[分享] IR考照紀錄: 失敗的飛行篇 英文版

這篇是用英文紀錄我第一次考IR失敗的過程。在考試的過程中，由於小小的問題所造成的骨牌效應，讓我失去PIC該有的作為而導致失敗。也讓我親身體驗到由於自己的失誤，極有可能會造成飛安事故。

希望能藉由我的失敗經驗，讓有志學飛的朋友們了解飛行是一件極為嚴謹的事情，
currency 之外更需要 proficiency, 絕不容許任何 sloppiness or complacency。

隔了幾天跟教練重飛了一次，確定這些問題都能預防或知道怎麼處置之後，下一個星期重考之後通過了IR考試。我會再花時間將兩次的考試過程改寫成中文，並改用說故事的方式記敘。

I failed the flying test. And experienced the swiss cheese theory or chains
leading up to an accident first hand! One spotty equipment led to another
issue and the snowball effect caused me to become task saturated and failed
to act as PIC.

Original plan:
- Hold at ESDEF as published.
- VOR 17 T74
- RNAV approach to KEDC (wind on the day was changing so I didn't know would
it be 13 or 31)
- ILS 35L KAUS

Departing from KAUS was fine.

The PTT button was acting up when we entered the hold at ESDEF at VOR 17 T74.I couldn't get my voice transmitted.

FAIL #1: While I was diagnosing PTT button, due to the strong tailwind >
30kts, I busted the protected region in the holding area! Went 5nm South of
ESDEF! ESDEF is a fix, NOT a NAVAID. I forgot about that and focused on the
station passage signal in the VOR receiver. What I should really do was to
check the GPS distance to the fix.

FAIL #2: I discovered my error and turned back to the North of ESDEF to
continue the exam. Due to traffic at T74, ATC assigned me to a higher
altitude (4000’) not the regular holding altitude (2500’). I didn’t use
the hold to lose altitude because ATC specifically asked me to maintain 4000
in the hold. I only started my descent while turning inbound for the
approach. Too high. +2000ft upon reaching VDP. +1800ft upon reaching MAP.

FAIL: #3: Normally Austin approach would assign you a modified missed
approach procedure before clearing you of the approach. Not the case that
day. Published missed approach procedure is to make a climbing turn and go
back to ESDEF. While making the climb, my hands are occupied and ATC gave a
lengthy sequence of instructions which includes going to a fix EFVEP, which
is the IAF of the approach into the next airport. But due to weather
conditions that day, I don’t exactly know which approach they are going to
assign me. So I didn’t really anticipate direct EFVEP. Also, EFVEP sounds so
much like ESDEF to me, as a non-native speaker. So there was quite a bit of
confusion over the radio and I couldn’t get my readback correct for 3 or 4
times. My confidence was breaking and for a couple of seconds I didn't reallyknow what to do. <- FAILING acting as PIC. Strike 3.

DPE took over and asked to fly back to KAUS and do the ILS.

FAIL #4: About to intercept the localizer, my iPad crashed. I tried to pull
up backup paper plates, and found out I put them along with other
paperworks/documents for the oral exam on my truck after the oral exam.
Without an IAP, I opted for a visual approach and landed at KAUS.

In the debrief, DPE and the owner of the school told me luckily it’s just a
checkride, not in actual IMC, and reviewed what I should have really done to
avoid the failures:

1) ALWAYS keep situational awareness. Stay in the protected region in the
hold and diagnose the issue.
2) ASK ATC for clearance to descend to a lower altitude. Use the hold to
adjust to a suitable altitude. The altitude must be correct crossing FAF.
3) ASK ATC for a vector in case I don't understand the instructions in the
first place. Also, plan ahead and know the approach better.
4) ASK ATC to help brief the approach in case we can't locate the plate. Not
ideal but they can help.

I choked up in the debriefing session, and cried a lot after going back home
for several hours. It took me almost 20 years to save enough, come to the US
and have the chance to earn this rating but I failed.

Failing the exam is of course not pleasant, but what’s even more sad is I
failed to act like PIC and put me and the passengers in harm’s way. Were we
in actual IMC we might have been killed.

--

考試前我已經操作模擬機+找safety pilot飛+找教練飛達75小時儀器飛行時數了。我自己 以為已經準備地很充份了: 高度隨時保持+-50', 航向隨時保持+-3, hold可以畫出漂亮的 racetrack, arc也是很有信心, 只給我空速計, 高度計, turn coordinator, tachometer, COM1, 和 localizer reverse sensing 的VOR gauge, 我也可以飛 ILS 到DA正對跑道， glideslope線壓在甜甜圈上, 落地都盡量是無感著陸。前兩周也預演了三種可能的考試路 線。一切都表現ok, 教練才放心簽名讓我上場。 結果被沒預料到，時好時壞的PTT按鈕造成不必要的心理壓力，導致後面接連作了不好的決 定...

德州午後的天氣很容易造成ipad熱當，所以正常都會準備紙本備份，偏偏那天跟口試的其 他文件一起收回車上沒帶上機...

考試失敗那天其實是超級大晴天, 所以大家都跑出來飛, NORDO traffic 太多導致 ATC把 我擺比較高, 也沒時間先給我modified missed approach procedure。 重考那天MVFR, 幾乎一路 actual IMC, 反而根本沒有 traffic...

那天的表現真的是所有飛行中表現最差的一次，自己也被深深地震撼到。既有的經驗與訓 練還並不夠充份讓我在壓力中作好ADM, CRM。

Single pilot IFR真的夠嗆, 雖然重考後已經拿到IR，我還是得非常謹慎規劃飛IFR任務。 solo飛IFR目前personal minimum是定在MVFR(1000'/3sm)。 一定會找其他熟練的IR飛行員一起進IFR/low IFR condition。