From: thisted@galton.uchicago.edu (Ronald A. Thisted)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation
Subject: It finally happened to me...
Date: 31 Aug 92 23:16:07 GMT
Organization: Dept of Statistics, Univ of Chicago

Well, it finally happened to me.... I passed my instrument check ride
this afternoon.

After being THIIIS close twice and having to retrench due to work
commitments, and then not being able to schedule a checkride for four
weeks (!), I finally took the ride and got the ticket.

It would be nice on an occasion like this if I could do a little
boasting, but I am still feeling like a bowl of warm Jello (tm), and I
must confess that my flying was less than perfect.  Acceptable, yes,
although on two occasions the DE in effect looked away while I
corrected infractions that I was certain were pink-slip boo-boos.

The oral part was just fine; being a professor-type its the sort of
thing at which I excel (not-a-tm).  I really know how to handle
written and oral exams -- and how to study for them.  As I expected,
the flight test was the part that was less certain, because I know
that I cannot reproduce the instrument skills with the consistency
that I would like.

We departed vfr from Midway airport in Chicago, and flew toward the
Chicago Heights VOR [CGT], some 15nm to the southeast.  Once leaving the
ARSA, the foggles went on, the DE handled the real radios, and became
my own personal ATC.  I was told to proceed direct CGT when able, and
then, about two minutes from the VOR was given hold instructions to
enter a holding pattern that corresponded to the missed approach hold
for the VOR 8 approach into Griffith, IN [05C].  To make a long story
short, I had been a wee bit north of the VOR track, and chased a
moving needle all the way around the VOR.  I realized that I didn't
have reversal on the VOR, and then it became apparent that I was
actually moving away from the station nearly on the outbound hold
course.  I called the hold entry to "ATC" and proceeded.  In
retrospect, it was unnerving, but the result was entirely within spec
for the hold, and my ground track probably was quite good.  As we
started turning inbound, I was cleared for the Griffith VOR 8
approach.

The VOR 8 was sloppy, but within tolerances, but I felt that I was
getting behind the airplane.  This was compounded by the winds, which
were around 10 kts at the ground and 20 kts at 2500 AGL, with a 30
degree shift in direction from ground to aloft.  I executed the missed
approach, and then we proceeded via "radar vectors" to Porter County
airport [VPZ] for the ILS and NDB.  The trip from 05C to VPZ gave me
time to collect my wits and set up for the next approach, but I
psyched myself out again.  I dialed in a VOR to assist in fixing my
position, and I listened to the IDENT by switching the NAV2 switch to
"PHONES".  Yup, I announced, I've identified GIPER VOR.  No you
haven't, said the DE. What? says I.  It turns out that I had moved the
ADF switch instead of the NAV2 switch, and identified the compass
locater for the approach.  Damn!  I knew that the Morse "sounded
funny", but I heard what I expected to hear, not what was actually
there.  [I would have flunked me.]

I intercept the localizer inbound, report the marker, start timing,
the needles are centered, things look great.  Despite the variable
winds, I'm starting to relax.  So does the DE.  He starts telling me
about this great restaurant just off the airport.  I ignore the
distraction.  We have headwinds, so I adjust my timing inbound (as a
backup).  "If you want to get this rating, you had better do something
NOW," said the DE.  Omigod, I let the GS almost reach a full
deflection.  On the bad side.  I recover -- at least, I recover the
approach -- and complete things ok.  [I would have flunked me there,
too.]

We go around and do the NDB, which, to my amazement, is nearly
perfect.  Except at the beacon (the FAF), I forget to start my timer.
I realize this shortly thereafter, and push the stopwatch.  About 15
sec later, the DE asks, "What's your Missed Approach Point?"  I say,
"I started timing about half a minute late, so it's 1:30 from now."
At the minimums, and just about at the MAP, he has me take of the
foggles and land.  We stop, take a break, and I collect my wits again.
I think that I have all of them.

We take off from VPZ, and do some airwork on the way back to MDW.
This I handle adequately.  After about 20 minutes, he says, take of
the foggles, and congratulations!

We flew VFR back to Midway, he pointing out sights.  We talked about
the new (replacement) runway at Gary, Indiana, and how neither of us
were at all thrilled about the idea of the Lake Calumet Airport --
one of our mayor's ex-pet projects.  The return was uneventful,
although I still kept sweating.

The ride was 1.7 hrs in the air.  It seemed like an eternity.  I
learned a lot, and it's been confirmed for me once more, that learning
and getting better is what it's about.

Ron Thisted
PP-ASEL *and* IA
Ron Thisted
Department of Statistics/The University of Chicago
thisted@galton.uchicago.edu
Newsgroups: rec.aviation,pnw.forsale