Books Up To Bat, Oral Exam On Deck, Check Ride In The Hole

PASSED!  I finally passed the lesson from hell!  Flew to KIZER... entered the hold on a direct entry made my turns... called up Orlando Approach to let them know I was established in the hold, which surprised my instructor, who up until now, has been making the call.  We flew back to Sanford International where I made two ILS approaches and one GPS to a full stop. Even though I've completed this lesson finally, the real test comes next.

Before I can go on to the next lesson I must complete an oral exam followed by a checkride. Both of these are conducted by our top instructors.  Instructors that don the 4 stripes on their shoulders, who are certified by the FAA to give exams and checkrides.  With the long break I had from being sick and the studying I tried to do to keep up, I'm finding out through groundwork with my instructor that it wasn't enough.  So I'm hitting the books as much as I can.  I'll need to talk to our head instructor to see how much time I can have before being submitted for the oral.  I also think once I'm through this stage I will ask for a new instructor.  I've stuck with him since the beginning which is more than I can say for quite a few of the other students who started with me.  Because of this last lesson and having the opportunity to experience other instructors and feeling light bulbs going off with their different perspectives and instructing styles, I don't feel my instructor is right for me.  So come Monday I will find out my options and decide from there.

Until then...  I'm studying up on illusions, types of hypoxia, weather, instruments, certs and docs, among other topics.