Tips for Commercial Glider Checkride?

[Don Byrer]

OK, here's something you don't see on here very often...

I've been soaring as a student since late summer 2006. I had
serious ear/sinus problems last year and flew little. This year I'm
back "in good form" and in the air...both power and glider.

I Have a commercial power ticket, and will be testing for a commercial
gilder one, too. My CFI says I'm getting close to checkride ready.
I'm a ~300 hour single engine commercial power pilot; I have > 40
glider flights, and 15 solo...yes i need 20.

Tips, comment criticisms, bad jokes, etc?

If anything I will need help with the oral; any item regarding 'real'
soaring....we're pretty much in the flatlands here!
Don Byrer KJ5KB
Radar Tech & Smilin' Commercial Pilot Guy
Glider & CFI wannabe
kj5kb-at-hotmail.com

"I have slipped the surly bonds of earth; now if I can just land without bending the gear..."
"Watch out for those doves...<smack-smack-smack-smack...>"

[Frank[_1_]]

Don,

Great idea - I did much the same thing myself. Make sure you know the
specs (weight, wingspan, airspeeds, etc) for the glider you will be
flying. I didn't, and it was a bit embarrasing ;-).

Frank


On Jun 20, 10:23*pm, Don Byrer > wrote:
> OK, here's something you don't see on here very often...
>
> I've been soaring as a student *since late summer 2006. * I had
> serious ear/sinus problems last year and flew little. * This year I'm
> back "in good form" and in the air...both power and glider.
>
> I Have a commercial power ticket, and will be testing for a commercial
> gilder one, too. *My CFI says I'm getting close to checkride ready.
> I'm a ~300 hour single engine commercial power pilot; I have > 40
> glider flights, and 15 solo...yes i need 20.
>
> Tips, comment criticisms, bad jokes, etc?
>
> If anything I will need help with the oral; any item regarding 'real'
> soaring....we're pretty much in the flatlands here!
> Don Byrer KJ5KB
> Radar Tech & Smilin' Commercial Pilot Guy
> Glider & CFI wannabe
> kj5kb-at-hotmail.com
>
> "I have slipped the surly bonds of earth; now if I can just land without bending the gear..."
> "Watch out for those doves...<smack-smack-smack-smack...>"

[Burt Compton - Marfa]

Here are just a very few tips (there are many more but your CFIG
should give you all the ground and flight training to exceed the FAA
"minimum" standards of the PTS.)

For instance, you MUST obtain the FAA "Practical Test Standards" (PTS)
booklet for the Commercial Glider checkride. Study it - have your
CFIG go over it with you word for word (don't skip the first
section.) Essential, as this PTS is the booklet the Examiner will
probably have in his hand! Also study Bob Wander's "Commercial
Glider Checkride Made Easy". It tracks the PTS and gives you the
resources to do well.

Be ready for scenario based questions, such as "on a cross country you
are blown downwind towards Class C airspace just before sunset and
your radio has failed and the max demonstrated crosswind component of
your glider is . . . "

Calculate weight and balance for this glider, this flight. Have the
glider logbooks available.

Do the checklist for preflight, pre-takeoff, pre-landing pattern.

Know the effects of density altitude.

Know what happens to Indicated vs. True Airspeed at high altitudes /
lower pressures.

Get good at slips left, right, and turning slips. Learn how to do a
slip only / no airbrake complete pattern to landing. Right and left
patterns (glider are allowed to do either by FAR.)

Know all 18 SSA signals and your proper response.

Brief your ground crew, and specifically your towpilot (it's a FAR.)

Brief the Examiner as a paying passenger as you are preparing the
glider for launch.

Be ready for the "rope break" and possible downwind landing. Every
launch.

Set your altimeter to reported pressure or field elevation. Most
Examiners will quote the FAR regarding this.

Practice flying and landing with the altimeter covered.

Know how to find 45 degrees of bank using the four screws of your
airspeed indicator.

Call your landing options as they change throughout the tow. Don't
make the Examiner prompt you (technically not allowed to do so.)
Keep talking until he/she tells you to shut up.

Always and forever know which way the wind is blowing and your drift
throughout your flight.

Please don't tell the Examiner that a glider needs "lots of rudder" to
turn. Understand that bank effectively turns any aircraft and the
real purposes of the rudder regarding adverse yaw.

Know the six recognition signs of a stall in the order in which they
likely occur. For instance "buffet" is not usually the first sign of
a stall. Tom Knauff explains this well.

Know the aerodynamics of a spin. Did I mention that the rudder does
not effectively turn an aircraft, but it might spin it, even most
"unspinnable" ones? Read Wander's brilliant "Safer Soaring" book.
So essential that I give them away for free!

Make every turn precise, always. Especially the first turn after
release and the last turn to final -- absolutely perfect. Examiners
may get nervous about your competence if these turns in particular are
not smooth and coordinated. Skidding turns serve no purpose other
than to terrify the Examiner.

Clear every turn, now and forever. Mandatory fail if you don't clear
the area on the checkride.
Possible death if you fail to clear every turn after the checkride.

Don't give the Examiner the impression that you might land short of
the runway. Check your vario for a reasonable sink rate throughout
your pattern. Call "TLAR" or do something if that does not "look
about right". Verbalize your options. Consider a modified approach
to the runway. Is there a FAR regarding a "square" pattern? Hmmm?

Know your Commercial "privileges", and what aspects "for hire" bring
to your compliance as a Commercial Pilot with FAR's such as 100 hour
aircraft inspections, formation flight, acro, etc. Bring a current
FAR/AIM book with the glider rules yellow-highlighted to the
checkride. Work with your CFIG on these - his/her FAR book likely
has the essential FAR's already highlighted or tabbed.

Remember that a "Commercial" Pilot is expected to perform to more
precise standards and with a smoothness that will give the paying
passenger a comfortable and safe ride. Work on your flying skills
regarding smoothness and precision. Be "one with the glider." Don't
bounce or jerk the Examiner through the sky -- maybe that's for
Private Pilot checkrides.

Confirm with your CFIG has they have made all of the required
endorsements for ground and flight training in your logbook. Launch
endorsement? Recommendation endorsements?

Get with your CFIG and have your 8710-1 Application Form filled out
correctly (read the simple instructions on the back!)

Good luck and then work towards your Flight Instructor Certificate as
soon as practicable.

Oh I missed the most important advice . . . be very careful regarding
what you read on this newsgroup! Ask your CFIG for clarification
and rely on the books of the true authorities like Knauff, Wander,
Piggot.

You'll do fine.

Burt Compton
Marfa Gliders, west Texas
www.flygliders.com

[Ian]

On 21 Jun, 05:47, Burt Compton - Marfa > wrote:

> Please don't tell the Examiner that a glider needs "lots of rudder" to
> turn. Understand that bank effectively turns any aircraft and the
> real purposes of the rudder regarding adverse yaw.

My favourite question for instructors:

"A turning aircraft must simultaneously pitch and yaw. How do the
necessary pitching and yawing moments arise?"

Ian

[Nyal Williams[_2_]]

At 14:37 21 June 2008, Ian wrote:
>On 21 Jun, 05:47, Burt Compton - Marfa wrote:
>
>> Please don't tell the Examiner that a glider needs "lots of rudder"
to
>> turn. Understand that bank effectively turns any aircraft and the
>> real purposes of the rudder regarding adverse yaw.
>
>My favourite question for instructors:
>
>"A turning aircraft must simultaneously pitch and yaw. How do the
>necessary pitching and yawing moments arise?"
>
>Ian


Wh-a-a-?

Oh, you make them happen.

(Must be the codeine; I'm just home from out-patient surgery.)

[Vaughn Simon]

"Burt Compton - Marfa" > wrote in message
...
>
I can't improve much on what Burt wrote. Most of my thoughts could easily be
applied to any checkride, not just the Commercial Glider.

Remember that you are the PIC, not the examiner. Don't let the examiner lure
you downwind, and tell him/her when YOU decide to head back to the pattern.
Don't let the examiner distract you from flying the aircraft. Don't be afraid
to politely ask the examiner to jot a question down to be answered on the ground
if you feel forced to choose between flying and contemplating/answering a
question.

Sound off! As much as possible, tell the examiner what you are doing and why
you are doing it. The examiner will be more comfortable and will probably feel
the need to ask you fewer questions.

Vaughn

[Andy[_1_]]

On Jun 20, 7:23*pm, Don Byrer > wrote:
> OK, here's something you don't see on here very often...
>
> Tips, comment criticisms, bad jokes, etc?

Every examiner has his/her own pet questions and scenarios. Find out
who the examiner will be, then talk to a few people that have done a
check ride with him/her recently.

No, before people jump on me, I'm not suggesting that's a substitute
for being able to perform to PTS standards.

Andy

[Don Byrer]

Thanks everyone (especially Burt!) for the suggestions.

-Will dig out my Knauff books and re-read.
-Will print out or buy a PTS...kinda hard to write notes on the online
one! I think that will help immensely.
-Just ordered the Wander books & a current FAR/AIM.

Got the rest of my solos out of the way on Saturday...now on to
Checkride prep; hoping for a checkride around mid-July.

--Don




Don Byrer KJ5KB
Radar Tech & Smilin' Commercial Pilot Guy
Glider & CFI wannabe
kj5kb-at-hotmail.com

"I have slipped the surly bonds of earth; now if I can just land without bending the gear..."
"Watch out for those doves...<smack-smack-smack-smack...>"