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| N2458Q, The plane I took my checkride in. |
On February 8th, 2012, I passed my checkride and became a private pilot! After 71.7 hours of flight training (with 14.5 being solo), I spent 4 hours with the DPE and earned what I had been working on for the past 11 months. One week later, it's still sinking in and I cant stop looking at my Temporary Airman Certificate. It's such a strange feeling to not have any lessons in my immediate future, yet it's amazing how much I continue to learn after only 2 flights as a private pilot.
On my return from a flight to breakfast in Hemet the next day, I landed at Gillespie and exited 27R. ATC instructed me to cross 27L and contact ground. For some reason, I didn't cross 27L and when I advised ground I was off of 27L, they told me to cross it and I had to hold short for a few other planes to taxi by. Not a huge safety issue by any means (I didn't even enter 27L) and we laughed it off. Something to remember though - listening carefully.
If I had written this after the checkride, I could have filled it with a flood of half-interesting details, but what I remember most is it wasn't as difficult as I had imagined. The examiner was doing things a lot quicker than lessons I had taken, but it was a pracitcal test and he mostly wanted to see positive control & a regard for safety. We did not really do a lost procedure, though we discussed it on the ground. Upon landing, we went back into Rison's office and printed my temporary certificate! The examiner left, and I was standing there alone - finally able to relax for the first time that day, and I was a pilot!
I had to pull the plane back out one more time and go fuel it up. I was exhausted, but took my time with it. The excitement prevailed. I taxi'd that plane to the fuel pumps with private pilot skills.
