Unexpected questions
Oh, the checkrides. Will they ever end? I don’t think I was briefed correctly when I first got into aviation because if somebody would have told me that I constantly would have to take exams just like in school, only now my job depended on it and my livelihood, I might have chosen another profession. I have had some great examiners in the past though who made the whole checkride a learning experience which in my mind is what an annual checkride is supposed to be. But after many years in aviation, I’ve also had my share of not-so-great-ones. At least I am currently only flying one make/model (as far as the FAA is concerned) which means “only” one to three checkrides a year.
How many exams/checkrides do you all have to pass in one year?
As long as I stay only with the PPL, and single-engine piston, I won’t need any more checkrides (just a 1-hour-flight with an instructor, which you can’t really fail), unless I let my class rating lapse.
But maybe some day I’ll develop further ambitions. An instrument rating, CPL, instructor, then it won’t end.
Last year I renewed for the first time my ME/IR and had to re-take the SEPL again because I didn’t fly with ti and it lapsed on me. Yesterday I started conversion course as a new recruit in an airline and after two hours on RNAV and RNP we had our first test. Over the next three months we are looking into a line of tests, a dozen TR sim sessions and some touch-and-go’s in the plane before heading out to base for line training. Still, the feeling after a check/test passed is so rewarding and when the examiner is an inspiring professional it is an experience well worth the effort.
None at all. As long as I fly sufficient hours (25 per annum) all is ok.
Thatg is for a two-seater ultralight (European style, max 450 kg).
That hurts. I just made my IR/me this week end (and almost had to give away a k€ for that), and this is every year, I have my SEP expired so I have more money to spend next week end (but it lasts 2 years), and I have the FI to renew every 3 years and my english every 6….this is almost a chance I don’t have a QT on top of that…not to mention that I’m growing old, so more visits to the doctor needed…(I don’t fly commercially, so I use a class 2. Class 1 is 280€ every six month + half a day of holidays to shred…)
Jan Olieslagers, there is no mandatory biennial training flight with an instructor for Ultralight?
In Germany Ultralights maximum weight has been “bumped” to 472.5 kg to accomodate the mandatory “Gesamtrettungssystem”, aka parachute system. Is that not required in your country?
I may make my (3-axis) UL license, it’s almost a no-brainer from the PPL. No required number of hours, just a few quick flights with an instructor and a short skill test, and a pyrotechnics course.
Fbs, try to get a Level 6 English, that’ll last a lifetime.
Every 2 years, because I’m flying a microlight on my aeroplane license and can’t renew through currency alone as a result.
Bernd, no parachute requirement here – but apparently if you do fit one you can get the extra allowance and (also apparently) some people have anyway because the extra weight allowed is more than the chute system weighs so you get a little payload bonus!
When I was the chief pilot in California we had 3 different makes/models as far as the FAA was concerned which meant 3 different FAR 135 checkrides per year, then a USFS checkride every three years. But since we added and/or sold machines the models kept changing which brought the USFS checkrides up to almost an annual event as well. But since I was a Part 135 instructor my CFI license got renewed by just walking over to the FSDO and showing them my 135 paperwork.
Now that I am not flying passengers anymore, I “only” have one FAR 61.58 checkride per year, then the CFI renewal every two years and the USFS checkride every 3 years. But to that we add requirements for the countries we fly in and other “tests” like HUET training and such. Basically I’m studying all year more or less. Which is part of doing this for a living and I get paid for most of it. But nobody told me about this when I went to flight school, HAHA