Air Taxi terminal and ask to see the "mechanic". It would be great to meet you.

Best wishes,

skydogk

[Troy Hamon]

Skydogk, My instructor is going in with me, so I won't be totally free to set my own schedule on the way in. But I'll be coming back without him, apparently, so unless I'm running late, I should be able to stop in then. Though, with the way the weather is, it could fall on a weekend or some such. Anyway, I'll be through there a few times over the next few months, so I'll stop and find you sometime soon regardless. I landed at PAIL on one of my cross countries, but never even got out of the plane, just did a stop and go.

JohnW, Thanks for the detailed reply. I've had this conversation with each of my instructors. Each of them said exactly what you are saying, that the document in question constitutes the AFM that is required on the aircraft. However, I haven't found anybody that can explain to me where in legal language is the authorization to call this AFM, which is not an airworthiness certificate in its original incarnation, an airworthiness certificate now. I also don't find anything in FAR that allows for any exceptions to the requirement for an airworthiness certificate. So forgive my instructors, the problem is not that they haven't told me this and that I haven't got all the required papers (except airworthiness certificate) on board. I work for the feds, so I'm familiar with the mindset, and just don't want any surprises...

[nicka]

I imagine your instructors have told you about them, but just thought I'd ask if you knew about the FAA weather cams, You can look into thwe passes and compare the current pic with a clear day pic and elevation of local features. A pretty handy tool especially if you are going to be heading through the mountain passes. It was snowing pretty good this AM in Anchorage, but Lake Clark Pass pic looked pretty good, don't know how Kenai is. Anyways if you haven't seen them search the internet for Alaska FAA weather cams, if the local King Salmon internet will work for you.