Hello Guys,

It's been a couple of months since I came to this forum for advice and I wanted to close the loop. Without further ado, I am proud to say that I am now a Private Pilot! and I want to thank you for your advice and support.

The process was not smooth and I thought I would share it here in case it can help someone else:
- after the meeting with my instructor things moved pretty fast and I got green lighted to take my club solo cross country checkride only 2 weeks later
- finding a club examiner within a week's notice proved challenging and I discovered that not all the club's CFI were equally friendly and helpful. With the help of my instructor and the club admin we found someone and I completed my checkride before christmas.
- after a 2 weeks hiatus for the holidays, I took 2 more lessons and begin flying solo cross country. After 2 weeks I was able to complete my long solo cross country flight and we begun looking for a DPE
- For some reason the bay area only had one DPE for a little while and there was a consensus among the CFIs that the situation was not healthy (this DPE was apparently not the fairest guy). They called upon a ex-DPE to come back into business and I for one called myself lucky that he agreed for he was not only insanely qualified but also great to fly with even in an exam situation.
- For my 1st appointment the weather was overcast and we had to cancel
- For my 2nd appointment, the weather looked clement and we completed the oral portion of the test. By the time we were done clouds had moved in and I judged the conditions unsafe. The DPE agreed and we rescheduled.
- For my 3rd appointment, the plane I had booked became non-op a day before. I booked another plane at the last minute and found out during the pre-flight that the tail light was non-op. I called the DPE to cancel.
- For my 4th appointment all went well until I messed up the recovery for unusual attitude with the foggles. The DPE failed me.
- I booked a lesson with instructor, went over the exercise without problem and he renewed my endorsement.
- I then booked my 5th and last appointment with the DPE and was able to complete the exercise with flying color. The flight lasted less than 20 min and the DPE looked baffled that someone who messed up the exercise so badly a week earlier suddenly completed it flawlessly He gave me my PPL!
- That same day I took my wife and we went for a San Francisco Bay Tour together for the first time. I flew through the B space with confidence and was rewarded with gorgeous views of Alcatraz and the Bay Bridge.

I am proud to say I am now a Private Pilot!
Thanks all for your help and support.

Cheers,