Flight Instructor G3 Flight Test

Yesterday 6th Jan I sat for my flight test.

After umpteen hours of listening to lesson briefs, giving briefs, 53 hours of dual and mutual flight hours on instructional methods and techniques, and 12 hours on Principles and Methods of Instruction ......

And hours upon hours of self study .........

And frustration with the learning environment .....

And delays of sitting for the test since 18 Dec 2009 ......

It was time for the final roll of the dice .....

Dan had already sat for his test the day before I did. He came out firing all cylinders and impressed the hell out of the ATO ..... Darn! He set the bar so high for me!

As it turned out, it was all right.

The oral ground theory lasted about 2 hours. Tough. Lots of "stuff" I could have answered in much better and clearer ways had I been calmer. Then it was time to give my long brief on the lesson on "Climbing", followed by a pre-flight short brief on " Straight & Level"; with plenty of breaks in between to make myself comfortable.

Then it was time to take off to the Training Area on trusty RQM. Set up for a lesson on S&L, followed by a lesson on Instrument Flight, some steep turns, a lesson on Practised Forced Landing, and 3 circuits.

In my opinion it was not my top notch day but I did enough to pass.

Thanks to all my fellow trainees who helped me along in this journey - Dan, Ash, Sam and Tom.

Thanks to our Ground School Coordinator Andrew Derrick, G1 Instructor Greg Smith, CFI Richard Gross and Chief Pilot Joe Ferlazzo.

I learnt a lot. I am grateful I now have that experience.