Flying IFR - Lesson 53 - The Pre-Checkride Checkride

Time for the pre-checkride checkride. Went to DCT and found they had swapped out N8570F for N5337F yet again, so this would make it a bit more challenging.

Raining as I drove to the airport but then it stopped and conditions became winds calm with a layer at 3,000 feet.

I preflighted N5337F and I had Bobby Carr as my pre-checkride instructor.  Never flown with him before but a nice guy.

He stated we would got to Flint, do the VOR 18 circle 9, then Linden for the RNAV 27 full procedure, then Pontiac for the Localizer Backcourse 27L and then the RNAV 27L with a procedure turn at GUZVY.

Amazingly I managed to get N5337F close to being trimmed out fro altitude so I just had to deal with the right turning tendency. Finally got the altitude issue under control.

So I took off and headed to Flint.   Controller just had us keep flying outbound from the Flint VOR for-flipping-ever, which always messes with you a bit as you're not doing the procedure turn as planned and you have to ignore your GPS and approach instructions and just keep flying all the way out on the outbound radial.  Then I finally got to turn inbound and did the  approach and circle and it went pretty well, even as I was doing a little s-turning to get on course. The circle was nice and tight and I had the runway made if I wanted it.

Then to Linden and another full procedure there, and I handled that one pretty well even though I fell for the GPS parallel turning trap but now that I know what it is (in short the displayed track heading is not the track heading you want when doing a parallel) we're all good.  Good approach and no issues.

Back to Pontiac and the Localizer 27L and did it partial panel and did it really well, which was good.  Got a couple tips to improve it. 

Then I went missed and did the RNAV 27L with a procedure turn at GUZVY and did a nice approach and landing.

Managed to do the trifecta of hold entries - a direct, a teardrop, and a parallel all in one flight.  Sheesh.

I passed the pre-checkride checkride.  

Now for the pre-checkride ground portion and  then I can book the checkride, again, finally, maybe, whatever.

That's 2.1, 1.9 simulated, 4 approaches, 3 holds and a good landing.