awesome story. I like how it shows multiple learning opportunities including making a "mistake" during a checkride isnt an automatic failure. We're so used to mistakes in tests meaning failure but im glad that in aviation we are recognized for just being human
I was doing my first checkride for my sport pilot license and the DPE kept giving me tasks to demonstrate, but halfway through some of them he would change up and say something like, "let's do this, or let's do that" and then give me some different headings to fly that weren't in line with the original plans. I was getting very frustrated with all the change ups he was doing. It took me awhile (after the checkride) to realize that he was intentionally trying to fluster me. I thought for sure he was trying to find a way to 'fail' me. After we landed he said 'be prepared for things not going the way you expect and deal with what's at hand'. Anyway, he passed me - so I was happy in the end.
Good video.... Just sat for a maths exam and regardless of which exam it is, there are two important components to how to do well. the first is whether you know the material, the next is whether your inner autopilot also knows the material, if it doesn't, you make mistakes under stress.
On my PPL check ride I side slipped to land but forgot to extend flaps and reduce power, I realized and did a go around, the DPE laughed and said I forgot some stuff but he could tell I knew how to sideslip well and we moved onto my soft field landing Also missed a couple radio calls because of my testing anxiety. Still passed but man did that feel scary and terrible in the moment.
Gracias - it is reassuring to be reminded I’m not the only one who makes mistakes! The only bad mistakes are the ones we don’t learn from. It makes so much sense that you say I knew something wasn’t right so I went around. Then you trust the process, follow the checklist, and it became clear what the issue was. I am prepping for my first checkride now and it’s great to hear these stories. Thank you both!
Thanks for sharing! Similar thing happened to me on my MEI ride. Was playing the role of instructor to the DPE in the pattern with single engine. As we turned base he gave me controls so that I could demonstrate a landing. On short final ran the checklist last minute and found I had forgotten the gear. DPE said he was getting ready to say something but happy I pulled out the checklist and ran it. We had a good laugh in the debrief and I passed!
Great story. In addition to of course, always using a check list, this is why I teach my students from day one to use gumps as our pre landing flow, and specifically to check the gear, even if it’s fixed. This way they are learning to fly not just the plane they’re currently in, but ALL planes going forward in their career. And when the day comes that they do get into a plane with retractable gear, it’s already built into their procedures to be checking that gear. 👍
On my first student cross country my instructor had instructed me to stop get out of airplane after first leg go into center and file a vfr flight plan to my second leg. When I returned to start plane I forgot the first thing to do after starting engine was to set my gyroscope to my compass. No gps or firefight back in 1972. After taking off nothing matched on the ground to the map I had . I was completely lost in ten minutes. Lucky I flew over an abandoned airfield that I had seen on my first leg, nowhere near where I was supposed to be. Put the 150 in a big circle and tried to figure it out. Didn’t take long to see what I had done and finished the other two legs with no problem. But a scary 10 minutes for sure
The day of my IFR Check Ride was nightmare, flight school 172S. VOR log shows not checked in 30 days, ground portion passed, then out to the plane. GPS Database had expired - cannot fly, delayed to next day. Flying to first destination for VOR approach, within 10 minutes the heading indicator had already drifted significantly and I didn't pick up on that. Caused a full needle deflection and it was a "Discontinue"
The most awkward checkride moment I had was with the stall horn…I was in an airplane I hadn’t flown in weeks and at some point during that time, the stall horn just went crazy and would blare long after recovery. I vividly remember climbing out from some stall or another, “WEEEEE” in the headsets, my DPE ripped his headset off and in a Hail Mary attempt to get the thing to shut up, I pulled the audio fuse. Luckily, it worked but my DPE really read the riot act to my CFI after we were finished lol
For my commercial ASEL checkride, my DPE started off the oral saying, “During the conversation I’m going to ask you some questions. If there’s an acronym that can answer the question (i.e. IMSAFE), just say the acronym and we’ll move on.” Made it super easy lol
I was shocked when I failed my first Army tactical instrument check ride in the Bell 47J. I had started on instruments as copilot-valet at age nine with my dad's partner in the gold course construction business. Press Maxwell, the famous golf course architect, had flown the B-24 on 25 bombing missions and then the B-25 with Tito's assigned colonel rescuing downed pilots in Yugoslavia. He owned a C-180 the and I couldn't reach the pedals, so I flew instruments on instrument flight plans only. I was very comfortable with instrument flying and planning, but I was not so careful with the exact altitude and heading enroute. This pink slip got my attention and I passed the second instrument check ride. What was really embarrassing was that the enroute portion of the Army set up at Ft. Rucker was only around ten miles between tactical ADF signals and then approach. After Vietnam and in the NG, we got two weeks Federal Temporary Training Duty to get our standard instrument certificate with VOR and ILS. Many Hueys back in that day had no VOR receiver.
Always remember to do your GUMPLS Check: GEAR: down UNDERCARRIAGE: make sure your gear is down MAKE SURE the gear is down PUT the gear down LANDING GEAR: down SWITCHES: check your gear switch
Failing a checkride for omitting a critical step is better than passing with complacency and unsafe habit. One failed checkride is better than belly landing or stall spin accident.
There is a gear warning beeper when either power lever goes below about 25%. But you typically wouldn't go below 25% until short final with both engines operating. It's much better to do a flow check on a DA42. Everything is laid out in a line in the cockpit. Also on final I constantly call out airspeed, flap position and gear position.
awesome story. I like how it shows multiple learning opportunities including making a "mistake" during a checkride isnt an automatic failure. We're so used to mistakes in tests meaning failure but im glad that in aviation we are recognized for just being human
I was doing my first checkride for my sport pilot license and the DPE kept giving me tasks to demonstrate, but halfway through some of them he would change up and say something like, "let's do this, or let's do that" and then give me some different headings to fly that weren't in line with the original plans. I was getting very frustrated with all the change ups he was doing. It took me awhile (after the checkride) to realize that he was intentionally trying to fluster me. I thought for sure he was trying to find a way to 'fail' me. After we landed he said 'be prepared for things not going the way you expect and deal with what's at hand'. Anyway, he passed me - so I was happy in the end.
Such a great story! And to admit even a CFI can make a mistake too. Not just us learners. Thank you for sharing
EXCELLENT !! GREAT EXPERIENCE TO SHARE . I DID LEARN YOU MUST GO TO YOUR CHECK LISTS BEFORE ANY PROCEDURE
Very humble. That what I like about pilots and my instructors for my PPL. Two more hours to my check-ride...
You got this
Good video.... Just sat for a maths exam and regardless of which exam it is, there are two important components to how to do well. the first is whether you know the material, the next is whether your inner autopilot also knows the material, if it doesn't, you make mistakes under stress.
Underrated and top rated comment at the same time. So true.
Well done Martin
GREAT.....
MZERO ROCKS
On my PPL check ride I side slipped to land but forgot to extend flaps and reduce power, I realized and did a go around, the DPE laughed and said I forgot some stuff but he could tell I knew how to sideslip well and we moved onto my soft field landing
Also missed a couple radio calls because of my testing anxiety.
Still passed but man did that feel scary and terrible in the moment.
Gracias - it is reassuring to be reminded I’m not the only one who makes mistakes! The only bad mistakes are the ones we don’t learn from. It makes so much sense that you say I knew something wasn’t right so I went around. Then you trust the process, follow the checklist, and it became clear what the issue was. I am prepping for my first checkride now and it’s great to hear these stories. Thank you both!
Thanks for sharing! Similar thing happened to me on my MEI ride. Was playing the role of instructor to the DPE in the pattern with single engine. As we turned base he gave me controls so that I could demonstrate a landing. On short final ran the checklist last minute and found I had forgotten the gear. DPE said he was getting ready to say something but happy I pulled out the checklist and ran it. We had a good laugh in the debrief and I passed!
Great learning story.
Great story. In addition to of course, always using a check list, this is why I teach my students from day one to use gumps as our pre landing flow, and specifically to check the gear, even if it’s fixed. This way they are learning to fly not just the plane they’re currently in, but ALL planes going forward in their career. And when the day comes that they do get into a plane with retractable gear, it’s already built into their procedures to be checking that gear. 👍
Great story. It’s really what not to do and what to do! When in doubt… don’t!
Good advice as always. Thanks for sharing.
On my first student cross country my instructor had instructed me to stop get out of airplane after first leg go into center and file a vfr flight plan to my second leg. When I returned to start plane I forgot the first thing to do after starting engine was to set my gyroscope to my compass. No gps or firefight back in 1972. After taking off nothing matched on the ground to the map I had . I was completely lost in ten minutes. Lucky I flew over an abandoned airfield that I had seen on my first leg, nowhere near where I was supposed to be. Put the 150 in a big circle and tried to figure it out. Didn’t take long to see what I had done and finished the other two legs with no problem. But a scary 10 minutes for sure
The day of my IFR Check Ride was nightmare, flight school 172S. VOR log shows not checked in 30 days, ground portion passed, then out to the plane. GPS Database had expired - cannot fly, delayed to next day. Flying to first destination for VOR approach, within 10 minutes the heading indicator had already drifted significantly and I didn't pick up on that. Caused a full needle deflection and it was a "Discontinue"
The most awkward checkride moment I had was with the stall horn…I was in an airplane I hadn’t flown in weeks and at some point during that time, the stall horn just went crazy and would blare long after recovery. I vividly remember climbing out from some stall or another, “WEEEEE” in the headsets, my DPE ripped his headset off and in a Hail Mary attempt to get the thing to shut up, I pulled the audio fuse. Luckily, it worked but my DPE really read the riot act to my CFI after we were finished lol
For my commercial ASEL checkride, my DPE started off the oral saying, “During the conversation I’m going to ask you some questions. If there’s an acronym that can answer the question (i.e. IMSAFE), just say the acronym and we’ll move on.” Made it super easy lol
I was shocked when I failed my first Army tactical instrument check ride in the Bell 47J. I had started on instruments as copilot-valet at age nine with my dad's partner in the gold course construction business. Press Maxwell, the famous golf course architect, had flown the B-24 on 25 bombing missions and then the B-25 with Tito's assigned colonel rescuing downed pilots in Yugoslavia. He owned a C-180 the and I couldn't reach the pedals, so I flew instruments on instrument flight plans only. I was very comfortable with instrument flying and planning, but I was not so careful with the exact altitude and heading enroute. This pink slip got my attention and I passed the second instrument check ride. What was really embarrassing was that the enroute portion of the Army set up at Ft. Rucker was only around ten miles between tactical ADF signals and then approach. After Vietnam and in the NG, we got two weeks Federal Temporary Training Duty to get our standard instrument certificate with VOR and ILS. Many Hueys back in that day had no VOR receiver.
Extra credit for the accent. 🙂
Always remember to do your GUMPLS Check:
GEAR: down
UNDERCARRIAGE: make sure your gear is down
MAKE SURE the gear is down
PUT the gear down
LANDING GEAR: down
SWITCHES: check your gear switch
Failing a checkride for omitting a critical step is better than passing with complacency and unsafe habit. One failed checkride is better than belly landing or stall spin accident.
Mr. DP, just checking to see if you would catch that.
I never make mistakes
No gear warning of the Diamond, or was MP still to high to set it off?
There is a gear warning beeper when either power lever goes below about 25%. But you typically wouldn't go below 25% until short final with both engines operating. It's much better to do a flow check on a DA42. Everything is laid out in a line in the cockpit. Also on final I constantly call out airspeed, flap position and gear position.
@@igclapp Thanks
say GUMPS like Rain Man....over and over
No M or P in a FADEC DA 42!