The Check Ride

February 3rd 2004

Oh boy! The big day Donna and I have been waiting for for over 2 years was finally here and I was pretty nervous. When the Oral test was over I was feeling pretty good because I knew 99% of the answers to every question the Examiner asked.

Now all that was left was the the flying part.   Nervous as hell and a whole 18 degrees Fahrenheit outside we headed out for the check ride.

We began by doing this cross country.
We went to the first airport, then headed back to Riverside doing some of the maneuvers along the way.

Sitting back at the launch pad after the check ride.

 After the engine was shut down we waited for the blades to come to a stop which was probably one of the longest moments of my life. When it all came to a stand still the examiner (Peyton) looked over at me and told me I passed...........I was like OMG! lol, I couldn't believe it was finally over! and I had finally obtained my Private Rotor License!. We sat n chatted in the helicopter for a bit about a few things and then it was time to bail out and head into the hanger where everyone was waiting to hear how it went.

I Passed! was the first words out of my mouth, I probably didn't have to say anything with that big S*** eating grin I had on my face lol.

When Peyton the Examiner finished filling out my paperwork the whole gang, about 10 or 15 of us, were treated to a lunch at a local restaurant courtesy of John Tyler the fellow I spoke of in the prior pages of this trip.  Thanx Bunches from all of us John.    While we were all having dinner John Tyler told me that him and his wife (or bride as he calls her) had said a prayer for me and with a little help from the Lord he knew it was going to go well for me.   Then either Frank or John Spurling spoke up and said the only reason I passed was because Peyton, my examiner, was afraid he was going to have to take another ride with me someday, now how's that for friends lol.

This is the fellow I waited just short of a year for CFI, Frank Sweet.

Super Special Thanks
from Donna and I to CFI Frank Sweet for all you done for us.

After lunch it was this fellows turn to take his check ride flight.  Donna and I had already sailed for home but later on he called us with the great news he also made it.   

This is Chief Deputy Don Townsend

Don hails from Bentonville, Arkansas, which is also the home of Sam Walton the founder of Wal-Mart.    Don also serves as a pilot for the Bentonville County Sheriff's Department and flys an OH-58 for them.

The Dungeon I spent many hours in I'm not going to miss lol

I've got this whole room full of stuff I used to study with that I desperately wanna NUKE! but alas when we get the funds for it Donna is going to need it when she takes the dive into the wonderful world of getting her Private Pilot Airplane Ticket.  Until then I'm gonna hide it somewhere in a deep dark place lol.

Monday
April 12th 2004

Well this is it,

My full blown Rotorcraft license finally came in the mail today.

To some of you it may not look like much,  but it represents an immeasurable amount of effort, time and one hell of alot of money to Donna and I lol.

Its kinda weird but until I received this little piece of plastic it really didn't seem real.

THE END

THANK GOD lol