Next stop.... Checkride!!!

My checkride is scheduled for tomorrow! I'll be meeting the DE at KGLS, I've been there a few times, but it is not my home airport. So yesterday I went flying with my CFI to KGLS to get a little more familiar with the airport. I went ahead and used my GPS, although I think I'll leave it behind for my checkride. I don't want the DE thinking he has to drill me on "old fashioned" procedures because I have a GPS.

It was pretty straight forward. GLS is a class D airport, so 10 miles out, I made my call, gave my position, and was told to proceed to final, and to call in 2 miles out. Which I did. I'm used to landing from a pattern, so it felt odd just coming straight in. I asked my CFI for any tips, i.e. when to pull back on power, when to start the descent, etc... He said "Just do what feels natural". er, not too helpful, lol. Then he pointed out the PAPIs, and I used those for the first time. He said I came in fast at first, so I'll have to watch out for that next time. We landed, and were directed to the FBO to park. I wanted to look inside where the DE would be waiting. Some one from the ground crew came and put blocks around the landing gear, and gave us a ride to the FBO. Nice place. I think FBOs are so cool. They really cater to pilots, which I suppose is obvious since that is their sole purpose, but still... they do it well.

So then we got in the plane again, and I contacted ground so I could taxi to the runway.
Ground: "Mmmrfff wbble --way 13 rmffbl echo echo bschmrg"
Me: "Uh taxi to runway 13, roger"

Seriously... why do they sound like the worst drive-through speaker from the 70s you've ever heard? Don't they ever listen to see if they're coming through ok? Even my CFI had a hard time translating.

We took off and started off on my cross country for the checkride (which btw will be to Winnsboro, LA). I am sure the DE chose that destination because the route between KGLS and there are full of things I have not dealt with before. Such as MOA's in particular. I will also have to plan a refueling stop halfway there, at the destination, and halfway back. Although I will only be asked to fly the beginning of it tomorrow. (OMG... I still can't believe it's tomorrow!)

After a few minutes my CFI asked if I needed help with any maneuvers for the checkride. I opted for stalls, especially powered stalls because of my near spiral experience in the practice checkride. This time I managed the rudders much better and it was a non-event. Then we headed over to Wolfe airport for a grass strip landing, and a grass strip take off, then headed back home. It's an exciting feeling to think you've covered everything about as much as you can, and that all that's left to do is to show the DE.

We went back to the clubhouse and double checked that I had everything I needed to take with me to the checkride. The DE wanted me to bring a headset for him. Doesn't he have one?? Or does he want me to act like he's a passenger and that I should bring one for him? The CFI was nice enough to loan me his, as well as his foggles. I told him I'm not going to know what to do with myself once I have my license. I've got all these plans in my head, but I haven't really focused on them because I've been trying to stay focused with just getting my license.

I still have a lot of work to do tonight. I need to get my cross-country plans ready to use inflight, and still want to go over some things for the oral - and manage to get lots of sleep tonight.