What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Milestone: Commercial Rating (checkride in the RV-6)

DeltaRomeo

doug reeves: unfluencer
Staff member
Checkride this past Friday afternoon out of KWEA. DPE Joe Johnson (card below). Firm but fair, expects you to know your stuff. Know your EFB app and your weather. Detail-oriented oral w/many scenarios. The flying part was more enjoyable - turns out 2,500+ landings in this thing is a confidence builder. Stalls, emergency descents, engine out landings, soft field, short field, simulated fouled runway in the flare. The flying was fun!

VAFDR_01%20Feb.%2010%2009.36.jpg

Joe Johnson photo

Thank you Mr. Johnson for a professional, well done checkride. I would certainly recommend you to any RV pilot that would listen. Thank you Gary Platner, RV-8 owner and CFII rock star. Thank you Monkey for one seriously dialed in plane. And last but not least, thanks again to Mr. VanGrunsven for designing such a wonderful flying machine.

VAFDR_02%20Feb.%2010%2009.36.jpg


Took both IFR and Commercial checkrides in the RV. What a honor to get to do that!

VAFDR_05%20Feb.%2010%2017.15.jpg


It felt strange Saturday morning (and Sunday) to not have that Oral Test Prep book in my lap. I'm getting over it. ;^)

VAFDR_04%20Feb.%2010%2009.46.jpg

The next day....icing and OVC all around.​
 
Last edited:
Congratulations! What are you going to do with this new rating? My buddy just finished all his ratings and is now flying for Boutique Air. He loves it.

BTW, check your emails. There is one from me today.

[ed. Got your email! I *might* have some side work a couple days a month flying a Caravan (if I don't screw up) ;^). College bills, etc. vr/dr]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
How did he do that?


Doug - Congratulations!

To everyone else, I figure Doug might be too busy to answer, so can anyone tell me what he used to produce this diagram? I am dreading that someone will say it comes directly from a Garmin. If so, does Dynon have anything close, or is it just an IFR thing?
 
Doug - Congratulations!

To everyone else, I figure Doug might be too busy to answer, so can anyone tell me what he used to produce this diagram? I am dreading that someone will say it comes directly from a Garmin. If so, does Dynon have anything close, or is it just an IFR thing?

Garmin Pilot on the iPad/iPhone <g>. Flight Profile view with icing turned on. I’m guessing quite a few EFB’s offer this feature.

Larger image: https://dougreeves.smugmug.com/Misc-2019-Q1/i-JbxV4n7/A
 
Last edited:
congrats! what app or SW does the last picture from your post come from? The one that has the vertical cross section of the atmosphere.

[ed. Garmin Pilot app on my iPad. V/r,dr]
 
ok i should have seen that sorry. I do use garmin pilot also so I need to figure that out. many mornings this would be nice to compare with all the other sources to guess where the ice is at. Thanks
 
Congratulations!

Now you can get compensated to do one of the things you love or not need to pay as much of your own money flying. It can help offset the Aviation Fix that all pilots need.

Hope you can now start logging some Turbine time. Keep us posted.
 
Garmin Pilot on the iPad/iPhone <g>. Flight Profile view with icing turned on. I’m guessing quite a few EFB’s offer this feature.

Larger image: https://dougreeves.smugmug.com/Misc-2019-Q1/i-JbxV4n7/A


I've "got" Garmin Pilot, but I've never seen this??? I've got the VFR only version. Is this only on the IFR version? (I've got "icing" in the lower right hand corner, "if" Sigmets are turned on, but nothing like what you're showing.)

[ed. I'll work up a 'how to' for the news cycle. vr/dr]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Big Congrats Doug!!

Sheesh, I feel like such a slacker with my Garmin Pilot App now......time to do some more exploring.

In addition, the AviationWeather.Gov site has added a new ?GFA Tool? that has replaced the Area Forecast and then some in a BIG way. You can select your weather (clouds, icing etc) and display it hourly. Finally there is a cloud tops forecast!
 
Well done, DR. May I please borrow your study notes? :D. [ed.Absolutely! vr/dr]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Congrats!

Way to go Doug. Always good to keep moving forward and challenging ourselves. Feels good when you get to the other side. ATP on the burner?
 
congrats! what app or SW does the last picture from your post come from? The one that has the vertical cross section of the atmosphere.

[ed. Garmin Pilot app on my iPad. V/r,dr]

Congrats Doug! If the RV had retract I would start workin on this but you still need to log that retract time if I'm not mistakin? [ed. Sort of correct, Walt. Turbine time counts as complex now. I guess the logic is if you can run a turbine engine you can pull a gear handle. I've 20+ hours in a C208B now and that was more than enough to satisfy the regs. vr/dr]

The weather shot also had me looking close at your picture of GP, I don't think Foreflight will do that.

An app I recently signed up for is WeatherSpork. It has a couple of features that I really like, Profile view is similar to your pic but has clouds/visibility/icing with the added ability to slide departure time to find the best window for a flight. At $79 it's not exactly cheap but it also has a ton of weather training videos which I am working my way through.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Congrats! I recall the Commercial as being a fun, low-stress checkride. Remember, too, that it's not a rating, but a certificate level. Should have been on the oral... :D
 
Nice. Congrats Douggie!

It is nice to be able to do it in the RV. I did my commercial back then in a Cessna bomber, and it felt "dirty".
 
Congrats

DR,
Congrats that is a big deal! Now you just have to stay current and fly when a lot of others are not! Takes a different kind of motivation.
 
Congratulations Doug!
It's always a relief when a milestone is reached! It looks like you worked very hard for this and were well prepared.
I recently signed off a student for his commercial and he is now first officer for a medical flight operation. You never know what doors will open up for you.
You might need to add a commercial multi now!
 
Great News!

Congratulations Doug! Thanks for sharing your website, personal stories, and the accomplishments of your entire family!

Carl
..
 
congratulations! Now you have found the only way to make a small fortune in aviation other than starting with a large fortune.

For a while I had Garmin Pilot and I really liked it. Nice interface - very intuitive - never read the instructions. But I couldn't rationalize the annual fees for both Garmin and Foreflight, which was the first one I ever used, so I had to make a choice. I never figured out how to do that view with the inverted wedding cake Class B and C airspace in Pilot. That is really slick. Foreflight better wake up.

I hope that you can find a fun flying job to supplement your income. Very cool that you were able to do your ratings in an RV. The only downer is that whatever you end up flying next will probably not be anywhere near as capable, especially in terms of avionics.

Can you write off the cost of commercial training on your taxes?
 
Nice work, humble host! Now you can use the overused, but so true, "I can't believe they pay me to do this!"
 
Congratulations!

Congratulations! Lots of hard work, reward is worth it though.

Best regards,
Mike Bauer
 
An app I recently signed up for is WeatherSpork. It has a couple of features that I really like, Profile view is similar to your pic but has clouds/visibility/icing with the added ability to slide departure time to find the best window for a flight. At $79 it's not exactly cheap but it also has a ton of weather training videos which I am working my way through.

Thanks Walt for the plug! WeatherSpork is a bargain given that it saves you hours of time searching for that perfect time to depart. Pays for itself after the first couple of uses.

Also, Congrats to Doug!!!
 
Well done!! Given the very responsive RV, the tighter altitude tolerances in the commercial check ride speak to the greater skill of the pilot who passed the bar. Congratulations, sir!

David
 
Back
Top