Need a Mentor, or two, or three

[Mcstealth]

Bottom line is I need to finish my PPL. What I have left to do is my checkride and oral. I ran out of money just before my checkride and then life caught up to me and took my attention away, and I haven't finished. It has been 5 months since I flew last :( .  I now have the money built back up to finish the deal. My CFII said 6-7 hours refresh and then take the tests.  I don't want to fall aff the wagon again. Any help, or advice, or kicking in the butt stuff????

Sincerely, David

[Skywarrior]

Ask your instructor to put you through 2 simulated checkrides - tough ones. You'll appreciate it later.

For the Oral, remember that the examiner is looking for FAR/AIM knowledge, of course, but REALLY wants to hear good judgement.

 

Good luck,

Chuck M.

[jax88]

I don't know if your current CFI is the one that originally signed you off for your check ride, but if he/she is and is still willing to sign you off, you're probably ready.  However, the fact that you're here asking for encouragement tells me you may not be sure, chances are this is because of the lack of recent flying.

Do yourself a favor and do as previously suggested, get your CFI to put you through an exhaustive checkride simulation.  Once you can get through the "dry run" within PTS, get that checkride scheduled.  Then, about 3 - 5 days before your checkride, go through another "dry run" either with or without your CFI just to build more confidence.  The more you fly immediately leading up to the checkride, the easier the checkride will be.

Remember, the examiner wants to pass you.  Do what you've been taught, exhibit good, timely judgement, and you'll be fine.

[DaV8or]

David,

I guess it depends what in life got you derailed in the first place. If it was money, then that is pretty cut and dried. You either have it or you don't Flying as a hobby isn't really worth getting way into debt over, or causing trouble with your family. If it is other commitments that got in the way, then you have to ask, are they likely to resurface again in the near future? If you just got cold feet and were distracted, then I can suggest that you go for a few more hours of flying and if you find you are having fun doing it, then continue, but if it's all work and you don't find yourself looking forward to the next flight, then you should start asking why that is. Sometimes it's your instructor, sometimes it's just that flying didn't turn out to be as fun as you had hoped, in which case, you might not be doing the right kind of flying.

If you're all still really wanting to get that ticket, then I say go fly and then fly some more. Get your instructor to sign off and maybe even go for an evaluation with another instructor just to give you an idea what it's like to ride with another critical set of eyes and ears in the cockpit. Then go bang out the written. It costs money. It's a hassle and it has an expiration date. Once you pass the writen, you won't want it to go bad, so this will give you inspiration to schedule the checkride. If you really want the PPL, you'll make it happen.

[Jeff_S]

If it's motivation you need, why not just tell yourself that with your newly minted PPL you can fly to as many Tony Robbins classes as you like!?

As far as flying wisdom for passing the tests, the folks above have it about right. Get a second opinion, go fly with another CFI just to learn from him/her, get signed off and go do it.

And for economic wisdom...there isn't any. There is nothing about private aviation that passes an economic smell-test by anybody. So do realize that if you're going to make it a serious hobby you've got to enjoy the spend. And anyway, you can't take it with you!

[Parker_Woodruff]

Shoot I've got my plane here every other week or so.  While I can't instruct in it, I should have had you come along yesterday for a quick run to Waco just for the experience.

I should really bring the 172 down here for a weekend and bust you out.  Unfortunately I've said that to a couple recent instrument students needing to "finish up" and we had to almost start from ground zero due to awful instruction.  I hate to put an hour figure on it because it never seems to be right.

Take an instrument student who had done IFR cross countries with the CFI but didn't know what an ATIS was, for example.  The same student had an instructor who would hand himself off from the approach controller to the tower controller at his own discretion.

But seriously, while it might be impractical to get the 172 down here to finish you up, I'd be more than happy to help you in the evenings or over lunch break with the oral exam prep or something.  Get it done once and for all!!  FYI I live in Northwest San Antonio now with a coworker, so I'm not as accessible in the evenings, but it would give me something to do at night.