Its been a while.

Sorry for the in the updates, but I have been on my hols for the last couple of weeks. Since the last update you'll be please to know that I have passed by PPL and have sent off all the documents to the CAA so they can issue the actual license.

The final stage was my radio comms practical exam, which I was dredding, this was booked for the 13th. I arrived at the flying school ready for the test, not sure what to expect and with more than a little amount of dread.

I met the examiner and he explained how it works and what the test is testing you for, it seemed straight forward, but I still didn't fancy doing it. Basically you are given a flight plan with an alternate target airfield, the plan is drawn on a simple map crossing various air spaces with the various frequencies of radio/radar stations.

You then have to decide who you are going to talk to during your trip. You then done a headset as does the examiner, you can't see him or what he is doing and you basically pretend to fly the plane. You do the radio calls as if you we actually in the place. Sounds simple and it is, but its the fear of the unknown, you know that there will be something happening along the way, but not sure what.

The instuctor explains that its not a trick test, the CAA are not trying to catch you out, but you still have that element of doubt, but they don't it is pretty straight forward. The test lastest about 30 mins, by the end of it I was sitting in a pool of sweat. The examiner then totted up the scores, we went through some of the points that I had missed, which made me think I had failed, but at the end of it he said I had passed and passed well!

Can't wait for the license to come through as I want to embark on the night flying and also doing the IMC rating so I can fly at night.