Nov 03 2007
Stage Check–14
I completed my final stage check last week. I am now finished with the PPL up to speed course UND requires of incoming students who already have their PPL. The course cost quite a bit more than I was expecting, but I also aquired quite a few more hours than I was expecting–24.5 to be exact. I think I am well prepared for the next course. The stage check didn’t go as well as I was hoping. As is common on checkrides, I learned a ton during the stage check. I had a fantastic stage pilot, he was down to earth and kept track of my mistakes and the few things I did right. The debrief went well, and he brought up some very valid points, about things I can and should fix. We talked about my approach into Warren, ND (D37). There was one aircraft in the pattern, and I called up to overfly at 2200 feet (500 feet above the TPA.) I over flew looking for the windsock, couldn’t find it, turned around and flew over again. This time I found it. I think I flew directly over it. After seeing the windsock I began to DECEND into the pattern. This is a big no-no as doing so could cause me to run into another aircraft. I can’t see below me so I could decend into an airplane. That would not be cool. I ended up deciding to turn outbound from the downwind and did a tear drop manuver to re enter. This was much more effective and led to a nice standard pattern for a Grass field landing. My first grass landing EVER! It was pretty uneventful, I tried using breaks for a few seconds and remembered I’m not allowed to do that. We did one more takeoff and landing which ended up being a power off 180, and returned to Grand Forks. There I did a normal landing, which I’m not going to lie, sucked. It was nearly a 3-point landing. Funny how we only care about the last 5 seconds of a flight… Now I am done flying until January, and I already miss it. It’s funny to think that I was actually beginning to become burned out from flying so much. I’ll probably go get checked out at the local FBO and rent an aircraft there to fly every week or two.