Back in the UK

Another long gap between posts, I know, but I have had the busiest month of my life! Since my last post, I have returned to the UK - with my CPL flight test passed! I had the flight exam last Wednesday and as I passed was able to return to the UK as scheduled the following day.

So before taking the CPL, I had to finish off the New Zealand IFR flight phase of training. This mainly consisted of some more SPIC flights - I didn't go anywhere too exciting, as the weather deteriorated and it got to the stage where I just needed to get up, fly and make sure that I could learn something (instead of plan flights in order to see the scenery!).

Rotorua Airport from the circuit

The flights were pretty standard and each would contain VOR/NDB DME approaches, some asymmetric flight, various holds and the DME arcs. The final IFR flight in NZ is your PT2, for which I flew to Tauranga. I was asked to fly there, enter the NDB hold, before commencing the NDB DME approach. From there, I did a missed approach, had a simulated engine failure and entered the hold again, although this time flying on just one engine. Once established I was cleared onwards to Hamilton, where I started the VOR approach from the 12 mile arc, which was also done asymmetrically.

The flights after this all go back to VFR. There are three CPL profiles before the actual flight exam and CTC try to keep you with the same instructor for the three flights. For anybody who doesn't know the CPL test contains the following:

• Ground work: mass and balance/performance/aircraft type knowledge
• Departure: start-up/taxi/takeoff/exit from the control zone
• Navigation: there is a planned nav leg, before completing an inflight diversion which you are given a few minutes before your arrival at the first destination. 
• General handling: steep turns/stalls (in clean/base-to-final configuration/finals configuration)
• Circuits: normal, flapless and asymmetric
• Instrument flight: partial panel airwork/compass turns/inadvertent entry into IMC/unusual attitudes recovery/position fix using a radio navigation aid
• Emergencies
• Arrival: entry into the control zone/landing/shut down

Each profile covers as much as possible and they give you a good idea of what to expect on the day. Before the flight, you will be given your nav destination, which you then plan along with your mass and balance and performance calculations. The examiner comes in after a reasonable time period and will ask about the route, how you planned it/fuel requirements etc, before asking about other preflight procedures. During flight, the examiner must be treated as a fare paying passenger with no knowledge of flying (unless otherwise specified!). This means apron safety briefings for them before walking out to the aircraft and when onboard, an aircraft safety briefing on emergency exits/fire extinguishers etc. For my CPL, I was sent to Whakamaru for my planned leg and then diverted to Rotomahana; the destinations given are usually pretty remote, as they are really testing your navigational skills. Once this section was complete, I was asked to take the examiner to Rotorua Airport for circuits, where I completed a normal and a flapless touch and go, after which I was given an engine failure after take off. This then led to an asymmetric circuit followed by a go around at asymmetric committal height. I was then given both engines back and vacated the control zone headed for Hamilton to complete the rest of the flight. I was given an alternator failure en route which I had to complete the drills for, before being asked to put on the instrument flight hood. Inadvertent entry into IMC drills were then completed before doing some basic flying; turns, climbing turns etc. Following this, I was asked to do some compass turns and a position fix and mark where I worked out I was on the VFR chart. Once I had put a cross on it, I had to put on the autopilot to demonstrate basic use of it whilst I took off the hood and had to prove the the examiner using external references that my fix was correct (which, thankfully, it was!). I then completed the general handling section, with the steep turns being before the stalls. Once this was complete, I was told there were flames coming out of the right hand engine, meaning I had to complete the engine fire drills, which are checklist memory items. This drill includes a full engine shut down, a requirement in the test, potentially followed by an emergency descent. Once the situation is under control and the drills are complete, you are asked to restart the dead engine. When everything was back to normal I was told to please return to Hamilton, where I would complete an asymmetric landing. After what was possibly my best asymm. landing yet, I taxied back to CTC, shut down the Twinstar and headed back into the training centre, where I was told I had met the flight test requirements and had passed! I don't think I have ever been so anxious, excited or relieved! After a debrief I headed back to Clearways to pack for my departure the following day. 

Extremely relieved with my CPL aircraft, ZK CTL

Inbetween all of this I also completed by VFR single engine night solo circuits flight which was incredible. It was great to fly solo again and was a fantastic way to say goodbye to the Cessna which taught me to fly - video to come!

Safe to say the flight home was a relatively stress free one, with six very relieved trainee pilots on board looking forward to home comforts! We head down to our new accommodation in Bournemouth on Sunday, ready for starting the BOH phase of training on Monday.