I showed up at my field yesterday, and the instructors said get ready, we're cutting you loose today! I was somewhat expecting it, but didnt really think that there would be the required three instructors on hand to administer the Wings test due to the fact that the weather was not looking too good. Well, I fueled up the LT-40, one of the instructors took me up for a warm up, and make sure everything was trimmed out. I landed, refueled and I everyone gathered behind me for the test. This was the first time I have used my own radio to control the plane, I have always been on the box. This was a new feeling.

The weather was a little iffy, and sure enough just as I took off, the wind picked up and there was a sprinkling of rain. I did my maneuvers - 2 left hand circuits, figure-8s, procedure turns at both ends of the field, and 90* box circuit. The wind was blowing even more at altitude, and the aircraft was being tossed around quite a bit, makeing those precision turns, not so precision. In addition to the wind, I was trying to track a white plane against a white sky, and getting the odd rain drop in my eyes. Oh, and the bugs were bad that day, I never noticed them before!

Now I had to set up for landing, left to right. This approach is tricky at our field, as its off-set to the runway heading, and the flight path descends between plane eating trees and over a row of shrubs before making a 30* turn to align with the runway. This is even trickier in wind. I managed it without mishap, and touched down smoothly. The goal during the test is that the engine must be running after each landing. Now I had to take off right to left, fly a right hand circuit and land right to left, this being down with a gusting tail wind. This approch isn't as tricky, but there are yet more trees, and It also comes close to the parking lot, where my instructers truck makes a nice target. Just a few feet off the ground, I lost my tail wind, but I managed to flare enough to arrest the sink rate and touch down smoothly, engine still running.

What a great feeling! I had my first flight with the LT-40 on Feb 17th, and passed my test exactly 6 weeks later. I was only able to get out on Saturday's and some Sundays, and missed one weekend due to weather. I spent hours with RealFlight G3, and just as many hours reading the forums here, and not once did an instructor have to take his finger off the trainer switch to bail me out. They said they were bored with me... haha (honestly not trying to brag here, just pointing out the value of the simulator.) Not once did I experience left/right confusion as the aircraft came towards me. The whole experience was very comfortable - I owe that to the sim.

Just thought I'd share my experience...Those of you still "on the box", stick with it... its worth it!

Peter