Ok, the bad news first (not really bad, just disappointing). For starters, I didn't get to fly this week. 34Q had new leading edges installed on the elevators. Second, I received a call from CFI Randy this afternoon, which was to bring good news. However, as a secondary piece of information during the call, he let me know he would be out of town next week for work, so no flying next week either. This means that the following week it will have been 3 weeks between flights. Again.
Normally, I'd roll with the punches and say, "Oh well, better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, etc,", but you see, there's a reason I'm edgy for having been grounded for that long - the reason for Randy's call. FSDO Louisville will be calling me next week to set up my medical flight test the week of 2/23. Randy and I will fly over, I'll go up (or at least taxi around) with the AME/CFI (they have 2 on staff that are a 'combo' if you will), then I'll be approved for a 3rd-class medical with a waiver for my visual deficit, and we will fly home.
Once this is complete, I will have no medical restrictions, and I will be fully cleared to fly solo. This is the last hurdle I have to cross before I will fully, 100% commit to seeing this through financially. I have held off taking my FAA written knowledge test until I had this behind me. Maybe that was a good idea, maybe not, but I couldn't see spending the money to sit the test if I wasn't going to get beyond the medical part. So I'm in full-on study mode for the written test as of right now. As soon as I'm medically cleared, I'm going to sit the test and get it out of the way.
According to Randy, after I solo and begin training for cross-country, the hours will rack up quickly, and I will begin completing my flight requirements at a much faster pace. I don't want to get in a situation where I'm ready to take my oral exam & checkride but have to wait until I take my written.
I've got a lot riding on this. For me, it basically feels like a 'mini checkride' in a sense. If I don't demonstrate that I can taxi and fly the plane without hitting something (or, God forbid, someone) in spite of my visual deficit, it's game over for my PPL.
I know I can do this, especially after my last lesson. I just need to get past my nerves and stop worrying that I'll do something stupid or forget something important because I'm nervous during the flight test.
Two Victor Uniform, clear of the active.
I don't know much about this kind of thing but I suspect that they are not there to judge your flying ability, they are there to see if you have the physical ability to be TRAINED to fly a plane safely.
ReplyDeleteIn other words are there any physical impediments to your training, For example if you had a missing leg it would be can you press both rudder pedals effectively NOT do you know how to fly a coordinated turn.
if you can do the former, your instructor can teach you the latter.
I hope this helps and good luck!