Hardest was definitely my class 4. Just so much prep going into making all the PGI's as well as trying to teach and demonstrate every exercise to CPL standards... all from the right seat now. Though flight test was surprisingly a breeze.
Easiest was probably my group 1. Yeah there was lots of ground knowledge to know through the CAP GEN, AIM, etc. but both the training flights and flight test were amongst the easiest and stress free during my training. Didn't have a problem with the INRAT either.
The CPEAR, hardest thing ever.
Even though I never finished the CPL in Canada.
In terms of actual flying - the Power off 180 in the States. It's by far harder than in Canada as you only get +100/-0, and there is no scoring, it's either a pass or a fail, and I had nearly 35 kts HW, and my C172 went down like a rock. Luckily the DPE (US PE) did the short and soft landing before it, and I got a good example of what to expect, but it was still though, and in the US, the power off 180 is almost always your last exercise in the CPL Checkride, as it usually has the highest failing rate, and when I touched down within the tolerance, I literally scream "YEAH", knowing that I passed. I as so lucky he never asked me to do lazy eights, damn things is so easy to fail on (even though it's fun as hell).
Multi part was fun, specially since I got a Turbocharged Seneca with 200 HP each side, pretty damn fast.
IFR was fairly long but easy (I had to do 1 VOR/DME Arc with circle to land, one ILS to missed, a hold and a partial panel RNAV), and in-between an unusual attitudes, and due to winds my approach ground speed was 45 kts. The DPE (same as the CPL and Multi one) was so bored (he is also an F16 examiner so it's really slow for him), that halfway through the hold he went like "ok, we can turn now, no need to wait).
Haven't got my Class 4 yet, if I can't find a job by July 2025, I am enrolled in a school to get it.
BTW, are you working as an instructor at the moment?
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Last edited by aviran9111 on Thu May 22, 2025 4:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.
aviran9111 wrote: ↑Thu May 22, 2025 1:32 pm
The CPEAR, hardest thing ever.
Even though I never finished the CPL in Canada.
In terms of actual flying - the Power off 180 in the States. It's by far harder than in Canada as you only get +100/-0, and there is no scoring, it's either a pass or a fail, and I had nearly 35 kts HW, and my C172 went down like a rock. Luckily the DPE (US PE) did the short and soft landing before it, and I got a good example of what to expect, but it was still though, and in the US, the power off 180 is almost always your last exercise in the CPL Checkride, as it usually has the highest failing rate, and when I touched down within the tolerance, I literally scream "YEAH", knowing that I passed. I as so lucky he never asked me to do lazy eights, damn things is so easy to fail on (even though it's fun as hell).
Multi part was fun, specially since I got a Turbocharged Seneca with 200 HP each side, pretty damn fast.
IFR was fairly long but easy (I had to do 1 VOR/DME Arc with circle to land, one ILS to missed, a hold and a partial panel RNAV), due to winds my approach ground speed was 45 kts. The DPE (same as the CPL and Multi one) was so bored (he is also an F16 examiner so it's really slow for him), that halfway through the hold he went like "ok, we can turn now, no need to wait).
Haven't got my Class 4 yet, if I can't find a job by July 2025, I am enrolled in a school to get it.
BTW, are you working as an instructor at the moment?
Good stuff!
No not instructing atm, currently flying in an unrelated role.
aviran9111 wrote: ↑Thu May 22, 2025 1:32 pm
The CPEAR, hardest thing ever.
Even though I never finished the CPL in Canada.
In terms of actual flying - the Power off 180 in the States. It's by far harder than in Canada as you only get +100/-0, and there is no scoring, it's either a pass or a fail, and I had nearly 35 kts HW, and my C172 went down like a rock. Luckily the DPE (US PE) did the short and soft landing before it, and I got a good example of what to expect, but it was still though, and in the US, the power off 180 is almost always your last exercise in the CPL Checkride, as it usually has the highest failing rate, and when I touched down within the tolerance, I literally scream "YEAH", knowing that I passed. I as so lucky he never asked me to do lazy eights, damn things is so easy to fail on (even though it's fun as hell).
Multi part was fun, specially since I got a Turbocharged Seneca with 200 HP each side, pretty damn fast.
IFR was fairly long but easy (I had to do 1 VOR/DME Arc with circle to land, one ILS to missed, a hold and a partial panel RNAV), due to winds my approach ground speed was 45 kts. The DPE (same as the CPL and Multi one) was so bored (he is also an F16 examiner so it's really slow for him), that halfway through the hold he went like "ok, we can turn now, no need to wait).
Haven't got my Class 4 yet, if I can't find a job by July 2025, I am enrolled in a school to get it.
BTW, are you working as an instructor at the moment?
Good stuff!
No not instructing atm, currently flying in an unrelated role.
Good for you. My first priority is securing a job, but even with over 500 hours it's not easy, so flight instruction is my "last resort" (quote on quote as I love instruction).
The PPL was the most difficult, however I performed the worst on the Grp 3 - I scheduled the fight test on a day I shouldn't have, so I didn't set myself up for success.
