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In 1974, an epic boxing match took place in Zaire, Africa between Muhamed Ali and George Foreman. Ali, sensing that he was smaller and not as strong as Foreman, employed a strategy to lay on the ring’s ropes and let Foreman punch him in the gut until Foreman was exhausted. In preparation for the fight, Ali spent months strengthening his stomach muscles until they were as hard as steel.
Ali called this strategy, which worked to perfection, Rope-a-Dope, with Foreman being the dope. After that fight, which Muhmmed Ali won, the term rope-a-dope has become synonymous with making a fool out of someone with sly trickery. Now, you might ask yourself how can this historic fight possibly relate to check rides in airplanes? Read on, as relevancy can be proven!
After earning my Flight Instructor rating in 1970 as a 19-year-old, I went to work for a flight school on the Springfield Municipal Airport in Springfield, Missouri. I was working part time as a primary flight instructor while attending college.
The very first student I recommended for a Private Pilot checkride was Steve Schwenk. I had known Steve in high school, so we were friends even outside of flying. Steve was an exceptional student. He was one of only two students I had ever trained who completed the Private Pilot course in 35 hours of flight time, the absolute minimum allowed by the FAA. The other pilot was Phil Shoemaker whom you will read about in other stories.
The flight school I worked for used a Designated Pilot Examiner for check rides named Eugene Ingram. Gene Ingram was a very nice guy, and quite reasonable on check rides. The more experienced instructors at the flight school briefed me on the questions Gene would ask during the oral exam, and the maneuvers he emphasized during the flight check. I then trained my first student, Steve Schwenk, accordingly.
One of Gene’s pet maneuvers was to demonstrate to the student pilot that his senses would lie to him while flying in the clouds on instruments, or at night. The ultimate lesson objective was to trust your flight instruments, and not your senses. He would have the student put the instrument flying hood on, then do a couple of routine flight maneuvers by reference to the flight instruments, then “the show” would begin.
One of Gene’s pet maneuvers was to demonstrate to the student pilot that his senses would lie to him while flying in the clouds on instruments.
Gene would take the controls and instruct the student to look down in his or her lap. Gene would then discretely put the airplane into a bank and ask the student what the plane was doing. Invariably, the student would say “we’re flying straight and level” at which point Gene would say “look up”. The student would look up and simply be amazed that his senses told him he was flying straight and level but, by gosh, the airplane was actually in a turn! The trick worked every time…except one! Gene hadn’t reckoned on tricking the crafty Steve Schwenk!
After recommending Steve for the Private Pilot check ride, I told him about Gene Ingram’s favorite trick. But Steve was nobody’s fool. The moment of truth finally came when Steve took off with Gene Ingram for his Private Pilot check ride. After acing all of the required maneuvers, the inevitable “show” began.
Gene told Steve to put the hood on and do some turns. Then, as usual, Ingram took the controls from Steve and instructed him to look down in his lap. However, it was a sunny day and it just so happened there was a sun spot shining on Steve’s leg. The examiner put the airplane into a gentle turn to the right and asked Steve what the airplane was doing.
Steve noticed that the sun spot was moving to the left and said “We’re turning to the right.” Puzzled by receiving a correct answer for the first time ever, Ingram, even more gently, put the airplane into a 30 degree bank turn to the left and asked “What are we doing now?” The sun spot moved to the right and Schwenk replied “We’re turning left”. Exasperated, Ingram rapidly pushed the nose over, then gently returned to straight and level flight. Not even waiting for the question, Steve said “We’re flying straight and level”. At that point, Ingram blew his top! “Dammit, you’re cheating but I don’t know how!” In spite of playing rope-a-dope with his examiner, Steve went home that day with a Private Pilot License tucked safely in his wallet.
POSTSCRIPT
Eugene Ingram made the right call that day as in 2014, Steve retired flying for Delta Airlines as Captain on the Boeing 747. Also, as of 2023, Steve Schwenk and I are still flying together in general aviation as retired airline pilots.
Still acting as his instructor 54 years after signing him off for his Private Pilot license, I transitioned Steve from flying in the IFR system in commercial airliners to doing it in general aviation, something he had not done since the 1970s. And on March 4, 2024, Steve needed a flight review and an update on his instrument proficiency check, or IPC. Steve had chosen that date because on that day, March 4,1970, 54 years ago, I had soloed Steve and he wanted my signature in his log book one more time.
Incredibly, on his retirement flight, Steve landed a B-747 at JFK on Runway 22 Left. Four months later, on my retirement flight, I landed a B-757 at JFK on the very same runway!
His professional credentials include 5 years as captain, training officer, and chief pilot for a commuter airline where he flew the DC-3, Beech 18 and Beech 99 in scheduled passenger operations, and 6 years as Director of Training for both FlightSafety International and Simuflite’s King Air Division.
Turpin was hired by United Airlines in 1986, where he flew the Boeing 727, 737, 757 and 767 in both domestic and international operations including 100 oceanic crossings, and 6 equator crossings. Turpin retired in 2015 at age 65, and currently has some 30,000 hours in his log book.
He is currently employed as captain and chief pilot flying the Pilatus PC-12NG for a company in Pennsylvania. Joel has been a current and active flight instructor since 1970 and teaches instrument flying in a variety of single engine airplanes. Turpin also writes technical articles with an emphasis on instrument flying and airplane systems.
In 2016, Joel Turpin earned the FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for 50 years of flying accident and violation free, and for his contribution to aviation safety for all of those years.
He currently lives in Punta Gorda, Florida with his wife, who is a United Airlines flight attendant. While Joel has had an amazing career in aviation spanning over six decades, he still considers himself to be just a general aviation pilot who got lucky.
- High-Tech One Upmanship - December 18, 2024
- Checkrides gone wrong: rope-a-dope - December 9, 2024
- The Captain is Lying and We can Prove It - September 30, 2024
That last paragraph made my day! You guys must make some epic hamburger runs and swap a lot of war stories together! Kudos!
I love stories with a history. I find as I age, tales that span a generation or two take on greater meaning. Legacy perhaps? I’ve also used this same trick to gamify the demonstration. Shadow OR sun angle can be powerful tools in a desperate scenario. I suppose it should come with the admonition that eventually our non-visual senses will almost assuredly lead us into trouble. I like to have the hooded pilot continue to fly but simply close his eyes. It’s an “eye opening” demonstration when he flies himself into an unusual attitude fairly quickly absent visual cues.
I had a student once that must have had a gyro in his head, as he could fly the airplane with his eyes closed and enter turns and return to level correctly. Since I never could get him to lose control I had to do the maneuvers for him to put him into unusual attitudes.
Springfield, Missouri—-, pilots license in high school—-, instrument training—-, and a lifetime of flying! Congratulations on your careers—-, fantastic that you’re still flying together. I love the stories.
My life has also evolved around airplanes—-, admittedly, not at the skill and experience level of a longtime professional pilot. My airplane story is single pilot—-, single engine. Different world than 747’s/757’s!
I did my private pilot training—-, and took my check ride—-, during my senior year in high school—, at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, Arizona—, 1958. Sixty-six years ago. (I know—, there are many still flying who can top that!)
My first airplane was a 1961 Cessna 175 (N8327T). It had 600 TT when I bought it, and cost $6000! 80 octane fuel was $0.27 a gallon! I bought a ‘no see’ IFR hood and did a little (very carefully) self teaching. All turns were at 45 degrees—-, what did I know!
I’m still an active pilot——,#1431612. Current medical and Flight Review. (No accidents—, no Wright Brothers.) Proud owner of the last four Super Viking Bellanca’s (1999, 2000, 2001, 2005) to come out of the Bellanca factory in Alexandria, Minnesota. All IO-550 equipped. The 2005 model has only 76.6 TT. (Super Viking’s are great airplanes! I’ve been flying them for the past thirty-two years.)
I’ve been in and out of the Springfield, Missouri airport numerous times—-, and flown over Springfield more times than I can count. Memphis—, Springfield Approach—, Whiteman—, Kansas City—-, Chicago—-, Minneapolis—-, knew the frequencies by heart.
Fred,
Does the name Darrell A. Sawyer ring a bell?
Great story, especially the ending! I had a similar challenge on my PPL check ride. During the unusual attitude part, my DPE moved the DG setting (he later told me this). Then, in the flight with reference to instruments only, he asked me to take him to the Syracuse VOR. As I was turning to fly to the VOR, I just happened to catch a glimpse of the Goodyear blimp out of the side of the hood. Something was not right, because I knew where the blimp was operating and I knew where the VOR was relative to the blimp and I was NOT flying toward the VOR. After a few moments, I cross-checked the DG with the magnetic compass, and ah-ha! LOL!