Studying for C4390

[ccsv]

So my first check ride is coming up, and the stress is starting to build inside me a bit, mostly because it seems like people I talk to who have failed recently have done it because of a small course rule violation or some such act that can seem *relatively* easy to miss. Just wondering if anyone has any helpful hints on how to make sure you're really hiting everything you need to when prepping for this, I think the thing I'm worried about most is not screwing up something major, but missing the little things. Any help is very much appreciated, if not just yell at me and tell me to go back and study

 

[Fly Navy]

Treat it like any other flight. If you go into it calm and collected thinking "eh, just another day" it helps. At least it helped me when I did my NATOPS instrument check.

That and use the cruise sock tonight.

 

[squorch2]

Keep your confidence up. Don't let the IP rattle you. Easier said than done of course, but it really is a confidence game.

 

[Brett327]

Treat it like any other flight. If you go into it calm and collected thinking "eh, just another day" it helps. At least it helped me when I did my NATOPS instrument check.

That and use the cruise sock tonight.

Now, by cruise sock do you mean girlfriend, or actual sock? Funny story, I had this booty call up in Whidbey whom my friends started referring to as "Cruise Sock." If only she knew.

Brett

 

[Fly Navy]

Now, by cruise sock do you mean girlfriend, or actual sock? Funny story, I had this booty call up in Whidbey whom my friends started referring to as "Cruise Sock." If only she knew.

Brett

Now that's some funny sh!t.

 

[KBayDog]

Any help is very much appreciated, if not just yell at me and tell me to go back and study

GO BACK AND STUDY!

Seriously, Fly is right on the money - it is no different than any other flight. If you prepare for it as well as you have prepared for every previous flight, you should be golden.

That said, here are a few tips (that are absolutely nothing new) that you might want to use to prepare for this flight...and every flight, for that matter:

1. Have a plan. It is a little hard to do for a Contact flight, since the IP pretty much runs the show, but start "taking charge" of the flights. For your Contact check ride, something as simple as having a plan to get to/from the OLF (being able to explain why you chose a certain route, altitude, etc.) will show the IP that you are on the ball. Expect that your plan may/will change, but have one anyway.

2. Chair fly. You already know everything on which you will be evaluated, so fly it a few times before it "counts." Try different combinations of runways, course rules, etc. so that you will be ready for anything.

3. Verbalize EVERYTHING. (In the chair and in ESPECIALLY in the plane.) "I am leveling off at XXX feet." "Easing power back to ____, raising the nose to XXX°, turning to heading XXX." "I am looking to be at (checkpoint) at (altitude) and (airspeed)." "Okay, I am at this checkpoint; I am tuning button ___ and getting ATIS." Etc, etc, etc. Verbalizing everything will accomplish two things:

a. It will serve to jog your memory and keep you from missing the "little things."
b. It will let the IP know your thought process. You will show that, while your airwork may not be perfect yet, you are well-prepared for the flight.

4. GET GOOD SLEEP. Very important! I know it is easier said than done before a check flight, but you need to determine how much sleep you need and back-plan to ensure that you are well-rested. It may mean closing the books early the night before, but a fresh mind and body for the flight will pay off a lot more than cramming to get that extra 1/2 hour of studying in. Besides, if you have been properly preparing, that extra 1/2 hour is unnecessary.

Hope some of this helps.

One more thing: To this point, your your instruction has been limited to your on-wing, with just a handful of off-wing flights. While you won't fly with every instructor in the squadron, nothing prevents you from talking to each and every one of them. Pick their brains; if there are, say, 60 instructors in the squadron, there are 60 different ways to present identical material. Learn as much as you can from each one of them.

 

[jpm269]

If you make a mistake, dont let it consume your mind. When I was back there, I heard of many SNA's who made a small mistake. They couldnt stop thinking about why they made such a stupid mistake. In the end, they bomb because they spent so much time beating themselves up over a small mistake that they begin beating themselves up during the rest of the flight which leds to bigger mistakes since you aren't a 100% in the flight anymore. Leave the mistakes behind, learn from them, but at an appropriate time; debrief, before next flight, but not during your check ride.

Good Luck and like everyone else said, dont suck, use the cruise sock, and treat it like any other flight.

 

[nocal80]

definitely chair fly, like kbay said, use every combination of course rules you can think of and all different ways of going into each OLF. that really is the best way to learn it because its like a self-test. they are looking to see if you can take the airplane out and get back safely, so focus on the big picture. in other words don't get so wrapped up about screwing up your turn pattern that you come into the break at the wrong altitude or something like that.

 

[A4sForever]

.....my first check ride is coming up, and the stress is starting to build .....because .... people I talk to who have failed recently Just wondering if anyone has any helpful hints on ...... hiting everything you need ...... I think the thing I'm worried about most is not screwing up something major, but missing the little things..... (don't) .... just yell at me and tell me to go back and study ....

Hmmm .... I think I see your problem. Do YOU?? How's your self-confidence ???

No one can tell you how to pass a checkride on an internet forum, but: While all the suggestions offered are good; do YOU think that you know your stuff??

It doesn't sound like it....... Do YOU know the maneuvers? Has your progress to date been satisfactory?? Do YOU have any FEEL for the airplane??? Has ANYTHING flown (no pun) smoothly from evolution to evolution in your prior training?? I could never "memorize" flight procedures or maneuvers on the ground much less regurgitate "memorized" procedures while in the middle of a simulated emergency in the air. Some guys could --- bully for them.

In the end ... I beat 'em because I could "FEEL" the airplane. I pretended (to myself, I guess) that I actually KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING when confronted with a checkride or any other hop after solo. I acted like --- and actually believed --- that I was in charge (that's what they want to see, you know ) and the instructor/check pilot was just along for the ride -- to monitor me.

As such ... I was in charge of my own destiny.

There's a LOT of mental in the game of flying and successfully passing through stressful situations. The more you do it ... the easier it becomes and the more comfortable you will become in the aircraft. And the more self-confidence you will acquire in your own abilities --- screw what the other guys "who have failed recently" are whining about. :icon_rast

Buena Suerte ....

 

[sniksnak]

everyone's given you good advice ... especially the "don't stress out about it" tips.

the one thing i'd add is: make sure you nail the brief.

knowing your stuff cold on the ground gives a very favorable impression to the IP right away, and can start the ball rolling towards a successful checkride.

 

[zippy]

Find out which IP you are having it with, and call people who have flown flights, and better yet- checkrides, with him before, and see what they got asked and what he had them do... Yeah, and try to relax

Also, keep the comms card, home airport diagram as well as the course rules pages for entry procedures to the OLFs on your kneeboard (If you have a 9g take some loops from the blue brains and attach the pages to the kneeboard, and trim down the comms card so it fits under the clear window.). That way, if the wind direction is different then normal or the IP decides to ask you how you should do something, you can glance down and back yourself up.

 

[crateofthunder]

I would definately agree with most of the stuff on here, especially kbay's "verbalize everything"...during stuff like HAPL/LAPL/PPEL there is more than one way to skin a cat. You may be thinking one thing that is right and the instructor another, as long as you verbalize what are you thinking, he will know that you are ahead of the plane. One thing I would not agree with, and no offense to you zippy, is putting stuff on your kneeboard. The IP can see over your shoulder and will know if you are sitting there figuring out what to do as opposed to just having memorized the maneuver/procedure...just my take on things. Good luck!!!

 

[nocal80]

One thing I would not agree with, and no offense to you zippy, is putting stuff on your kneeboard. The IP can see over your shoulder and will know if you are sitting there figuring out what to do as opposed to just having memorized the maneuver/procedure...just my take on things. Good luck!!!

having a comm card and the airfield diagrams accessible is always a good idea. obviously you can't have the procedures on your knee board to fly off,(well you could but you would suck) but its good to have pertinent info that you probably have memorized anyway on your kneeboard as a back up in case you just go blank for a second. Its probably not a factor in primary, but the comm card is good for ensuring your radios are properly channelized or figuring out which button is which freq. this would come into play if they gave you a switch to a local button and you got no response, or if they gave you a manual freq which was also a preset but you didn't know which button.

 

[A4sForever]

....The IP can see over your shoulder and will know if you are sitting there figuring out what to do......

THAT's why you-all need to develop the time-honored STUD skill of turning your head left and right, visor down --- as if flying head's out of the cockpit --- all the while keeping your eyes on your kneeboard card, furiously checking the details of the procedure at hand.

If done properly and with finesse ... the Instructor in the back seat will remaim clueless as to your indiscretion(s).

 

[jamnww]

Find out which IP you are having it with, and call people who have flown flights, and better yet- checkrides, with him before, and see what they got asked and what he had them do... Yeah, and try to relax

Also, keep the comms card, home airport diagram as well as the course rules pages for entry procedures to the OLFs on your kneeboard (If you have a 9g take some loops from the blue brains and attach the pages to the kneeboard, and trim down the comms card so it fits under the clear window.). That way, if the wind direction is different then normal or the IP decides to ask you how you should do something, you can glance down and back yourself up.

gouged up kneeboards are a HUGE no-no during primary, especially on checkrides...with some instructors grounds for an immediate unsat...

on your solo is another matter but really a no-no on checkride...