Thoughts on flight plan for Check Ride flight...

[RonCraighead]

Hi!

Well... In six days (weather permitting), I'll be on my instrument checkride!

I've been assigned a flight to plan. From Ramona (I'll be flying the Cherokee from SEE for the ride) to KSMX.

I am hoping that you guys would comment on concerns with this flight plan, so that I can bring up risk management concerns during the oral.

Any other tips are absolutely welcome!

The route is

KRNM ROBNN OCN V23 LAX V299 VTU RZS KOAKS KSMX

I'm preparing to shoot the Localizer Back course just like the I10, but will prep the ILS as well.

Thanks in advance!

Cheers,

Ron

[Marcus Becker]

Looks good to me Ron. Best of luck on the checkride!

[RyanK]

Terrain awareness, in general, and specifically on that back course approach. There are some gotcha scenarios on that approach involving descending too early. Even if you see the runway environment early, you still need to meet the 1720 minimum at PATER. If you see the VASI somewhere around CAMCO at night and decide to follow that in, it could take you right into terrain you can't see. VASIs are only reliable for terrain clearance out to 4 miles. It might be tempting to follow since making a straight in from PATER at 1720' could be challenging. On a circling approach like this that is aligned with a runway, it's worth deciding in advance when you'll be past the point from which a straight in landing is comfortable (a makeshift VDP), and plan to circle if you're beyond it.

There's a really good scenario in the IFR Mastery series from Pilot Workshops that uses this exact approach. I'd highly recommend subscribing if you haven't.

Good luck on the checkride!

[rtataryn]

Ron,

A possible series of questions relating to your IFR XC flight plan could be regarding how you would proceed if you lost comms (route and altitude) at various phases of flight or points along your planned route. Make sure you think those possible scenarios through in advance so you have the answers ready.

Good luck with the checkride!

[Keith Smith]

Ron,

Assume you're doing this after tower operating hours. Your IFR clearance is "as filed," for the routing. How do you navigate to ROBNN?

[RonCraighead]

Thanks for the great tips guys!

I think I will subscribe to the series. The RW IFR series has been awesome, and I've played through the Ground vids a couple times each, along with the great series on Youtube. I realized that I haven't actually flown THAT much on PE, with all the RW flying at time in the Elite. But the composite program has been incredibly valuable.

I'll write an 'after action report' after the ride. I've done two with this examiner, and she is a stickler but fair. (sport in the sportcruiser, and Private in a 530 equipped Cherokee 140)

Any other tips would be great, and thanks for the well wishes!

Ron

[Mudhen]

If you haven't seen this, it's a good read:
https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policie ... 8083-2.pdf
Oral:
If you don't know the answer, don't try to fool the check airman. Simply admit to not knowing.
Practical:
I had to deal with emergencies, impromptu holding, partial panel, basic airmanship, unusual attitudes, and diversions.
I usually memorize bold-face, but if you don't, at least be familiar with common emergencies, and how to locate the checklist if she asks, "What would you do if, [insert emergency]."
It's possible you won't even make it to smx, but have to divert elsewhere. So know your fuel status and reasonable alternates if she asks you to divert.
Also, if you fail, it's not a fail, but an opportunity to learn and improve.

[Keith Smith]

Ron,

Did you see the question about departing after hours?

Also, if you're interested in some oral prep, feel free to check out our Remote Coaching (http://pilotedge.net/pages/remote-coaching). Ryan Koch is heading that up and he'd be a great resource for the checkride prep as a custom training option.

[Brogan]

Keith,

If you're departing after hours would it be the safest option to do the ODP to ROBNN?