Day 8 - Preparing for the First Checkride

My instructor and I decided that we better get the flight out of the way first thing in the morning prior to the expected temperature increase. We decided that we had better practice some take offs and landings into Gillespie (KSEE) seeing that the examiner favors the airport. As you see in the picture of my flight track, we initially had a downwind departure out of Montgomery (we took off from 28R.) This was interesting seeing as you do not have time to fly the usual pattern with a departure, a 90 degree turn to the crosswind, and then a 90 degree turn to the downwind. Due to class bravo airspace you are required to cut the cross wind out of the pattern, which means you continue turning directly into your downwind leg, or in my case, downwind departure. (See images to the left. The red line represents a normal pattern.) After our downwind departure, we flew over Gillespie and then turned north to the North East practice area. My instructor failed the engine on me a couple of times just to be certain I had the memory checklists down. No problem. When we arrived at the practice area we went through each maneuver, as we have been doing everyday. However, today was a little different, my instructor was no longer there to help, he was simply acting as my practice examiner. I am quite confident that I have the maneuvers down pat and I am ready to display them for the examiner tomorrow.

After practicing maneuvers we headed south to Gillespie Field for practice landings and one-eng inop pattern work. I must say, to this point, Gillespie Field has offered the most interesting pattern work I have ever done. You actually have to fly around a small (1,500'+) hill that actually separates you visually from the runway. This happens moments before you turn the base leg of the pattern. When you turn from base to final you actually have to fly around the hill and through a shallow valley with a small hill on the other side. I was unable to get a picture from the cockpit but took some in FSX that give a visual representation of the pattern.

The four hours of scheduled ground turn out to be a little less. We reviewed nearly everything that I would need to know for the Oral Exam. I was really weak on my systems, namely propellers and landing gear. No worries though, I will study those tonight and have them down by tomorrow.