It's been a while since I last posted, I have been slowly ticking over the hours and experience to reach GFPT level, looking at my logbook, I have already logged 41 hours before my GFPT.

After being checked off for the GFPT test and sitting the BAK exam, circumstances were such that my actual test was to happen a month after my check flight. To keep my recency I checked a plane out for some practice of turns, stalls, PFL and landing.

 Onto the test proper, I didn't really know what to expect for the test, and it certainly has been a long time since my driving test so the experience of being assessed by the testing officer was a relatively new and daunting one!

 Going through all the start up checks and checking the ATIS off I went to the run up bay, after second checks I realised I forgot to set the QNH and dialled up the ATIS again to get it. Not a very good start! After getting taxi clearance to the training area from Moorabbin ground and then take off clearance, it was while I was lining up that I forgot all about the pre-takeoff safety brief. The nerves were setting in!

Onto the training area, the assessor didn't say a word until he wanted me to do something, the first thing was to perform a medium turn to the right, I did just that and went around 360 degrees and kept going around expecting an instruction from the assessor, as we went around again he told me all I needed to do was 360 degrees......oops!!! the following medium turn to the left and then steep level turns went a little better, but again the nerves kicked in and I was second guessing myself. As we headed back to Moorabbin I performed a couple of stall recoveries, recovery after a spiral dive and then a PFL, it was then back to the airport for some circuits. Upon completing a normal landing and a flapless we landed and then debriefed. 

I figured that if the assessor didn't have to take control of the aircraft I had a good chance I did alright, but the little hiccups early on made me think otherwise.

 My instructor was in and he and I were called in for a debrief. There were a a couple of things the assessor thought I could improve on, he did mention the first medium turn that I only needed to do 360 degrees. I didn't make the grade with my approaches to land and I had left it until base to be on a proper approach and I struggled with the correct airspeeds as well. So I had to work on my landings with my instructor.

I felt so embarrassed about it and it was like being in the headmaster's office being told off for being naughty. The first thing I said to my instructor after the debrief with the assessor was "I am sorry", I should have done better, it's been a while since I failed at something so the feelings were quite new and raw.

So I worked on my setup with my instructor and all I needed to do with the retest was some circuit work with the assessor.

I think it was something to do with not being in the air as often or as recent as I should before the test that everything I learnt went out the window. To be on the ball with flying I think weekly flights or at least fortnightly flights area minimum for me.

With the set up to land now fresh in my mind (it all came back to me during the lesson), I booked in for me retest (which was yesterday). There was a healthy crosswind, and I  have been the most lucky/unlucky student when it comes to crosswind practice, I had very minimal! The first two with the instructor I thought went quite well, it was the third one that I completely balls up, at about 50 ft from the runway I felt a strong crosswind gust and I tried to correct this and got the airplane all crossed up and landed not far from the grass with which the assessor took over control and cancelled our touch and go for a full stop......bugger, I knew that was no good and that it wasn't a safe landing therefore an instant fail. We went back to the school where my assessor told me I needed to work on my crosswind technique, my instructor arrived for the day and was told to go out with me to work on my crosswind technique. There was a good crosswind for me to practice with. Apparently I my technique just wasn't there to account for crosswind.

With my tail between my legs I went out with my instructor in the same plane for some crosswind circuits, I have to get assessed again! D'oh. So we talked through what happened on our way out to the runway, I have been taught the crabbing method. So my instructor wanted to see how I did it. I really needed to work on my technique and really give quite a bit to the rudder to drag the nose straight upon landing.

 After the second touch and go, my instructor realised that the rudder trim was set extremely to the right as if the previous pilot in the plane has set it for takeoff. He thought that this could be why I  wasn't correcting the nose enough for a crosswind landing (add this to the checklist, rudder trim!!)

After neutralising the rudder trim it all came into place! Dammit!

The assessor had time in the afternoon for another go so I thought lets get this out of the way while it's still fresh in the mind and the crosswind would still be there come afternoon.

 So third time lucky, we went out for circuits again and luck seemed against me because there were showers around the airport and the circuit was very busy! I was asked to perform a flapless landing the next time and gettign my mind around that, the tower then told me to follow a cherokee on downwind at my two o'clock, being so close I decided to set up the plane in a precautionary search setting with two stages of flap and 2200rpm (without thinking this would not bode well for a flapless!). My assessor then told me it's okay to perform a normal landing in this instance. So I had to follow wide of the cherokee to maintain a separation and on base it was hard to maintain an approach with the plane ahead fluctuating 100 feet up and down. With about fifty feet to go and no clearance to land, and with a plane on the runway, the thought of going around did creep into my mind, I got the clearance, and the assessor yelled yeah right and with positive action pushed my hand on the throttle to full power for a go around...I should have been more assertive here and thought bummer I have done it again! We overtook the cherokee by turning an early crosswind and performed a couple more landings, a flapless and a normal landing and went back for a debrief.

The assessor asked me how I thought I went, and I told him, I was of two minds with that approach with the cherokee in front of me and I was about to initiate a go around when the tower cleared me for a touch and go. The assessor told me that the tower should not have clear you with a plane still on the runway, there should only be one plane on the runway at one time, he then asked to I need permission for a go around? The answer was no, and I should have taken more positive action and flown the plane.

He then said I still needed to work on my crosswind technique and that I should organise a more senior instructor to go through it with me.....the thought in my head was I need to go back and practice more crosswinds for another GFPT test, I instantly felt down, but the instructor said he would pass me, but I was at the bare minimal level and I need to practice and brush up on my crosswinds. From a downer to instant elation, I had passed, but I need to keep my flying experience ticking over so bad habits or just simply forgetting things would creep in.

I have learned much from this experience and it was an expensive week for me to have three tests, the plane hire and a dual lesson but it certainly hasn't put me off quitting in the face of difficulty. My next lesson if there are crosswinds would be to practice crosswinds again (you can't get enough practice of crosswinds one past instructor told me) and then it's on towards some nav training, the fun part of flying!

To blue skies...