Multiengine Training - Day 4

Today was the final day of training for the multiengine rating. Next up is the check ride, scheduled for 8:00AM tomorrow. Today started with a flight and ended with a mock oral exam.

The flight today had us flying north towards Hanover County Airport (KOFP). On the way, we did the (now typical) routine of Steep Turns, Slow Flight, Stalls, and Vmc Demonstration. Then we circled down from 5,000 feet to do a Normal Approach, followed by a Short Field Takeoff, then a Short Field Approach. Then it was back to Richmond Int'l Airport (KRIC) for two ILS approaches under the hood. The first approach was setting up perfectly. I even commented on how trimmed the plane was - it was practically flying itself with no intervention from me. A couple minutes and a couple turns later, I found myself misjudging the turn to final and missing the localizer, then overlooking the glide slope altogether. With a little prodding, I caught back up to the airplane and got us stabilized at around 1,000 feet. The next approach was going well, too, but then I had a simulated vacuum system failure, which took out my Attitude Indicator and Horizontal Situation Indicator. Then, of course, my instructor neutralized my left engine. And finally, he called for a glide slope failure. So all I was left with was the Turn Coordinator and the NAV2 display, oh yeah, and an analog clock to time for the missed approach. It was challenging, but I held it together down to the 520 foot Minimum Descent Altitude. From there, I easily cruised on in with one operating engine.

After the flight, we had a mock oral exam. My instructor pretended to be the examiner while I pretended to know the answers. :-) He stumped me pretty good for a couple minutes with one question, then the light bulb flashed in my head and the answer magically appeared.

Once I complete this blog, I need to do my online rating application form on the FAA web page, which involves summarizing all of my flight hours; including solo, dual, cross country, night, simulator, etc. After that, I'll review the aerodynamic issues again and the maneuver procedures. That should leave me ready to go tomorrow morning.