You Are Orderd To Surrender Your Pilot's License

...and take this temporary license with instrument add-on!

It's finally over. Well, the rating portion at least. I don't think a good pilot ever stops trying to master instrument flying. I plan to fly IFR at EVERY opportunity to stay sharp and become more skilled, not just proficient.

My friend Dana came by my house last night and helped me cram for the oral exam. She just earned her CFI last Tuesday (congrats Dana!) and her willingness to help made all of the difference today. Even though she's leaving the country today on vacation, she went out of her way to be here for me. Good friends are hard to come by and I consider her a great friend.

The oral portion went extremely well. It lasted just under 2 hours and we covered my flight plan to John Wayne (KSNA), weather, aeronautical decision making, departure, en route and arrival procedures, emergency procedures, rules and regs, instruments and systems, charts and navigation aids, types, service volumes and instrument flying scenarios.

I really felt good about the oral exam. He asked me questions in all of the areas I was confident in and the ones Dana helped me sharpen up on last night. I would grade the oral exam an "A".

However, I was not really that proud of my performance during the flight portion. A fairly significant thunderstorm rolled through during the oral exam. Weather was clearing quickly and didn't appear to be a problem. A check of the METAR, TAF and radar confirmed that the storm was moving rapidly to the east. Outlook VFR.

Pre-flight went well. I took advantage of the rain and cleaned all of the windows while he quizzed me on antennas and systems on the aircraft.

He briefed me on the plan for the flight: Go do maneuvers and unusual attitudes, followed by an ILS - missed, partial panel VOR-missed and GPS 30L all at Gateway. Apparently, the ILS at Casa Grande is out of service. Good. I hate doing the ILS there. The hold is a nightmare.

OK. Time for start up. ATIS indicated that the IWA VOR was out of service. CRAP! Hmmm. He asks me what I want to do. I suggest the VOR approach at Coolidge. It's a VOR/DME approach that terminates 24NM from the Stanfield VOR (TFD). He said "good choice" and amended my "clearance" to use the GPS for the IWA VOR by intercepting the 180 radial to the 12.5 DME from Stanfield and arc Southeast to intercept the 071 approach course for Coolidge.

I intercept the radial with no problem. It hit 12.0 DME and start the arc. However, I started to turn the wrong way. I had to remember that the approach was DME "FROM" not DME "TO" and quickly corrected. I got to the 12.8 DME before correcting the arc. Whew...PTS standard not broken. The rest of the approach went well. I went missed at 24 DME and executed the missed. My only other faux paux was no figuring out the type of entry for the missed hold before executing the missed approach. I figured it out with a mile to spare and the hold was nice, but being ahead of the game is what instrument flying is about. I COULD HAVE DONE BETTER.

We left the hold and did basic instrument maneuvers and three unusual attitudes. All was well with that.

Then it was time for the ILS approach. However, he took me pretty close to the airport before giving me the instructions to do the ILS. I called up Phoenix approach and she vectored me almost directly to the final approach fix (SNOWL). I got a little behind the eight ball. I wasn't trimmed for 90 knots yet and the glideslope wasn't going to wait for me, so I had to suck-it-up and multi-task. I got about 1/3 deflection on the localizer and glideslope, but got it all under control with 4 miles to the airport. I hit DA and went missed. Smooth and no problem. I just wish I could have gotten ahead. This was the WORST ILS approach I've done since my first try. I COULD HAVE DONE MUCH BETTER.

After going missed, he requested vectors to do the GPS 30L approach at Gateway. They declined the request and vectored us east and told us to contact Phoenix approach. I think he was trying to rattle me a little. He did a good job and I let it get the best of me for a few minutes. I couldn't find the 30L approach plate. Static stuck a few pages together and it took me way too long to find the approach.

I programmed the approach for vectors and activated it. Then I called Phoenix approach and the controller did a great job getting me there. While on the way there, he asked me what the minimums are and I correctly indicated that the opposite runway was in use and we would have to circle, increasing our minimums from 1720 to 1800. He failed my vacuum instruments. He tried to rattle me about 3 or 4 times on this approach and it still worked out okay. When we hit about 1800 feet and he told me to go visual. We circled and made left traffic for 12R. Super smooth landing. We taxied back and he told me that I could sweat it out while he did some paperwork.

I knew that I had passed, but didn't feel as good about it as I would have liked. I get back into the briefing room with him and he asks me how I think I did. My answer: Well, I know the flight was within PTS standards, but I'm better than that and today's flight wasn't. I could have done MUCH better. He said, "Good answer" and we spent about a half hour talking about the pluses and mostly minuses of the flight.

Some people say "A pass is a pass". Yeah, it's better than busting...but I am a better pilot than I demonstrated today. I rate today's performance in the plane a "C". I could have and should have done better. Bottom line.

Today's flight DID make me a better pilot. That I am grateful for.

Things I learned:

1. Relax with the DE. Don't let your actions be based on what you think he/she wants you to do. Let your actions be instinctive. Trust your judgement and follow through.

2. Fly the plane first. Don't worry about ATC. Do what you have to do before acknowledging them. They make you wait, right? They can wait too. When the plane is flying right and you're ready, talk to ATC.

3. Be ready for challenging situations. DE's do it because it does happen. Don't say or think "I've never done that approach before". Just do it and do it right. That's flying.

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Well this was certainly long-winded. I'm glad today is over. Tomorrow, my wife and I are flying in a 172 to Santa Ana, CA aka John Wayne/Orange County Airport. We're both looking forward to it. I plan on keeping my limitations high.

An instrument rating doesn't make me an expert.