CFR Ch14, §61.49, a.k.a.; busted...

On March 26th I attempted my instrument checkride. Here's a brain dump to help those who might be about to take their's (and hopefully not bust):

oral test:

jepp charts:
-enroute chart, the MCA/MRA are sometimes listed right at the fix / vor, (i knew) but also sometimes listed as a note (black number in a circle, like a footnote).

-departure procedures, if there is no SID, then use the ODP, if there's no ODP, then there's no obstacle, climb to 400 (standard TERPS clearance) then proceed on course, and use an approach plate to find the pointy things. didn't know there was a thought process like that, from one to the other to the other. can't remember that in any of the books either, fwiw.

Q: along an airway, a higher MCA is coming up, but you have not yet received clearance, frequency is congested, what do you do?
A: climb anyway, they know you have to, you're 'doing their job' as the DE put it.

i was good on the FARs as far as currency, VOR checks, alternates, and alternate minimums, able to catch MEAs and other critical altitudes and their meanings. i had a very good grasp on the weather and was able to answer the few questions there without a problem. other than that, nothing much significant.

practical test:

did my usual instrument checks during the taxi, and during the run up he said he had a clearance to give me. 'standby,' as i was in the middle of the mag check. we departed rwy 5 at KBED, and the foggles went on at 400 agl. the right arm broke in the process, which I had hoped was a good sign. he gave me instructions to turn to 250, and climb to 2000, matching the clearance from before, and then up to the expected 3000. i did well, headings and altitudes assigned, 1 unusual attitude recovery (which was a level climb at 500 fpm, with surprise covered AI...piece of cake.)

we were south of the minuteman airport (6B6) and would set up to do the VOR/DME RWY21 approach there. instructions were to intercept the 021 radial MHT (030 on the OBS - good) head to EGORE, one hold at EGORE at 3000, no problems, got cleared to do the approach while in the hold, now i can descend as i'm on a published leg, all went well. he had me go visual a mile out, and circle to land, giving me a ceiling of 1100MSL. i almost busted the MDA because i had the field in sight, but saved it remembering that i'm not in a position to make a normal landing. i also made sure to remain within 1.3nm of the runway end at 90kts, on a very short final to rwy3, we went around, and set up for the NDB/GPS5 at KLWM. confusion set in with ATC and their clearances at this point. the DE was doing all the radio work up to this point. he requested the GPS approach, they said NDB approach, I corrected them (GPS), but he said, 'no NDB', 'but i'm using the GPS overlay, correct?' correct. i set up the radios, ID'd LWM and MHT, turned MHT to 165 to identify KRIED, since I already had the GPS and ADF and marker for HAGET. the DE covers the AI and the DG for some partial panel fun. i tracked okay inbound using the GPS. as we're nearing HAGET he said they're using runway 32, so let's use the appropriate minimums. confusion started to set in, as i'm behind things at this point due to wind corrections using the GPS ground track / approach course. so down to 680 still? i thought "appropriate" meant we'd go missed early to avoid traffic. ok, i just passed and identified HAGET (the final approach fix) at this point, so i started timing, and descending. 'i want you to use the appropriate minimums', 'oh, circling minimums, okay, 720 is our new MDA.' continuing downward to 720 for my dive and drive, I hit the deck and started to track the magenta line on the GNS430 using the desired track, bearing and ground track, while making sure not to go below my MDA of 720. i got to the MAP, started to fly the procedure, but he took the plane and explained that I wouldn't get my instrument rating today, because unfortunately there are no do-overs in the practical exam. he said it was a simple mistake, but an important one: there's a step down fix at KRIED where you have to be at 920, but I was already at circling minimums of 720. 200 feet below MDA with no corrections or admission of error is a bona fide checkride bust. he gave me the option to stop for today, or if I'd like, I can get the precision approach out of the way back at KBED. one of the main things you learn while training for instruments is to shrug off bad approaches or mistakes, don't dwell, just concentrate on doing the next thing correctly. i said of course i'll do the precision approach.

we got vectors back to do the ILS29 at Hanscom. it was probably the sloppiest (but within standards) ILS approach i've flown. the wind was all over the place, plus knowing I busted didn't help. but i was able to keep a good attitude and just wanted to get that approach over with. i already failed, so what's the worst that can happen?

once we were tied down, he went over the retest procedure, told me i just need to log additional training, whether that's 15 minutes of ground, or 3 hours of flying, it doesn't matter. schedule a retest with him, and we'll just do that one approach again, full panel.

what really made me feel a little better was that before getting out of the plane he looked at me and said, ' everything else you did was fine, it was a small mistake that i'm sure you will never make again, especially now. don't worry, the sun will rise again tomorrow!'

it sounds corny, but it really did make me feel a lot better.

Anxiety flying dreams...am I alone in this?

Well, the answer is no, because of this post by Aviatrix from Cockpit Conversation (highly recommended). They are just about garunteed before every flight I go on at this point. I attribute this to being on the brink of being signed off to take the instrument checkride. My head is immersed in the Jeppesen instrument commercial book, and Michael Hayes' Instrument Oral Exam Guide. I'm not a numbers person, I'm more of a fingerpaint person, so I'm sure cramming all this math and numbers is causing some synaptical revolt in the form of weird dreams and nightmares. Here are some themes and plots that I can remember in no particular order:

-Driving the plane down a road. This happens a lot. either because i'm not supposed to be flying, or after a forced landing of some sort. Just about every dream i'm taxiing down a street at some point.

-Constantly behind the airplane, messing up, feeling very confused. Well, this one goes without saying almost. Its the crux of all these dreams. Its a horrible feeling, and sometimes transfers to the cockpit in real life. Read on below.

-One of the ladies behind the desk at the club won't give me the keys and the book to the plane. She says I've screwed up too much and I'm not in any condition to fly!

-Taxiing onto the active without getting clearance, realizing that I didn't even talk to ground to get clearance to taxi! This one happens often as well.

-Not being able to see out over the dash. OK, this one happens in real life, but on purpose. I like to sit low during foggle fun time - it's just easier on the neck. In my dream though I'm unable to strain above to look out. Anxiety maxed out!!

-And finally, the dream I had last night: Another instructor and I who I don't work with often are in a lesson. The lesson is taking place in a large shower. The shower is on, (we are clothed,) and the faucet is acting as the throttle (but of course...) This shower is in the middle of a small corner store supermarket. Out the window I can see the road that I'm driving the plane down...I pull the mixture, the water and the plane stops, I get out, and wonder why I had my clothes on in the shower.

So, the transference I spoke of above has never happened before. Today, however, it did. I attribute this to a few things. First, too much caffeine. Second, that AI failure. Also, despite having ~50 hours in a P28A Warrior only 4 or so of them are solo. It caused me to be extra careful, follow checklists thoroughly, check everything twice, and be super professional. of course the flight went without a hitch, and while it was nice to look back and self criticize on how happy i was with my performance, i'd prefer it not because i was anxious. next time...

Bad Attitude...indicator

second time i've experienced an AI failure in the warrior (N238ND). First time was in an instrument lesson, so hey, partial panel practice! it actually made the flight easier with one less steam gauge in the scan. I squawked it and it was verified by another CFI as "not reproducible." Well, this time I was by myself in VFR conditions (of course...for now) and I snapped this pic of it:

From Blogger Pictures

I verified it was the gyros (it can only be one other thing.) Here's my method of thinking: The heading indicator which runs off the same vacuum system used to turn the gyros was functioning just fine. Suction (vacuum) gauge was reading well, and putting on the standby vacuum pump (god, these newer warriors are nice!) made no difference. The strange thing is that after about 10 minutes of flight (on both legs) it starts working just fine.

Needless to say, I squawked it again - this time offering the above proof!

206.5 hours and counting...

PPC turns 1 year old!

It was a frigid February 4th, 2009 much like today when I earned my Private ticket. 92 hours later I'm a week or two away from my instrument checkride. Looking forward to more time building this summer provided the Commercial ticket doesn't sap all my money away with the complex requirements (Piper Arrows aren't cheap.) Hoping to get to Katama again this summer for a day on the beach, which was definitely one of the high-points of the license so far (next to taking my parents up for the first time, of course):



and leaving...

on the subject of ramen noodles

Hands down the best ramen noodles out there have to be Koka. You can get them here in Boston in Kam-Man and Super 88. They are cheap (naturally,) very very low in sodium, (somewhere around 10% while others get to 60-80% daily sodium) and very quick and easy to make...for ramen noodles that is.



Another cheap and easy (but time consuming; 1hr+) meal to look into is Mujadara - very good for the brain. Tons of protein and vitamin B.

Jeppesen vs. NACO approach plates and IFR charts

I love the look of aviation charts. low-enroute charts, sectionals, whatever. They make great desktop wallpapers, expired sectionals wrap a good present and can even be printed on tyvek envelopes to make wallets. But of course what they should be best acknowledged for are how easily they can be read, and more importantly interpreted in turbulence, and at night, or both. When I started my instrument rating, I thought a while about whether I should go the NACO option, or the Jeppesen option. Here's a run-down on what I've found so far as a student pilot:

NACO Charts / plates
Pros:

Cheap and easy to maintain. No doubt about it, they are cheap, come in one bound or unbound pack when you want them, no subscription required, and you just recycle the old ones, no inserting random updated plates into the book as Jeppesen does. If you are rated and don't fly instruments often, they are free in fact because you can print out whichever ones you'll need for a particular flight.
Clean look They are minimal, and easy to read. There's not a lot of clutter, so you can identify what you need quickly. Plus, take a look at this plate for the NDB 5 at KLWM, one I use often in training. It's almost art-deco, no?

Cons:

A little too minimal at times. Compared to the Jepp, they don't include all the cross radials for that can be used to identify fixes in the event one station is offline.
The TERPS layout. Handy things are in other places in the publication. I.e. airport taxi diagrams aren't grouped with their approach plates, important information such as raised minima from equipment failures aren't on the charts, but in a table in the beginning, the list goes on.

Jeppesen Charts
Pros:

What you need is where you would need it. The airport diagram is behind the first approach plate for the airport. Low visibility taxi diagrams for Class B and C airports are also right there with the plates.
Rates of descents worked out for you. This is huge. As an instrument student the FAF (final approach fix) to the MAP (missed approach point) is a very busy time. On all the non-DME VOR, NDB and ILS approaches (in case the glideslope goes out of service) the Jeppesen charts have both time from FAF to MAP, but also rate of descent right there where you need it. With speeds at 70 and 90 knots, there's also no need for interpolation - just what you'd want while sweating under your foggles.
Everything is pretty much spelled out Procedure turns, missed approach instructions, frequencies and morse identifiers for off-chart radials and resources are all right there. It makes the chart a little busy, which could easily fall into the cons list, but overall this is more of a help than hinderance.

Cons:

Price. A subscription (In September 2009) to NACO plates and charts for New England runs around $95 or so. Jeppesen New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) costs $138.
Paper quality. I guess I can see the point of having really inexpensive paper if you're going to be printing so much of it so often, but seriously - these are like tissue paper. Taking out one of these charts and handling them in a bouncy plane, attaching them to a yoke clip, or putting them in a kneeboard sleeve without shredding them can be quite a feat.

Conclusion The deal breaker came from my friend who flies for American Eagle. He said, if you're going to be professional, use what professional pilots use. Plus I was leaning towards them anyway. So I plonked out $138 for the year's subscription, and now all my charts, plates and updates are mailed to my door every few weeks. Of course, I keep well versed in both. They're both pretty intuitive, and easy to pick up on their differences. Besides - the FAA written Instrument test uses NACO charts, naturally.

Some Books I've Read - Any Suggestions?

During the slow pace of part 61 training I've heard the best thing an aspiring pilot can do is suck up as much knowledge as possible and get his or her hands on as many aviation related books as possible. Below are the core books I've used in my training. Given that my Private ticket took 13 years, those listed are mostly for the instrument rating (with a couple exceptions.) Let me know if you have any that aren't here?

'Fate is the Hunter' Ernest Gann
Fantastic and engaging writing, and a great motivator for those who look to the airlines for a career in aviation, as well as motivation to be vigilant in the air; "Those 20 feet off the assigned altitude were bothering me..."

'Flying IFR' Richard Collins
Sort of like having that salty old instructor / grandfather tell you how it is, and how he does it, and so should you too...got it? Very helpful, insightful, and his vast experience is essential for us low-timers. The one thing I now think about constantly in the air is 'the needles have to be somewhere, they might as well be in the right place.'

The FAA suite (each pdf is linked, although i suggest buying them bound.)
Basically the government's (free) prescribed way of being a pilot. Essential basics, everything you need to pass the written exams, definitely governmental (i.e. dry, to the point.):

Airplane Flying Handbook
Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
Aviation Weather
Aviation Weather Services
Instrument Flying Handbook
Instrument Procedures Handbook

'Jeppesen Instrument Commercial Textbook'
A monolith of information. This is basically the FAA instrument books, but written with character, and made easy to digest. There are pictures, interesting side-stories, quizzes, trivia, and it covers both NACO and Jeppesen charts / plates. Essential for anyone following a career path (i.e. instrument -> commercial).

'Weather Flying' Robert Buck
If the FAA's 'Aviation Weather' is too dry for you (it will be) then pick up this one. It's insightful, and it improved the way i think about big picture weather. Plus this guy has flown thousands of hours in 747's. Awesome.