Check-Ride
Johnny Moore has given over 450 check-rides as an FAA examiner. The check-ride is what the FAA has a student pilot fly to see if he’s ready to be a real pilot. Johnny Moore is a real pilot...born to the stick, as they say. Both his parents were pilots; both died in plane crashes by the time Johnny was four. Which may explain why he wrote a book called "I Must Fly!" His stories about crop-dusting could give a reader emphysema. And how he walked away from some of his landings attests to his skill, and probably something more.
Accompanied by my flight instructor, Robert Scott, I flew out of Redding at dawn, heading for the small town of Quincy where Johnny Moore lives, because it was time for me to take my check-ride. My approach and landing at Quincy was nearly perfect, and clearly pleased Robert.
Johnny first had me show that I could take off from a short field, over trees, and land under the same conditions. I accomplished those all right. Then we had a soft-field take off and landing, simulating flying off a landing strip that is muddy or snow-covered or maybe grass.
Then we flew off up into the wild blue where the real test was. I had to fly the plane in a steep turn while maintaining altitude and speed. The first try was a mess. Try number two was okay. And on the third, Johnny covered up some of instruments, forcing me to reckon from the landscape. I had never tried it without instruments before, and ironically, this circle was the best I ever flew.
After some slow flight maneuvers, and stall and spin recoveries, Johnny had me fly ground reference maneuvers, where I did S-turns and circles and rectangles in relation to points below. And finally, we did a simulated engine failure, where I had to bring the plane in without power. I wish I could say it was perfect, but it wasn’t.
We landed, and Johnny sat me down with Robert to go over the check-ride. Then he had me answer some questions about cross-country planning, airport regulations, and emergencies. I did about as well with my answers as I had in the air...somewhere between a C and B+ on everything. I also understood that I was at an early stage in the learning process.
Ultimately, Johnny was comfortable enough with what I had done and what I knew to declare me a pilot. Was I exhilarated? No, more relieved. I had known that I knew how to fly, but I didn’t know if I knew how to test. Now I know. I’m a pilot.
And that’s SetonnoteS...I’m Tony Seton.
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