CPL ME (VFR) rated!!!

Yes... I finally got my first official checkride done, and I passed!! I'm now officially, CPL ME (VFR) rated!! Yaayy!! Ok, what does CPL ME (VFR) actually stand for? It is "Commercial Pilot Licence, Mult-Engine" with a slight note that I can only fly in VFR conditions, the "good weather conditions" to keep it simple hehe!!

Basically it's the first step to officially being recognised as a licenced "commercial pilot." Yaayy!! When I go back to Belgium, I should be having a further three flights and then another final checkride to obtain my CPL IR ME, which stands for "Commercial Pilot Licence, Instrument Rating Multi-Engine" And that's when I could also fly in crappy weather and all that!

The checkride went pretty well. Take off from Falcon Field, transition through Mesa Gateway's airspace south bound, did the maneouvres (steep turns, slow flight, stalls, VMCA demo... and all that stuff) and then headed to Coolidge to start my navigation. Just before nearly completing the navigation part, the examiner told me to divert back to Coolidge directly. I estimated a rough heading and flew back to Coolidge. There I did some landings, and that's where the engine failure stuff started. The examiner "failed" my engine on upwind and immediately started with the re-call items, which according to him were a bit "on the slow side." But I think all went pretty well, and I think this was one of the best flights I ever had in fact. The only two main comments the examiner had was to be faster on the one-engine procedures, and that according to him I should use flaps even in one-engine approaches. But then again, that's up to the PIC's discretion no?! Haha, well over all it was a good flight, and as soon as I realised I passed I was... yaayyyy!! Obviously, a couple of beers HAD to follow in the evening!

Anyway after that checkride, my training in Arizona is now over and next Monday I'll be returning to Brussels. Ok I must admit, I am going to miss the place and the people. (Sidenote... definately not ALL people... some are just pure plain assholes!!) But I'm also looking forward to a well-needd break in Malta, and see my family again. However, for now, it seems that once back in Belgium, we will be flying immediately so I don't know whether there will be any room for Malta. I guess I'll just have to wait and see!!

Well for the time being, I just want to hang around and celebrate my first successful official checkride!!! Till next time folks!!