The flight training what?

The Flight Training Coalition is a clearinghouse for ideas and information to aid those who are learning to fly or are teaching others to. This site contains informational texts, files, and links that  may be useful to instructors, students, and certificated pilots.  We hope you find something you can use at the Flight Training Coalition. We welcome your ideas and participation.  Please email us with your comments. And please fly safely!   

Charles McDougal - FAA Designated Pilot Examiner

Charles McDougal may be scheduled within the boundaries of the San Antonio Flight Standards District for Private, Commercial, Instrument, ATP, CFII, MEI, and CFI reinstatement and renewal practical tests (checkrides). You may call or email me or use the checkride request form available here. I will respond usually the same day with schedule information.  On Line Checkride Request

My testing philosophy:

I start every test with the expectation of a successful outcome. This is a logical expectation as the applicant has met all FAA knowledge requirements, has met all the experience requirements, and has been recommended by an authorized instructor.

• I try to give each applicant every opportunity to demonstrate the required knowledge and skill to not only meet PTS requirements, but also to show safe command of the aircraft flown.
• When something does go wrong on a Practical Test we try to provide useful information to the recommending instructor and the applicant, to determine what factors may have contributed to the poor performance.
• Perfection is not the standard! Lucky thing for all of us. There is plenty of room to make and correct mistakes on a test. Sometimes the examiner and the applicant may disagree on the severity of the mistake. I ask the applicant to trust me; Every applicant who meets the standards in the PTS and of safe flight will pass the test. Those who don't will have to correct unsafe techniques or low levels of skill before they are issued the privilege for which they are testing.
• The dissapointment that results from a failed test is pretty mild compared to that which results from an aircraft accident or incidient. There are no guarantees in life and aviation, but if we all play by the rules in the training and testing process, competent pilots emerge and are able to move forward  safely and confidently with thier "license to learn".  .

Contact 

Please email or call me for flight test appointments or general information.  Or feel free to use the Checkride Request button on the left.

Telephone

210-315-7771

 

 

 Electronic mail

All email: pc12charlie@yahoo.com

 

 

NEWS AND VIEWS

NEWS FLASH.....I'm flying to Check Rides Again!!!!!!

After months of being without an airplane I am now back in bussiness flying to Check Ride appointments! I look forward to visiting the far reaches of the San Antonio district. Please feel free to call for schedule information. I have openings in my callendar and would love to see some old friends and make some new ones. I am happy to travel to Victoria and the coastal bend, Austin, Georgetown, Burnet and anywhere else there is testing to be done. I charge the same fees for initial tests everywhere in the district and I come to you so that you can test on your home airport in airspace you are familiar with.

THE LONG-EZ

As many of you know, I experienced a sudden and complete crankshaft failure in my (380 hours since new) engine in my beloved Long-EZ, N97EZ It has taken quite a while for us to come to grips with the seemingly random failure and the loss of our airplane. The short version is that the crankshaft (which was a new PMA part) in our custom built O320 broke in to two pieces with no warning after just 380 hours of flawless service. We were very fortunate to excape with no injuries, but it has taken a while to process the event. The end result is that for no reason specifically related to this type of aircraft, I am unable to feel enthusiastic about owning another experimental. I have started to write a comprehensive account of this experience and will post it when finished.