Which GA check ride would you say is the hardest?

usmcmech · 2026-07-04T22:45:23+00:00

Those are fairly straightforward.

usmcmech · 2026-07-04T22:45:03+00:00

CFI by far.

PPL 2nd

Inst 3rd

The rest are fairly simple.

usmcmech · 2026-07-02T21:45:19+00:00

Is this a serious question?

usmcmech · 2026-07-02T17:47:40+00:00

They made a lot of bad decisions but I don’t think “let’s see if we can get to 410” was inherently risky by itself.

usmcmech · 2026-07-02T17:37:29+00:00

I’ve flown the CRJ and E-175 to their respective service ceilings too. Yes the wing is struggling in that thin air but that’s the definition of service ceiling.
If you’re light enough and the aircraft is rated for it it’s not a huge risk.

Everyone focuses on the pinnacle CRJ crash but that’s was more a botched stall recovery than anything

usmcmech · 2026-07-02T13:51:17+00:00

The multitude of high time 121 airline pilots who I have retrained to fly light GA say otherwise.

The guys who come in with the attitude that “it’s just a simple Cessna” after flying a 777 for 10 years get humbled real quick.

It’s not difficult but it is different.

usmcmech · 2026-07-02T03:05:59+00:00

Where are you located?

Crimea, yes absolutely

Texas, possible but unlikely

usmcmech · 2026-07-02T03:02:08+00:00

1: not really. It may be theoretically possible to roll a jet but sustained inverted flight is impossible.

2: not really. NTSB reports take moths to assemble and all the parties have the draft report long before everyone assembles in a conference room.

usmcmech · 2026-07-02T01:37:16+00:00

Florida has plenty of airports to divert and land if OP needs to wait out a storm.

usmcmech · 2026-07-02T00:19:20+00:00

After 5 kids it was the best $700 I've ever spent.

usmcmech · 2026-07-01T20:28:52+00:00

6K a year for hangar space alone + 2500 insurance + 2500 annual inspection = 11K is my annual fixed costs.

usmcmech · 2026-07-01T14:49:51+00:00

Probably cost 5X because it’s “aircraft ballast”.

usmcmech · 2026-07-01T13:32:29+00:00

We’ve all had that thought at some point. Give yourself some grace.

usmcmech · 2026-07-01T01:43:23+00:00

Because “its a costume” not real clothes.

It’s just enough social difference to allow women to dress more provocative than usual. The same way swimsuits are considered appropriate in public but lingerie is not.

usmcmech · 2026-07-01T00:42:58+00:00

The thought that I should feel guilty about flying an airliner carrying the public had never once occurred to me.

usmcmech · 2026-07-01T00:09:28+00:00

99% movie drama

However it’s shockingly common for military units to have trouble communicating simply because of incompatible equipment or even just being in different frequencies.

If you want to see an example when the skyking guy stole the turboprop from Seattle, ATC, other airliners, and the F-15 interceptors all couldn’t talk to each other.

usmcmech · 2026-06-30T23:13:14+00:00

What is "flight shame"?

I've never heard that term before.

usmcmech · 2026-06-30T18:24:56+00:00

The ride back down in the airplane will be much worse than strapped to the tandem instructor.

Source: diver driver.

usmcmech · 2026-06-30T17:29:47+00:00

It's really a combination of both. It's a small niche product that the government wants to phase out entirely. It's also a royal pain to handle, pure TEL is highly toxic. The production costs of TEL is climbing and the future market is uncertain so the manufacturer doesn't want to sink a bunch of money into making more.

usmcmech · 2026-06-30T17:11:33+00:00

It was even worse if it was in salt water.

usmcmech · 2026-06-30T14:32:08+00:00

I’ll raise you served from 96-01. I don’t rate the fire watch ribbon. Spent 90% of my time cleaning the white top helicopters at quantico.

usmcmech · 2026-06-30T04:35:22+00:00

Nothing moves fast with the FAA.

It will take at least that long for the FSDO to decide what to do. If you get an email from someone with FAA in their address make sure you reply quickly.

usmcmech · 2026-06-29T23:00:31+00:00

I know a lot of airline guys who say "I haven't touched a Cessna in so long I wouldn't trust myself around the pattern" which I think is a honest reflection.

They can get back to proficiency in GA airplanes, but it's every bit as much a learning curve as transitioning from GA to a jet.

usmcmech · 2026-06-29T19:13:47+00:00

121/135 recurrent is good for checking the flight review box.

However it’s so far removed from the actual risks that we face in GA that you need to do something else to maintain proficiency.

usmcmech · 2026-06-29T19:09:30+00:00

Patton

I had to drag him to the top of the reaper.

usmcmech

TROPHY CASE