Day 4: The Written Exam and Radio Calls

     This morning was a little more relaxed than the past few mornings, because I didn't have any flights until 4 pm. At 10 am, though, was my written exam. As I was getting ready in my hotel room, my mind was going over different things about the exam - what time I had to leave to be there, what all I could take with me, and what I could have studied more. I also decided to come up with a target score. I needed at least 70% to pass, and I wanted to get a 100%, but being realistic, I set my goal at 85%.
     The written exam consists of 60 questions, and the examinee is given 150 minutes to complete them. To pass, the examinee must have a score of 70% or better. The test is taken on a computer in a small room with no one else in it. I was only allowed to take my E6B flight computer, a calculator, and a sectional plotter into the room with me. No phones or written material were allowed, and I even had to leave my watch outside. After all the studying I had done beforehand, most of the questions were pretty familiar. I completed the test in a little more than an hour and finished with a score of 85%, right on target. With that out of the way, now I have to pass the oral exam and the practical exam, which will happen at the very end of my training.
     The rest of the morning and early afternoon were spent studying, until it was time for flight training at 4 pm. Today Matt said we were going to work on landings, so after preflighting N9545F, one of the many Cessna 172s used for training, we taxied out to runway 22, did the run-up, and were ready for takeoff.
     "Final's clear, base is clear, downwind's clear, here we go," I said, scanning the traffic pattern to make sure we didn't pull out in front of any other aircraft.
     "The radio call is 'Clermont traffic, november niner-five-four-five foxtrot departing runway two-two, remaining in the pattern, Clermont,'" said Matt.
     "You want me to make the call?"
     "Yup, if you want."
     "Ok." I keyed the mic, "Clermont traffic, niner-five-four-five foxtrot is departing runway two-two, remaining in the pattern, Clermont" I said as we rolled onto the runway. I pushed the throttle all the way forward, and we accelerated down the runway. When the airspeed indicator hit 55 knots, I pulled back on the yoke, and we were off. The aircraft began climbing like a homesick angel... well, actually it was a hot day, so it was more like an airsick angel.
     "Am I making all the radio calls?" I asked.
     "Suuure."
     I started a left turn to fly the next leg of the traffic pattern.
     "Clermont traffic, niner-five-four-five foxtrot turning a climbing left crosswind for runway two-two, Clermont."
     After a few seconds I made the next left turn and keyed the mic again.
     "Clermont traffic, niner-five-four-five foxtrot on downwind runway two-two, Clermont."
     "Your uncle let you do the radios too?"
     "Yup."
     "Why were you were withholding information? You should have been on the radios from day 1."
     "How about day 4?"
     "What other information are you withholding? Did he teach you short and soft field landings?"
     "Nope. Clermont traffic, niner-five-four-five foxtrot left base runway two-two, Clermont."
     This was the last flight for the day for both of us, and Matt told me that by the end of the day, he gets to be a smart [expletive]. It definitely made for an interesting flight, and especially funny were some of the comments he made about other pilots in the traffic pattern when they flew too close to us or flew nonstandard traffic patterns. A lighthearted atmosphere makes what could be a stressful flight enjoyable.
     An instructor in one of the school's other planes announced his position on the radio while we were landing, "Clermont County traffic, Skyhawk seven golf sierra is on a five mile final straight in for two-two, if traffic allows, Clermont County." This meant that he was skipping the traffic pattern and just flying straight to the runway.
     Matt immediately keyed his mic, "Not happening, ghost rider. The pattern's full." We were the only plane in the pattern at the time.
     "Ok then. Seven golf sierra will circle to land, runway two-two."
     "I'm just messing with ya man."
     Today was the most enjoyable day of training so far. That is probably partly because it was a relief to have the written exam finished and out of the way.
     Today's flying added 1.3 hours and 11 landings to the logbook. This brings the totals to 11.8 hours and 33 landings.