What should I do next? Instrument? Tail wheel? Complex? Hm…

The numbers count only for flight to and from checkride. Those numbers will be in another post.

0.7h/0.0h inst : 2 to/ldg logged
63.3h/3.1h inst : 317 to/ldg total

My designated pilot examiner works as an airline pilot in his ‘day job’ so he is available only on limited numbers of days when he’s actually in town. Next such possibility happens next Thursday, the 8th. Now all I can do is wait and hope that current forecast for it will hold up.

Especially those last two are a surprise to me as I was quite confident that I can do them. Oh well. I’ll have to study them a little more before my checkride.

Can’t say it was too hard to do, but still gives me quite a lot of satisfaction. Now there is only one thing between me and solo – landings.

We’ll get there…

1. What conditions are necessary for the formation of thunderstorms?
A) High humidity, lifting force, and unstable conditions.
Thunderstorms form when there is sufficient water vapor, an unstable lapse rate, and an initial upward boost (lifting) to start the storm process.

2. With certain exceptions, safety belts are required to be secured about passengers during
A) taxi, takeoffs, and landings.
During the taxi, takeoff, and landing of U.S. registered civil aircraft, each person on board that aircraft must occupy a seat or berth with a safety belt and shoulder harness, if installed, properly secured about him/her. However, a person who has not reached his/her second birthday may be held by an adult who is occupying a seat or berth, and a person on board for the purpose of engaging in sport parachuting may use the floor of the aircraft as a seat (but is still required to use approved safety belts for takeoff).

3. The lifting forces which act on a hot air balloon are primarily the result of the interior air temperature being
A) greater than ambient temperature.

4. What is the purpose of the runway/runway hold position sign?
A) Denotes entrance to runway from a taxiway.

5. What does the outbound destination sign identify?
B) Identifies direction to take-off runways.
Outbound destination signs are used to identify directions to the takeoff runways. These routes usually begin at the entrance to a taxiway from an apron area. The inscription is the runway number plus an arrow indicating the direction.

1. What conditions are necessary for the formation of thunderstorms?
A) High humidity, lifting force, and unstable conditions.
B) High humidity, high temperature, and cumulus clouds.
C) Lifting force, moist air, and extensive cloud cover.

2. With certain exceptions, safety belts are required to be secured about passengers during
A) taxi, takeoffs, and landings.
B) all flight conditions.
C) flight in turbulent air.

3. The lifting forces which act on a hot air balloon are primarily the result of the interior air temperature being
A) greater than ambient temperature.
B) less than ambient temperature.
C) equal to ambient temperature.

4. What is the purpose of the runway/runway hold position sign?
A) Denotes entrance to runway from a taxiway.
B) Denotes area protected for an aircraft approaching or departing a runway.
C) Denotes intersecting runways.

5. What does the outbound destination sign identify?
A) Identifies entrance to the runway from a taxiway.
B) Identifies direction to take-off runways.
C) Identifies runway on which an aircraft is located.

1. What is the specific fuel requirement for flight under VFR at night in an airplane?
C) Enough to fly to the first point of intended landing and to fly after that for 45 minutes at normal cruising speed.

2. For aviation purposes, ceiling is defined as the height above the Earth’s surface of the
B) lowest broken or overcast layer or vertical visibility into an obscuration.

3. Unless otherwise authorized, two-way radio communications with Air Traffic Control are required for landings or takeoffs
A) at all tower controlled airports regardless of weather conditions.

4. If a pilot experiences spatial disorientation during flight in a restricted visibility condition, the best way to overcome the effect is to
A) rely upon the aircraft instrument indications.

5. What minimum visibility and clearance from clouds are required for a recreational pilot in Class G airspace at 1,200 feet AGL or below during daylight hours?
B) 3 miles visibility and clear of clouds.

2. For aviation purposes, ceiling is defined as the height above the Earth’s surface of the
A) lowest reported obscuration and the highest layer of clouds reported as overcast.
B) lowest broken or overcast layer or vertical visibility into an obscuration.
C) lowest layer of clouds reported as scattered, broken, or thin.

3. Unless otherwise authorized, two-way radio communications with Air Traffic Control are required for landings or takeoffs
A) at all tower controlled airports regardless of weather conditions.
B) at all tower controlled airports only when weather conditions are less than VFR.
C) at all tower controlled airports within Class D airspace only when weather conditions are less than VFR.

4. If a pilot experiences spatial disorientation during flight in a restricted visibility condition, the best way to overcome the effect is to
A) rely upon the aircraft instrument indications.
B) concentrate on yaw, pitch, and roll sensations.
C) consciously slow the breathing rate until symptoms clear and then resume normal breathing rate.

5. What minimum visibility and clearance from clouds are required for a recreational pilot in Class G airspace at 1,200 feet AGL or below during daylight hours?
A) 1 mile visibility and clear of clouds.
B) 3 miles visibility and clear of clouds.
C) 3 miles visibility, 500 feet below the clouds.

Answers – as usual – in a week.