After two weeks of training, 11 hours of twin time I was ready for the check ride. The check ride was scheduled in the afternoon because I wanted to go do a final flight with the instructor in the morning.

We took off from San Jose international and headed over to Tracy. I did so bad that morning that I thought I wouldn't be able to go through with the check ride. I was not able be do some required maneuvers Anyway we came back to San Jose and I asked the instructor if I should still take the check ride. He told me to go for it because most people actually do better on a check ride since they are much more careful with everything.

I met the examiner in the lobby where he asked some basic questions about twin engine aerodynamics and aircraft systems. Most questions were about the prop and fuel system. I heard that this examiner was actually an air racer and was pretty active in the air race event.

After I passed the ground questions, he asked me to preflight the airplane. When we got out to the airplane, he also asked few questions about the airplane.

When everything was ready, we pulled the airplane on to the taxiway and I started the left and than the right engine. I called San Jose clearance and received heading direction after take off. I proceeded to called San Jose ground for taxi clearance and started to taxi.

I stopped at the ramp to do a runup check and called the tower for takeoff clearance. Once I received the call from tower I taxied on to the runway and slowly applied full power. After the airplane started moving, I saw the examiner's hand moving toward the engine controls and I knew he's going to fail one of my engine. I got ready to pull back the throttle. He failed the left engine and the airplane turned toward left. I pulled back both throttle and that took care of the problem.

He told me to continue with the take off and I again applied full power. After accelerating to 100 MPH, I pulled back on the control and we lifted off the ground. I maintained best rate of climb and called the tower with my attitude. "San Jose Tower, Apache 4219 PAPA 400 feet and climbing" When I reached 1000 feet the tower told me to turn right and call Bay Approach. I turned to the assigned heading and called Bay Approach. At this time I adjusted the props trying to sync both side. After talking to the Bay Approach, I told them I want to terminate service but they didn't answer me for a while. I told the examiner that I am waiting for Bay Approach and he said it's OK. I can not change my assigned heading until the Bay Approach allows me to so I waited. Finally after few minutes, I was allowed to change heading. He said, "show me a stall" I adjusted the power and raised the nose up slowly. When the airplane stalled, I pushed the nose down to built airspeed and raised the nose back up a bit. After that he idle the left engine; I pushed the right rudder in to maintain control and full power on the right engine. Keeping an eye on airspeed while maintaining altitude.

Lost of Directional Control

This is also a required item. With Right engine at full power, I slowly pull the nose up. The right rudder required more and more force as I increased the pitch. At one point, the right rudder was all the way to the floor and still the nose creeped to the left. Once reach this point, I pulled the power back on the right engine and regained directional control.The heading changed a little bit but I corrected it right away and he didn't say anything.

He asked me if the engine will restart in the air and I told him it did last time than he pulled the mixture all the was back and the engine stopped. I went over emergency procedure and feathered the left prop.Next he asked me to restarted the engine, I took out the check list and went over the restart procedure. This was a bit hard for me while reading the check list because the airplane must maintain heading, altitude and airspeed and not going all over the place. It took a few cranks to get the engine restarted, At first it was really rough then slowly smoothed out.

At this point, I already finished all the hard parts and a small airport South County was right below us. He asked if I want to land here or go over to Hollister. There was no question in my mind which airport to go. The South County runway is very narrow and short. Taking a twin in there is a bit risky.

After about 5 minutes, I can see the runway ahead. I never actually landed at Hollister but flown overhead a couple of times and noticed the long and wide runway there.Hollister is a uncontrolled airport so I just called to notify others that I am in the area and landing Hollister. I flew over the runway to check wing direction and was not really sure what direction the wind sock was pointed so I told the examiner I am landing on 32. As I turned toward that side of the runway the examiner pointed to me that the T on the ground is showing using the other direction. I looked out to check again and said Ok and changed my heading. Before turning base, I slowed the airspeed to below 100MPH and dropped some flaps. Don't know how much since on this airplane you hold down the switch and count the seconds. While on final I look at the wind sock and the wind was coming stright down the runway. No crosswind correction was needed so that made things simpler. Without full flaps, the airplane lands with a higher nose pitch. I like landing this plane this way because the landing seems easier for me this way. Landing was pretty smooth and we did a touch and go. I applied full power after touch down and took off again.

Now almost everything is done and just hope that he doesn't make me do turns. He then asked me what's the flap operating speed on this plane and I said 100MPH. As I answered him I looked down and %$^&# the flaps are down. I raised them right away and then he didn't say anything.

As we approach San Jose, I called the tower and request to land. He idle one engine again for me to do a single engine landing. This was easier because the right engine power was reduced for landing and not much rudder needed to corrected. I carefully control the only throttle I have and I can also see that he checks on me to see if I use the left throttle. I lower the flaps and landing gear and check for gear down lights. He double checked for gear down so I guess he didn't trust me. The landing was smooth. I think even he was surprised and said good. I taxi back and he gave me my twin engine certificate. That was it the twin check ride. I still won't fly a twin by my self because there's too much things to remember and if you don't do it often it's very dangerous.