Jon Jenkins, Associate Partner with EPI-USE America, over the line as an FAA-licensed private pilot.

On July 15, Jon was primed to take his FAA Practical Test, the final step towards securing his Private Pilot certificate. The prospect of flying the checkride is daunting but the prelude to that, the oral exam to be conducted by an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner, is a formidable hurdle to get over and is what typically causes sleepless nights for examinees. The practical flight test in the presence of the DPE, follows a successful oral exam.

Jon had been working towards this for months and whilst he felt entitled to a modicum of confidence based on the countless hours he’d spent on learning and preparation, he was terrified nonetheless. To make matters worse, while driving to the airport he noted that the weather was meaningfully worse than forecast. At the time though, it was still good enough for the flight portion of the test to proceed, assuming the oral exam were to go according to plan.

As the oral dragged on, Jon resisted the temptation to seek ongoing feedback from the DPE. Based on guidance he’d received beforehand, the continuation of the exam represented affirmation that things were likely proceeding satisfactorily, and that was in fact the case.

A rigorous 3-hour oral examination in an airport conference room now concluded, Jon was ready for the flight segment. Frustratingly, in the meantime the winds had picked up significantly and were now strong enough that he wisely elected to bank the favorable result of the oral, and postpone the flight test portion to another day, a not uncommon practice as he subsequently learned. And so it was that on August 5, under sunny skies and in a gentle breeze, Jon smoothly flew the practical test, and ended it gloriously with what was probably his best landing yet.

Jon is the first of our people to graduate from the Group’s ‘You Too Can Fly’ program and is now looking to join a local flying club, an affordable way to keep up flying proficiency while forging new friendships based on a common interest.