Flight test booked? Check.
Aircraft reserved? Check.
Lesson plans complete? Check.
Initial wave of panic? You bet'cha!
In one week's time, I'll be strapped into an airplane, undergoing a flight test for a Class IV Flight Instructor Rating. Until then, I'll be studying, reviewing, fretting, and caffeining the hours away!
It's a small, two syllable word, yet it carries with it a tremendous weight. It has the ability to disrupt sleeping patterns, reduce the size of fingernails, and wreak havoc with one's social life. Depending on what is being tested, it can take several different forms, including The Written, The Oral, and The Practical. Three days ago, the Exam and I did battle. I won.
Exams have been a part of my life since Grade 7. The high-school I attended thought it was a good idea to introduce us to exams at a young age. Looking back, I have to agree that they made a good decision. By the time I was ready for university, exams no longer filled me with thoughts of dread and despair. Instead, my study habits were relatively well-developed and I managed to pass most of the exams that were thrown my way.
My love-hate relationship with The Exam did not end after four years of university. Instead I found myself studying the wonders of aviation and preparing for, yes, more exams. Almost from the beginning, I noticed that something was different. The type of learning that was required to become a proficient pilot involved skills other than the ones I had honed over the previous ten years. Essays and short answers were a thing of the past, and instead I had to develop new motor skills, perform challenging manoeuvres, and demonstrate the ability to control an aircraft. "Book learning", while still an important part of this process, was now accompanied by its evil-twins, The Oral and The Practical. I had forgotten about these two side-kicks. It's taken some time and effort, but I've been able to conquer them both.
Last Friday was another step along the long and winding path to professional pilot-dom. I passed the Class 4 Flight Instructor Rating Written Exam (or AIRAF, for short). Three solid weeks of studying proved enough, and I've now focused my attention to the Oral and Practical portions, scheduled to take place towards the end of August. I can finally see the end result of what I've been working towards over the past six months. And I still want this more than ever!
