Check ride problems

[RonG]

I took my oral exam May 20th and the weather did not allow me to to take my check ride for my Sport pilot test. Went back on May 22 and during my preflight check my flaps would not work. So I had to postpone my check ride again. I have a 2006 CTSW and the flap motor is out and it will be 6-10 weeks before I can get one because it has to come out of the Ukraine. I’m looking to find a plane I could rent to do my check ride in. Does anyone know of a CT owner within 2-300 miles of South Mississippi I could contact?

[Roger Lee]

Call Eric Swisher of Copper City Aviation in Bisbee, AZ. He has 2-3 CT's and an examiner. He's here on our website.

[Tip]

6 hours ago, Roger Lee said:

Call Eric Swisher of Copper City Aviation in Bisbee, AZ. He has 2-3 CT's and an examiner. He's here on our website.

X2

[EricB]

Seriously guys.  The post was from Mississippi.  You really want him to go to Arizona for flight instruction?  I have the manual from Copper City and it is excellent so they are a top place.  But, we need more instructors in more areas that can do initial and recurrent training in the CT series.  I'm dreading bi-annual time when I have to face the same shortage of qualified instructors.  I've worked with an area guy for years and he is a great CFII, but I'd have to train him on the CTLS which is far from ideal.  It seems there should be a way for a "limited" CFI for light sport (if there is I don't know) so we can stay safe and legal.

 

 

[Anticept]

If you fly your aircraft often enough, there's really nothing wrong with picking up any CFI for a flight review. If your skills are up to par, they shouldn't need to touch anything.

Light Sport instructor is a thing too.

I am also in ohio, Eric. Though I'm a heavyset person, so you would have to be light.

The reality is that owning and wanting to use your own aircraft for a checkride brings all the risks with it, if something breaks you have to reschedule and you don't have any plan B, that's how it is.

Same with if you own an unusual or rarer model (flight designs are relatively rare), there's not going to be an abundance of instructors available. This is an issue a lot of people face, not just in light sport. People don't want to spend time and money familiarizing with a model they might only come across once in a blue moon.

[Tom Baker]

15 hours ago, EricB said:

Seriously guys.  The post was from Mississippi.  You really want him to go to Arizona for flight instruction?  I have the manual from Copper City and it is excellent so they are a top place.  But, we need more instructors in more areas that can do initial and recurrent training in the CT series.  I'm dreading bi-annual time when I have to face the same shortage of qualified instructors.  I've worked with an area guy for years and he is a great CFII, but I'd have to train him on the CTLS which is far from ideal.  It seems there should be a way for a "limited" CFI for light sport (if there is I don't know) so we can stay safe and legal.

 

 

The OP was in need of an airplane to do his checkride because his was down. Coppercity has both airplanes to rent, instructors, and an examiner. If he was ready for the checkride it would likely just take a long weekend trip to get everything finished up. It wasn't like they were suggesting that he go there for a complete training program.

[FlyingMonkey]

15 hours ago, EricB said:

Seriously guys.  The post was from Mississippi.  You really want him to go to Arizona for flight instruction?

I traveled 400 miles to Lockwood for two weeks to complete my training, including the checkride.  It's a one-time expense to just "get 'er done".

Since Eric in an examiner, he could get Eric to rent him the airplane and perform the checkride, plus he'd get a trip to AZ which is wonderful for flying this time of year.  This is a viable option IMO if he's in a hurry to get it done while his proficiency is still high and not risk losing that over weeks of waiting for an airplane repair. 

Another option if the examiner agrees, is to fly the airplane for the checkride without flaps, if you can get the flaps set to 0° and mark them INOP.  You can take off, land, and do everything without touching the flaps if they're at 0° and you have decent long runways and keep your speed under 100kt.  A lot of airplanes like a Cub don't have flaps, they are not a requirement for the checkride.  Just be really comfortable with using slips to land and you should be able to complete all checkride tasks.  Most examiners might say no to this idea, but it doesn't hurt to ask. 

[Anticept]

You can't complete the short field (nor soft field) landing procedure from your POH for flight design with inop flaps. Up to the examiner if that's really going to be an issue, and it probably will.

[FlyingMonkey]

8 hours ago, Anticept said:

You can't complete the short field (nor soft field) landing procedure from your POH for flight design with inop flaps. Up to the examiner if that's really going to be an issue, and it probably will.

I agree it’s a long shot, but like I mentioned asking costs nothing.  

[Junglejett]

On 11/14/2023 at 7:35 AM, FlyingMonkey said:

I traveled 400 miles to Lockwood for two weeks to complete my training, including the checkride.  It's a one-time expense to just "get 'er done".

Since Eric in an examiner, he could get Eric to rent him the airplane and perform the checkride, plus he'd get a trip to AZ which is wonderful for flying this time of year.  This is a viable option IMO if he's in a hurry to get it done while his proficiency is still high and not risk losing that over weeks of waiting for an airplane repair. 

Another option if the examiner agrees, is to fly the airplane for the checkride without flaps, if you can get the flaps set to 0° and mark them INOP.  You can take off, land, and do everything without touching the flaps if they're at 0° and you have decent long runways and keep your speed under 100kt.  A lot of airplanes like a Cub don't have flaps, they are not a requirement for the checkride.  Just be really comfortable with using slips to land and you should be able to complete all checkride tasks.  Most examiners might say no to this idea, but it doesn't hurt to ask. 

I flew with Eric last week for my checkout and had a blast. It is a humbling experience but Eric made it fun! The Bisbee area is really cool and lots of aviation history in the area. (Google Bombing of Naco). I do not believe Eric is an evaluator. We talked about that and I recall is wife pursuing it. They need one down there.