Runway 06R

So today the 13th of August 2009 was a big day for me, I sat and passed the Private Pilot Licence theory exam which is the final theory exam required in order for me to get my unrestricted licence. It would have to have been the hardest theory exam, 3.5 hours with 52 multi choice questions and a headache to boot.

Exams taken and passed so far:

Pre Solo Theory Exam
Pre-Area Solo Theory Exam
Radio Operators Certificate of Proficiency Exam
Basic Aeronautical Knowledge Exam
General Flying Progress Test (Obtained Passenger Privileges)
Private Pilot License Theory Exam

I am going to take a break for a few weeks and in September will complete my navigation training and navigational SOLO flights which once complete will allow my to take my Private Pilot License flight test which allows unrestricted flight VFR during VMC. So if the weather is good and its during daylight I can fly anywhere. My next step after that is to do a night rating and possibly twin engine endorsement, but i’ll finish up with the PPL before thinking much more on that.

So I’ve been a bit tardy with things here on this site and since things have started to get interesting again i’ll go over what I have been up too. I passed the GFPT (General Flying Progress Test) and received my first actual endorsement in my log book, this gives me passenger privileges which means I can take passengers within the training area, joy flights!!!

Since then I have taken a passenger and whilst over in Sydney recently flew out of Bankstown airport which was an amazing experience in a bigger aerodrome, my first experience sharing the sky with a Qantas 747 and feeling the wake turbulence blasting down from 1000 feet above giving my little Cessna 152 a bit of a bumpy ride.

I have also been doing a PPL (Private Pilot License) theory course and am days away from taking my PPL theory exam. Once that is completed all that is left to do is to finish my navigational exercises and then it my PPL flying test, then I get my wings and can finally start to do things like take off for the weekend and all that fun stuff.

I also flew my first “international” flight the other day, a trip to Rottnest Island over the ocean and that was good fun, wearing life jackets in a 4 seater aircraft was a novelty, managed to stuff ourselves into the plane.

Well the General Flying Progress Test is fast upon me, I was hoping to book it last week but for this that and the other I didn’t quite get round to it. I have been reviewing theory and flying in front of my Cessna 152 cockpit poster, that’s been getting a bit boring though. More then likely I’ll wing it and see how I go, although that being said I am resolved to pass it first time round. I’ll keep this posted.

Its getting towards the end of January, I have flown a number of hours doing some drill work in preparation for the flight test. Most things are pretty easy to remember but because so many things are happening up there you can get out of sequence easy so its lots of practice and also a large degree of kicking yourself every time you for get the simplest of things.

I am a bit of a lead foot when it comes to rudder control, I need to get the hang of going light on the controls, I tend to yaw the aircraft about a bit too much, practice and more practice. Not terribly concerned about this.

The main thing I am trying to nail is forced landings, selecting an appropriate field is the most challenging for me, procedures are fine once I get the hang of the selection process. I think I am a bit too fussy as I generally want a field that is absolutely perfect, however the flip side is tat failing to find one in time means you run out of time to do all the other checks.

Last month was pretty busy, busier then most no doubt being Christmas and all last bit of 2008 and all that however I finally decided to go in and get the aeronautical theory exam out of the way. I’ve been studying the book for about six months and even though that does seem a bit of time they do throw in a few curly questions.

I was there for about 3 hours with a notepad, workbook and the sheet of questions. I went through skipping the questions I needed to give a bit of thought to and completed all the easy ones. There were about 5 there that had me thinking a bit specifically with regards to take off charts and aircraft weight systems.

Finished up with extra time to make some adjustments and after about 10 min checking over my score I was awarded a PASS!!! Next step is completing my last area solo then I am well on my way to doing the practical flight examination.