Hey everyone, ok so this is about the most dejected I've felt on my entire journey to get my PPL, and I could really use some advice.
So, I had some personal stuff happen and I had to postpone taking my PPL Checkride. I also moved 1100 miles. It happens. After not flying for about 3 months I just couldn't take it called up a local FBO and went on a 1hr flight with a CFI there and we talked about finishing my PPL and what it would cost. Cost was unfortunately a really big issue for me. They didn't have any planes I'd ever flown before so I was going to have to get checked out in one of theirs redo a ton of stuff, then rent and do my long XC and it honestly was going to be cost prohibitive.
My old CFI had a suggestion, I went back to my old FBO and we borrowed a friend of his' plane and granted I wasn't familiar in it at all, but he I was just paying for gas. I managed to get together some money and knocked out the only PPL requirement I had left and set up the appt. with the DE. Ended up having to spend a ton of money to be able to rent a plane to take the checkride in... Aced the written, aced the oral... couldn't take the actual checkride because of issues with the plane... so wasted more money on a rental plane for nothing. Now the weather has been so bad if we took off the DE would hand me the pink slip that second. And the worst part is the weather is gorgeous... lol, the wind is just gusting to like 30 kts.
The DE I scheduled with and took the oral with isn't available after today, so I have to pay another DE to take a test I've already taken and passed, plus the practical either way. If I go back home I have to get checked out in an even different aircraft, rent the plane, fly to the DE and back, which really isn't an option because I simply can't afford it. If I wait around here much longer and hope the weather gets better (which it isn't supposed to on any free day for a DE) I probably get fired... or do I try to fly to a DE farther away where I don't know the area, waste more money on the rental, and risk failing because I get lost in some random place I've never been (yes I realize one could argue you should be a good enough pilot not to get lost, but you get my point. Why set yourself up for a harder test?)? Of course it's Sunday too so I've only even been able to get in touch with 1 DE in a 150 mile radius.
I guess I'm so frustrated because I'M FINISHED!!! I did everything! Not to mention how much money I just spent the past week... and now I can't afford to take the test I've already paid for!!!! And retake the super stressful 1/3 of it that I already passed! And I'm even more infuriated because the checkride should be so easy, I've been flying since I was like 10, just never got the PPL, I have time logged in complex a/c, high performance, low wing, high wing, tail draggers, aerobatics!, I've flown in snow, landed on icy runways, etc... I can fly!
Anyway, I'm obviously just halfway venting, but I really am seriously open to any and all advice any CFIs might have. I mean quitting literally with like all 10 toes in the door seems crazy, but I just don't see how I can make this happen. It hurts even contemplating giving up on something I worked this hard for, especially when I've already finished it, but I really can't see any other option.
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