CPL Skill Test

I did it, and now it's over!

Today I flew the CPL skill test. I managed to pass it successfully and I'm now off for a three-week vacation until the ATPL theory course begins.

Not a mere student pilot anymore :)

The Day began with normal preparations for a route around the Helsinki-Vantaa CTR area. We were told beforehand to expect diversions and such during the flight. After checking the plane and doing all the paperwork, we had a short theoretical interview with the flight examiner. Subjects consisted of general technical issues, radio failures, weather minimums and other basic stuff. I prepared for the interview by reading about working hour limits, CPL requirements and privileges, and everything from OPS M1-1.

After the interview it was time for the flight. It consisted of basically everything we have been taught. In addition to all the obvious flight tasks like take-off, radio communication and basic maneuvers there was some chart navigation, diversions, engine failures, spot landings, flapless landings and instrument flying. Everything went quite well, expect that I had some trouble finding a certain small village, but finally managed to locate it. When it was time to do steep turns the artificial horizon went inoperative, and it wasn't easy to look at the instructors instruments and I had to focus a lot not to let the plane gain or lose any altitude while turning.

When we had done most of the exercises, it was time to head back to Malmi. The examiner said that if I now just remember to take the landing gear down before landing, I'll pass the skill test! And so I passed it :)

Here is a little summary of my current flight hours:

Total time: 171h 17min
PIC: 79h 10min
Dual: 94h 57min

C152: 128h 11min
C172: 21h 33min
P28T: 21h 33min

Take-offs by day: 418
Take-offs by night: 17
Landings by day: 418
Landings by night: 17

The final Piper-flights

There's only a handful of flight exercises left with the Piper until our CPL skill test. Today I got to fly for the first time with the Papa Bravo Alpha, our school's other Piper. Both of them are quite the same in terms of equipment but everyone seems to agree that the PBA is more unforgiving in landings and handling in general. I didn't notice that much difference.

The PBA. Weather has been very good lately. It's quite cold and the sky is clear and crisp.

After todays flights, I only have the school's review flight left. The review flight has the same tasks as the actual skill test and I will be flying it tomorrow. My CPL skill test is booked for Monday. If that goes well, I'll finally gain my license.. Looking forward to it!

Here we go again!

Day off

This one morning I looked out of the window and saw a very nice autumn day beginning. I didn't have a school day but just had to go flying. So towards Malmi I went and took my ultra-aviation club's Zephyr out of the hangar.

Heading towards Hyvinkää

I've now been flying ultralights for about one hour every month. And since I don't have any solo flights left in school anymore, it's nice to be able to fly just for fun once in a while.

The simple panel of the Zephyr, with only the basic flight and engine instruments.

I flew a little cross-country flight to Hyvinkää and Nummela, making landings to both airfields. It was fun to fly alone in an ultra after a long time of taking friends up into the sky. I got to experience the incredible rate of climb these little airplanes have. Quite a different feeling when comparing it to the Piper.

Nummela airfield ENFU

A Flight to Estonia

Our Piper-phase includes two cross-country flights, which have traditionally been visits to nearby countries, mainly Sweden and Estonia. I got to fly to the latter and was really looking forward to it since I've been to Estonia many times but never flown there myself.

Our plan was to fly from Malmi over the ocean to the eastern side of Tallin, and continue from there towards Rapla aerodrome (EERA), which is a grass-field with two quite long runways. However, this was only a route fix and we didn't plan a touch-and-go landing there. From Rapla the flight would continue towards Hiiumaa island and Kärdla airport (EEKA), which after we would fly to Saaremaa and make a touch-and-go landing on Kuressaare airport (EEKU). After that the final leg would be to fly straight to Pärnu (EEPU) and land there. I was a passenger for the route there and flew the exact same route back to Finland.

Crossing the ocean

So, off we went and headed straight towards the sea. Flying over the sea lasts only about 15-20 minutes and we flew at an altitude of 3000 feet. Tallin ATC had all the information of our flight and service was excellent. "Oscar Golf Alfa, continue via flight plan route". In no time we were no longer in Finland, but in Estonia.

EERA Airfield

After arriving to Estonian airspace, our next waypoint was the Rapla airfield. In Estonia, most uncontrolled aerodromes are grass-fields and usually share a common VFR frequency. However, Rapla had its own radio frequency and we could even find aerodrome charts from the Estonian AIP. The grass-fields differ a lot from Finnish ones in such that they can be quite large and have long runways. Finnish grass-fields are usually meant only for ultralights but nothing would prevent a 1300kg Piper from taking off this one. The main runway was more than one kilometer long.

Colorful scenery

 The basic landscapes differ somehow from the Finnish ones too. There's lots of reddish-brown swamps and almost no lakes at all. The trees are often those with leaves and that makes the scenery more colorful especially in the autumn. Also, the countryside is quite different since there's almost no buildings anywhere to be seen. Estonia seems to have lots of totally empty, uninhabitated areas.

Kärdla Airport EEKA

 After another small ocean-crossing we arrived to Hiiumaa and made a touch-and-go on its only airport, Kärdla, an AFIS aerodrome that was now closed. Power set, speed alive, rotate, left turn and heading towards the south and Saaremaa island.

Kuressaare

Soon after taking off from Kärdla we contacted Kuressaare, which is also an AFIS aerodrome. A very kind female voice answered and yet again the quality of ATC service was something we've not always been used to in Finland.

Kuressaare Airport EEKU

 Kuressaare Airport is located near the Roomassaare dock and has two runways. We did a touch-and-go to the longer one. It was very fun to see this town from the air since I've visited it in my youth about 20 times. My parents even have a small apartment there. I think I will be flying here with friends for a few times after I get my licence.

On final to Pärnu

 The last leg went by quickly and in no time we were in Pärnu and making a landing there. The runway was interesting since it's made of concrete blocks and feels very different to the usual ones.

Pärnu Airport EEPU, and it's main building and ATC tower.

 Pärnu is an old Soviet military base, which can easily be recognized from the buildings and other architecture. The whole airport was filled with old MIG-fighter hangars, which were basically little hills with tunnels in them.

A view from the briefing room.

Upon arrival we called us a taxi and went to the town to eat at a very nice pizza/pasta restaurant with low prices. We also went to a market to buy some essential supplies, which-after it was time to head back to the airfield and fly home. Now it was my turn and I enjoyed every minute of it!

Pärnu even had a dedicated pilot's supply store filled with necessary equipment :)