CombatACE: CombatACE -> Solo Phase Check Complete!

Well, it's been a month since my solo. I haven't been flying much due to weather and illness, but today I finally completed my Solo Phase check. Basically, I fly out to the practice area with a different instructor, do slow-flight, stalls, engine out procedure, then back to the airport for no flap landing, short approach, go-arounds, and normal landing. There is also an oral review session before the flight. Essentially, the CFI is just making sure you are a safe pilot.

Everything went pretty well, and the phase check CFI actually said he thought I was in the top 10% for phase checks that he’s performed! The only things I got dinged for were 1) not knowing what information you need to give when you call 1-800-WX-Brief. I spoke with my normal CFI about this afterward, and he thought that was totally irrelevant, as he hadn’t used it years. 2) during my engine out procedure from altitude, I didn’t announce the steps of the restart flow as I was going through them, and I forgot to the pretend to go through the last part of the securing checklist (fuel shut-off, mags off, etc…). Also, I was way high and over shot my intended field, circled back, and kind of over shot it again. We theoretically “crashed into the trees and died”.

The only thing I’m really concerned about is the engine out procedure. With my usual CFI, we usually recover at ~ 1000’ AGL (maybe a little more). This guy today had me keep flying it until we were literally a couple hundred feet over the little horse jumps (my selected field was a horse riding “park”, whatever those are called…), and I think it really drove the point home that I was way too high. So that is something I will definitely work on with my CFI. As unlikely as it is that I will need to land in a field some day, getting there correctly is definitely something that could save my life.

Anyway, now my CFI just has to sign off saying we reviewed the 1-800-WX-Brief and engine outs, and then I’m all set to solo on my own!

Happy Holidays!