Learning how to steer again?

[jetjock19]

Hey, I was only a checkride away from my private pilot, and had it scheduled when Uncle Sam told me I had to play in the sand for 4 months in Saddam's former hood. And worst yet, they gave me a week to get ready. So needless to say, I never got to checkride. When I get back, will I ever get to back to where I was when I left as far as flying goes? I was doing well and was more than ready when I left. Now, I don't know how long its going to take to get back into flying form. I have been studying my stuff so my knowledge wont go away, I just want to know if my monkey skills will falter with my lack of cockpit time while I am gone. I want to get it done within the first two weeks that I get home since I will have that off. Is that possible if I fly everyday? Thanks.

Jetjock19

 

[Tater Salad]

You'll have to do a few more training hours when you get back, but it should come back to you depending on how long you are away from it. Up until this past Christmas, I hadn't flown at all in a year and a half. When I got back into an airplane, it took a couple of hours to smooth myself over again, but it all came back to me.

Good luck over there jetjock.

 

[LewisU_Pilot]

I think only you will be able to answer your question. You may get back in the plane and be right at the point where you left off. Or you might need 2 weeks to get back into the swing of things. Best of luck and thanks for serving over there in hell.

 

[jetjock19]

Thanks for the words guys. I think that I will be ok with the flying stuff. It will just be like riding a bike, right? And thanks for the kind words. I will be out of here in no time.

 

[mattpilot]

As far as regs go.... you only need a minimum of 3 hours within the preceding days of the checkride.

 

[Dr Pokenhiemer]

JetJock--good luck over there. Been there, got the t-shirt. What unit are you in? I got my private certificate while on active duty too.

As far as flying and your checkride, keep studying when you can. Keep going over everything in your mind--emergency proceedures, fuel systems, electrical system, etc. Stay sharp in those areas so that you can concentrate on the flying part when you come home.

Good luck--PM me if you need anything.

 

[guido411]

Jetjock,

First, thanks for doing what you do in regards to what the country asks of you.

Second, I was in a similar situation, but my leave was for a binge in Germany and Austria for a month rather than serving in the forces. I blew my landings on my last flight with my instructor the day before my checkride. My CFI wouldn't recomend me before my trip, so went overseas without the PPL. Came back, flew once, and took the ride and passed.

If your skills are where they should be before a checkride, it shouldn't take too long to get back into the swing. You know that whole "Once you learn to ride a bike..." saying. Well, may take the required 3 hrs or maybe a little more, but I can't imagine much more than 3 hrs would be needed. Hour of landings and two hours of all manouvers and you should be set.

Good luck and be safe.

 

[jetjock19]

Well I am going to go a little more than 3 hours to get ready. I am doing some chair flying now and am planning on going over my landings, turns, stalls, etc. just once or twice before I checkride. I am so sick of not flying that its killing me. I am doing transient alert over here in hell, and watching these planes fly pisses me off because I want to fly so bad. Dr. P, to answer your question, I am in the 62nd AS at Little Rock. Im near Fallujah on my deployment. Cant decide yet where I would rather be! But thanks to all of you that appreciate what we are doing out here. We need to be here right now, and there is a good purpose in what we are doing. So thanks from all of us here.

Jet