Pilot Life: Instrument Checkride Preparation

I got good weather this week and I'm NOT wasting any opportunities to fly; this week is an opportunity to get ready for the Instrument checkride by getting back on the saddle and polishing everything I've crammed up until this point. This afternoon, I did another instrument flight lesson with my instructor.

Lesson time in N5174E!

After doing the pre-flight, my instructor met me at the airplane and we briefed what we were going to try and accomplish before hopping in. I got the engine started and taxied to Runway 34. After doing a standard engine run-up, we got airborne. I soon went under the hood and started logging simulated instrument time; I also established radio contact with ATC via Cascade Approach so we can get radar services with traffic advisories. My instructor had me start off by doing some steep turns just for fun; from my understanding, we don't have to do performance maneuvers as part of the checkride, but it was fun to go back to the basics.

Afterwards, my instructor put me through some recovery procedures from unusual attitudes, followed by some timed turns; he also had me do the maneuvers with a partial panel by obstructing my directional gyro/heading indicator and attitude indicator. I did okay, but I knew I could do better with these turns.

Finally, we were supposed to shoot some approaches into Corvallis, but there was some cloud cover there that put the airport into IFR conditions. Instead, my instructor had me do a mock VOR approach procedure by using the nearby Lebanon State Airport as a pretend VOR while using an approach plate. This kind of threw me off as well, so I know where I have to improve upon.

We decided to call it quits after that and I flew us back to Albany. I cancelled with Cascade Approach as well and eventually removed the hood to fly us in visually. We were east of Albany Airport so I crossed over at midfield above pattern altitude and got on the downwind for Runway 34. After a smooth landing, I taxied us back to hangar where we debriefed.

After scheduling the next lesson and parting ways with my instructor, I put the airplane away. While today's flight lesson could've gone better, I was just happy to get back on the saddle and back into a routine. I only hope the weather will cooperate as long as I need it to so I can accomplish the near-term goals coming up that I've set out to do.