CFI Checkride, Part 1

My CFI checkride was scheduled for 10 AM on April 3rd at FWQ. I arrived at VVS to find the winds from 150 at 22 G 37.

Great....

I decided to launch at 9. The winds died down a bit (G32 now), but were variable between 150-170. The wind sock seemed to favor 170, and after thinking it over I realized if I took off on 14 I would be climbing into all the turbulence off the mountains, and the sink rate might exceed my climb rate.

So I opted to accept the 60 degree crosswind and take off from 23 and turn west as soon as possible.

The takeoff run was exciting -- I lined up on the left side to account for any drift. The airplane wanted to weathervane left into the wind but I worked hard at maintaining a track parallel to centerline. I reached 70 KIAS, held it on a bit longer, and popped up into the climb. The stall horn beeped at me a few times as I reached Vy (96 KIAS).

The crab angle to maintain runway centerline was about 30 degrees. I pitched and trimmed for 100 KIAS and left the gear down for stability. The airplane was caught several times by some sharp gusts and tried to roll but I was prepared and caught it and prevented the roll without over-correcting.

About 1200' AGL I raised the gear and began a slow turn westward at about 10 degree bank. If I banked more than that the winds rolling off the ridge were threatening to roll me right over, so I kept it gentle as I came around.

The turbulence on climb out would have to rated moderate to severe.

Once I was at 3500' MSL I leveled off and maintained straight and level. The turbulence was far less violent and the airplane was flying normally.

I listened to the FWQ AWOS and winds there were 150 @ 8 -- quite a difference!

I settled in behind a Cessna doing pattern work and landed on runway 8. I lowered the upwind wing and settled down nicely on the right main before the left.

I unloaded the plane after parking in front of the Airport building. I had lots to carry -- binders, books, and airplane logs.

Larry met me and helped unload. We waited past 10 and then I got a call saying he was running 15 minutes late.

We started at 1030 and after paperwork (8710, ID, etc) reviewed endorsements. they were fine despite a few questions (had to change all the dates entered as "10 JAN 2008" to "JAN 10 2008" even though the PDF the FAA provides prefers the former). We reviewed the FAA rules about right side brakes but he said we still needed an airplane with dual brakes.

(The A36 only has brake son the pilot's side. All otehr controls are available. The FAA has a guide for practical tests and on the second page they list the FAA interpretation of the rules and conclude that the examiner can hold the brakes or the examinee can simply switch seats for that portion of the test.)

I thought it was a bit unfair to say that this guidance could be ignored. He argued that working the brakes made him PIC. I held my tongue but that's nonsense as the PTS says specifically that the *applicant* is PIC.

I told him I preferred to use the CAP airplane at MGW since the 172E at FWQ seemed to be having generator output problems. He seemed OK with that.

He went over the A36 books and spent time on the phone with the FSDO about ADs, but ended up with nothing -- the A36 books are impeccable.

The he started the oral -- he had the standard FOI questions, then rolled into basic aerodynamics -- lift, how an airplane turns, primary controls, etc. Then onto navigation and I demonstrated solving a time-distance problem using the both electronic and manual E6Bs.

We discussed constant speeds props for a while.

Then he asked me to explain how and airplane turns. I discussed banking, adverse yaw, HCL and VCL, and the rest. He suggested I draw the vectors differently, but otherwise that was fine.

We spent a little time on systems, but he said he didn't know much about the Bonanza.

Around 1220 he said "You're apparently very well prepared so you passed the oral portion with flying colors.."

I was happy to hear that and we decided to fly right away rather than break for lunch before the weather deteriorated.

I checked wx and winds were 150 @ 15g22 at AGC. Oh well, would be a good day to find out if I know how to fly!

I started the preflight and prepared to describe everything but he seemed in a hurry and walked around ahead of me. I did a complete preflight and tried to point out things as I went whenever he was nearby.

I said we were good to go and said I would pull the chocks when he said "Don't pull the chocks -- there are two things wrong with this airplane and we can't fly it today."

After playing the "Guess what I'm thinking game" I figured out he meant the tiny (3mm deep) dent in the left elevator and the fact that there was a static wick on the right flap but not one on the right.

There is no STC for the wicks and no mention in the A36 shop manual, so I couldn't confirm or deny how many there should be and where they should be mounted. I told him the dent had been inspected by an IA and found airworthy but he said there needed to be a logbook enrty attesting to that (first I'd ever heard of that).

Then he said if I wanted to fly it back I would need a ferry permit.

Anyway, I was more than annoyed.

He went over to the restaurant while I called Kevin, and IA. He said he couldn't come out and sign the log this afternoon, but thought the guy was full of $#&&.

So we had lunch (he paid) and talked about flying. He did say several times "As a flight instructor you will find that..." which gave me a bit of a boost -- at least he was thinking that way.

So today I'll go buy a static wick, Kevin will install it, we'll get the logbooks annotated, and I'll try again next Thursday.

We still have to look over the CAP C172. I'm hoping I will have impressed him enough in the A36 that he'll decide, "Let me just pass this guy" and not be a pain about that airplane as well.

We'll see...