Rich's Quest For Flight

KRYV 191654Z AUTO 28013G17KT 10SM BKN120 M07/M12 A3017 RMK AO2

In a final push to get ready for my practical exam (otherwise known as the checkride), we scheduled the twice postponed final phase check with Kevin for this morning, while I would then go up with Adam in the afternoon for final cleanup and paperwork preparation.

Adam had arranged a primary date of tomorrow, January 20, and next Saturday. With the postponements, as long as the weather held up, I would have premium practice time the day before my checkride. One thing did try to get in the way, and that was scheduled maintenance. The plane was due for its 100 hour service yesterday. My heart sank when the scheduling calendar showed the maintenance window overlapping my time today. This was not a good sign. I called the FBO this morning, and the nice lady on the other end told me that they are doing all they can to have it ready by 10:30 a.m. and to plan on coming in. So I arrived, met with Kevin, and waited. The maintenance technician was just in the process of taking the plane to another part of the ramp for a runup check. Shortly after, the plane was back and ready to go.

Kevin watched as I did my walkaround. I explained everything to him. What I was looking at and what to watch for. With the preflight complete, I set my materials up in the cockpit: my kneeboard with flight plan and sectional, the Airport and Facility Directory (the brand new edition) and my headset. We got her fired up and headed to Runway 29 to start the cross country. Take off and climb out were excellent, and the air was smooth and clear as I climbed to cruise altitude. At the second checkpoint, Kevin suggested the oil pressure had dropped dramatically, and so the cross country portion ended. I talked through what I would do, which was to land as quickly and safely as possible, after ruling out possible causes. Since we just passed over Fort Atkinson airport, we could land there. Instead, we turned to the east to perform air maneuvers. Kevin didn't run through the entire set of maneuvers, electing to sample power on stalls, turns around a point, and some instrument flying. We talked through partial engine failure, then simulated total engine failure. Everything went well, and we headed into the wind back to Watertown.

Short field, soft field and normal landings along with a short field takeoff, and we rolled it back to the ramp. Kevin was very impressed and had no concerns about my passing the exam tomorrow. It was perhaps my best session of all. We debriefed with Adam, and I went back home to have some lunch. My next flight was at 2:30 p.m.


KRYV 192034Z AUTO 27009KT 10SM CLR M05/M12 A3014 RMK AO2

So it was back to the airport for some clean up work with Adam. He had me do steep turns again, a couple of crosswind landings at Dodge County, then some no flap/forward slip landings at Watertown. I think we got the rest of the burrs ground off, so to speak, and I'm ready to handle just about anything the examiner might toss at me. We finished off the paperwork, double and triple checking the FAA Form 8710-1 (Airman Certificate Application). Adam also finished all of the endorsements to my logbook, including one completely asinine one that says I'm not a terrorist. But perhaps I'll rant about that some other time.

Tomorrow I meet with the Flight Examiner at 9:00 a.m. at Watertown, for what should be a great day. I have already called him tonight and also called Green Bay Flight Service for an outlook briefing. And the outlook is fantastic. Perfect VFR conditions with light surface winds. It's come down to this. A day 39 years in the making.