PPL training - Skill test

Getting the skill test done turned out to take a bit longer time than I would like. The weather wasn’t the best, LN-HOG was in for it’s annual check, the airport had really bad opening hours, and I had to switch examiner.

I eventually just decided that it wasn’t worth waiting for the perfect oportunity anymore, so I decided to drive down to Sola instead. This meant that I had to use an unfamiliar airplane, and fly from a much larger airport (which I still didn’t know as good as I know Karmøy). But it was time to just get this done now!

I was told to make a plan for a flight from Sola to Kjevik in preparation for the skill test, and so I did.

Arriving early

The weather was beautiful, and the wind direction in my favor, at least partly. It looked like I had to prepare for runway 36 for the first time ever as well.

I practiced radio calls while driving down (~two hour drive), and suddenly caught myself driving on “the center line” when the number of lanes increased to two in my direction. I guess I was preparing in more than one way.

I arrived early, so I took a short detour to have a look at the old Braathens DC-6.

The bad thing about having such a long drive, and arriving early on top of that, is that I had plenty of time to become nervous. Really nervous! Almost to the point where I wanted to just drive home again.

Everything is better in the air

After a briefing and some quick theoretical questions, we got the airplane ready and started up. My preparations paid off again, and I managed to taxi to 36 without any issues at all (it wasn’t that complicated, just something else).

Once I got in the airplane, it was almost like I forgot that I was nervous. I didn’t have time for that. And the entire thing went a lot better than I had feared.

In fact, it was so good that I passed!

Pilot Thomas

I can’t say that I didn’t do any mistakes, but I never put us in danger, and I was in control. I’m very pleased with that! And apparently the examiner was so too ;)

The drive home was a lot easier than the drive down here, no more nerves! Not that I can remember much of that drive anyway, I passed! I AM A PILOT

When I got back home my wife told me that I had taken the skill test in “the wrong” airplane, and then gave me these:

There have been times where I have though I could never do this, and I almost wanted to give up.

But I’ve had some great people around me, that has helped me fullfil this life-long dream.

To all of you: THANK YOU!

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• PPL
• Flight training
• Skill test