Blog – Intermediate Pilot Flight Test 26/04/2025

After running out of time to be ready for my PPL Flight Test before my ground exams lapsed, I made the decision to try and obtain my Microlight Intermediate Pilots Certificate on the Tecnam P2002.

I contacted RAANZ which administers Microlight flying in NZ and they confirmed my Microlight exams remain valid so that’s a win! I just needed to rejoin the organisation. I also confirmed with the local Flight Testing Officer that he was available and booked our other Tecnam P2002. All the ducks were starting to line up.

The weather today was nice and crisp with a few lower clouds to keep me honest.

After running through our pre-flight, taxi, and run-ups, we ran thru the following:

Normal Take-off
Climb out
Engine T’s and P’s
Standard Turns
Steep Turns
Powered off Stall
Powered on Stall
Forced Landing Without Power
Low Flying
Precautionary Landing
Downwind Join
Standard Landing

I had a pretty good flight even though I was rather nervous. I also had the issue of my Assessor having issues with his headset so I couldn’t hear him thru my headset. We got around this by him just shouting instructions into my ear and me repeating them back.

Another “bonus” was that there were many NORDO (No Radio) aircraft training today so I really needed my head on a swivel.

My take-off was fine, and the climb out was well balanced. I maintained a very good watch of the engine temps and pressures which my assessor was very impressed with.

My steep turns were pretty good considering the aircraft I was flying today does not have an HSI (Horizontal Situation Indicator). I kept a good balanced turn with consistent height. A good start to get things going.

Next was a power off stall which I did rather well I thought loosing only about 50 feet and staying coordinated. This was followed up with 2 power on stalls which again I did to a good standard.

I performed a Forced Landing Without Power ok, but I should have just spiralled down from height keeping the field on my left wingtip. Instead I did a large descending turn to loose height then set flaps way out to get the glide slope. Not exactly textbook, but I would have made the field without issues.

After that we moved on to low flying and bad weather configuration. I set the aircraft at 1000 feet agl, 60knots, 20 degrees of flap, made my radio call, and settled in to orbit the low flying area. This was acceptable but I did fiddle with the throttle a bit too much.

Next task was to perform a precautionary landing. This was done ok but as I was trained in the PPL syllabus I flew a bit too high in some aspects for the assessor. However after discussions with my FI post test he accepted this was how I was trained.

Once all completed I powered up, pitched up, and cleaned up to ascend to 1900 feet in preparation for an over head join at the air field. After a radio call to check, it was confirmed that there was too many NORDO aircraft in the circuit area so my assessor decided that a downwind join and normal landing would be a safer option.

I have done many downwind joins so this was nice to hear. I was keeping a very sharp lookout for other aircraft and joined downwind with no issues. I ran thru my landing checks. then slowing down the aircraft to 60knots once abeam the threshold and gave it the first notch of flap. Once at 45 degrees to the field I turned to base and descended to 500 feet agl on final. I was on glideslope at the correct height and speed. At 200 feet agl, I put in the last notch of flap and landed at 50knots with a nice touch down. “Phew!”

I thought I had done ok but it’s never over till you hear “You have passed”

What a relief! Even though this is not the PPL track it is a very close second. I can now fly locally ( within 10nm) in VFR during the day without passengers. Next steps is to get my cross country training requirements completed. The requirements are:

Min of 4 exercises, 5 hrs total, 2 hrs solo x/c, including 1 hr/3 leg flight, high level, low level, mountain, weather diversion

So I just need to do 2 x Solo flights only!

Next flight I will attempt a solo cross country (most likely an out and back to Castlepoint). If that’s successful the following one will be a 3 leg cross country ( I’m looking at Masterton-Castlepoint-Flat point-Masterton).

Once those are all in the bag I will request a test for an “Advanced Local with Passenger Rating”. That will be awesome to get as I can then take my wife and family up.

I can’t wait!!

Until next time…

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Blog – Intermediate Pilot Flight Test 26/04/2025