Start Date @ PDK 9/28. Will Post Updates During Private Stage Here

Congrats! Once it clicks, it clicks.

Yes instrument flying is fun and I prefer it 500x more than vfr flying. The precision needed for it is what makes it fun, and the views you get of clouds, especially vfr-on-top are amazing.

Keep up the good work.

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Amanda,

I am glad it is all coming together for you, I had a feeling that things would do just that. I, too have always been a fan of night flights. Thank you for the update, please keep them coming.

Chris

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Beginning of Week 7 Update:

I’m finishing up my Solo Prep phase now and currently have 42.5 total flight hours. I have one more flight before the Solo Eval flight, and then I’ll be soloing! During the Solo Prep phase, I’ve been spending my flight time practicing emergency descents, ground reference maneuvers, Private maneuvers, and continuing working on TOL’s. My instructor is starting to let me choose what I’d like to work on during our flights now and is also taking more of a back-seat role while we’re flying.

Looking back, I was extremely overwhelmed during the first 4-5 weeks of the program and generally felt like I had no idea what I was doing (because really, I didn’t). I really struggled up until the end of the TOL block and had quite a few moments of doubt, wondering if I’m cut out to be a pilot, if I would always feel this way, etc. I’ve gained a lot of confidence in my piloting abilities over the past couple of weeks though, and am really enjoying flying now that I’m not so stressed and task saturated w/ trying to remember all of the basics. Moral of the story is: stick with it! It gets better. Familiarity breeds comfort and confidence. I feel ready for my Solo eval and solo flights… and more than that, I’m really looking forward to them!

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Amanda,

Sounds like you are progressing exactly as you are supposed to be. I remember that feeling of doubt. I’m happy to hear that that feeling is already starting to fade.

Tory

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Amanda,

Very glad to hear you’re doing well and getting more comfy. Once you relax it’s kinda fun right? :wink:

Adam

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Amanda,

Thank you for updating us, I was curious as to how you were doing. I am glad to hear that things are going much better for you and that you are feeling more confident. Please let us know how the solo flights go.

Chris

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Hey, congrats. I also felt overwhelmed in the beginning, had doubts on TOLs, etc. Guess everyone feels that way.

Once you do your checkride prep, don’t ever forget or lose proficiency on your maneuvers (power on/off, slow flight, emergency decent, steep turns) because you won’t be doing them for a long time after you pass your checkride, and you’ll need to know them in cfi school. So keep chair flying them even after. Good luck!

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Hello all!

Here’s a quick update on my progress. I finished my solo TOL’s and solo XC’s. It was a wonderful, memorable experience. I was extremely nervous before my first solo flight and wound up having the best landings I’ve ever had during that flight. They were a thing of beauty :joy:. After the first solo flight, the nerves were gone and I just enjoyed my remaining solo flights.

I did my mock PPL checkride today and only have two more training flights before the actual checkride. Short and soft field takeoffs/landings were introduced and I did an absolutely terrible job at the landings on my first attempt today (not surprising, who am I kidding- lol), so my focus from this point forward will be really nailing those new maneuvers in before the checkride. There is a ton of information to study for the checkride, so staying on top of studying throughout the program as opposed to cramming at the last minute is the way to go. Everything moves really quickly when you finish your solo flights and you only have a couple of training flights left before the checkride, so staying on top of studying and maneuvers throughout the program is so important.

The oral exam is a tough exam to prepare for because the range is so wide for the possible questions and also the best/most correct answers. My instructor and I have done a lot of ground school to cover special emphasis areas that are usually covered during the PPL checkride oral and I’ve created a detailed study guide with all of these special emphasis topics to make sure I have them down cold before the checkride. I’d be happy to share this study guide with anyone who’s interested- just leave a comment and I’ll email it over to you.

Amanda

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Thanks for the update Amanda,

The first checkride can be a little daunting. As you say there’s a lot to cover. Remember no one expects you to know everything, just a good and thorough working knowledge of what’s required.

Let us know how the checkride goes. I’d wish you luck but it sounds like you don’t need it :wink:

Adam

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Thanks Adam,

I’ll be sure to give an update when I finish the checkride! Hopefully it’ll be a positive update.

The good luck wish is appreciated. I think I do need it based on my landings today :joy::sob:

Amanda,

Awesome news on the TOLs and Solo XC! I still remember how nervous I too was when I first was lifting off the runway and didn’t have my instructor with me. A lot of the times we feel pressured to always landing the ‘best’ we can with someone in the plane with us that we forget landings are really challenging and we have to work for them all the way until we clear the runway.

As much as you can, keep that material fresh in your head, it will help you be prepared. You’re almost there to your first ticket!! If you haven’t already, search Pilot’s Café for a little Private Pilot Cheat Sheet that you can use to just look over and get a “big picture” on potential PPL questions. Ask family/friends to just come up with random questions per that sheet to quiz you, if you feel something may not be strong, mark it down and come back to it later.

The only advice I can say with landings short/soft is energy management. Typically you’ll be steeper for a short field and on a soft field, the biggest challenge is to hold that nose wheel off the runway as long as you can - almost like wheeling down. :slight_smile:

Best of luck with your checkride, look forward to hearing how it goes!

Brady

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Awesome news. I was actually wondering how you were doing earlier this week since we haven’t heard anything from you in a little bit. I figured you were busy with your head in the books and hand on the yoke. Can’t wait to hear the news that you are a private pilot, keep it up.

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Amanda,

Thanks for checking it!

I think a lot of pilots underestimate the knowledge required to actually be one. The physical skills of being a pilot is a lot easier for most, but the knowledge, as you say it’s a lot, and definitely not as fun! But also as you say, super important to stay on top of. Please tell me you’re using your Private ACS as part of your study guide! :wink: :crossed_fingers:

Congrats on the solos!

Tory

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Brady,

Thanks for the tips and the heads up on the Private Pilot Cheat Sheet! I hadn’t seen that yet.

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Tory,

Thank you! Yes, I’m definitely using the ACS (and the FAR/AIM, PHAK, Airplane Flying Handbook, and ASA Private Oral Exam Guide) :crazy_face:

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Hey guys,

Last update on the PPL thread- I’m happy to say that I passed my checkride! Here’s how it went:

I did a lot of preparation for the oral as this was my main source of anxiety going in to the checkride. I was worried about the DPE asking me some obscure fact that I didn’t know the answer to and tried to crack down as much as possible on the areas I wasn’t very strong in. The PHAK, ACS, FAR/AIM, oral exam guide, and this study guide were my main sources while studying. The last two (the oral exam guide booklet and the study guide linked) give a fantastic overview of the questions you can expect during the oral and were instrumental in finding weak subject areas to focus in on.

I was extremely nervous on checkride day (honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever been more nervous in my life), but I was able to relax a bit after meeting the DPE and figuring out that he was a shockingly normal person and not the scary FAA examiner I was expecting. The DPE appreciated that I had all of my documents prepared and organized ahead of time, and it was a great way to get the exam started off on the right foot. I will say, I consider myself extremely lucky to have gotten the DPE that I did- he was an awesome guy. He made it clear from the beginning that he didn’t expect perfection and his only goal was to make sure I’m a safe pilot. He genuinely wanted to see me do well and I was able to relax and unload all of the knowledge I’d been cramming into my brain over the last few months. The oral felt like a conversation among two people who love aviation. It went very smoothly and I didn’t have to reference my books at all (although it would have been fine if I did need to reference them once or twice- again, he wasn’t looking for perfection). I felt underprepared going in to the oral, and over-prepared afterwards.

We had to discontinue after the oral because the winds were picking up at the airport- I believe it was gusting 18 w/ a nearly 90 degree crosswind. I was disappointed to have to discontinue and nervous about being rusty for the flight portion because I hadn’t flown in about 9 days at this point.

We rescheduled the flight for two days later and picked back up where we left off. The flight was extremely quick (1.3 hrs. total) and went off without a hitch. My training thoroughly prepared me for everything during the flight- there were no surprises. The DPE sat down with me beforehand and briefed his general plan for the flight and order or maneuvers. He told me what he was looking for and cautioned me against a few things students commonly fail checkrides for (landing before the thousand footers on short fields, exceeding altitude tolerances, not going through checklists, etc).

The best advice I can give to someone preparing for their PPL checkride is to try to be as over-prepared as possible going in to it. Instead of cramming in the week or two leading up to the checkride as a lot of students do, I started studying well in advance and was able to get a full 8 hours of sleep the night before (this is so important). ATP provides a special emphasis supplement for your DPE, which is also very helpful in preparing for your DPE. Be responsible in your study habits and you should be fine!

I will say, passing the checkride was just about THE BEST feeling in the world. I felt like I’d just won an Emmy and was ready to step up on to the podium and give my acceptance speech- haha!

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Congrats.

Yes, the blue book is really what I mainly used (other than watch the kings schools videos) and it really over-prepares you.

I also was in the mindset that DPE’S are scary people who are out to fail you, scare you, trick you etc. Turns out the dpe in my location is a very cool guy, and my perception on them changed haha.

Good luck in instrument! I found it at least 5x easier than private. Just know all the rules and etc.

Use pilots Cafe for the oral, simulator practice for the checkride, and you’re golden.

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Congrats Amanda!
You’re absolutely right! Being over prepared is the best remedy for the checkride nerves! Your hard paid off! Plus all the little details add up as your presentation as a PIC; having your documents laid out and ready plus all
Your source material if needed. The DPEs notice even the slightest of details and it sounds like you were very thorough! It’s the best feeling in the world getting that rating after weeks of hard work! Now that you have the first one under your belt, you know what to expect for the checkride process moving forward so that helps! Now on to instrument! Keep the updates coming!

Hannah

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Congrats Amanda!

Sounds like to did an outstanding job and yes being over prepared is always a good thing. Also sounds like you had a good DPE which is great. Unfortunately they’re not all that great but again if you’re prepared it won’t matter, just might be less pleasant.

Keep up the good work and keep us posted.

Adam

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Proud Mentor over here! :grinning: Well done, Amanda! One for one!

Tory

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