The One Where the Procedures Validation is Finally Over

I walked into today’s procedures validation feeling prepared—maybe even over-prepared. Multiple people had assured me that we would not be flying a localizer (LOC) approach, which is where I feel slightly less confident than with other approaches. I was not worried about my flows or checklist items at all; I have been reviewing them in my head non-stop since last night, and I had some study tips from earlier classes that gave me a good sense of the overall process. I arrived about thirty minutes early, only to find the examiner preoccupied with something else. At first, I thought he was ignoring me, but once he was free, he apologized for seeming distant. That was when I realized he was a genuinely nice person.

We ended up chatting about life and swapping stories until my partner arrived. This conversation helped ease the tension, but I still had the usual check ride jitters—my hands were cold and clammy, and my mind was racing in a million directions. Part of me felt extra excited because I knew I could handle the tasks, yet that anticipation made me even more anxious. Once we settled in, I took a few deep breaths, reminded myself to focus, and started the procedure. Just as I hoped, everything clicked into place the minute I began my flows.

The flight portion started smoothly. I felt on top of every flow and checklist, and my confidence grew with each successful step. In fact, I thought this was one of my best performances—until I made a mistake I never saw coming. I forgot to arm the approach for an approach I have flown many times. Because the glide path did not arm, the aircraft did not behave as I expected once we intercepted the descent path, and I ended up calling for the missed approach altitude prematurely. The aircraft began climbing, and by the time I tried to salvage it with a different vertical mode, the examiner decided to pause the sim. He asked me what I thought had gone wrong, and that was the moment it clicked: I had forgotten to arm the approach.

Fortunately, the examiner let me redo that segment once I recognized the error on my own (which is important for achieving a passing standard). The second time went smoothly, and I executed the missed approach correctly. Even though I was frustrated—this was a mistake I had never made before—I refused to let it overshadow the rest of my flight. I knew it was crucial not to dwell on it, or I could botch the remaining tasks. When we set up for the final approach again, I nailed it, and we landed without further issues. Ultimately, I passed, but I was disappointed not to have met my own expectations.

Now that the procedures validation is behind me, I have only one day to prepare for the knowledge validation on Friday. That one feels more unpredictable because it is more of a conversational evaluation. I do not know which topics we will cover, and it could branch in countless directions. Still, I am determined to put in the study time and trust the skills I have built so far. At least I can take solace in knowing I overcame some nerves today—and learned a lesson that might prevent a future slip-up.