So real it's uncanny...

[coasterdigi]

Originally Posted by TomcatMVD

I'm a student pilot myself! Although talking about a "powered down" cockpit sounds more like you're talking about your commercial certification. (?)

Cheers!

Nah, I've only got my private, but I got it when I was going to school at Embry Riddle, where they strive to do all that they can to turn a 172 cockpit into the flight deck of an A320.

I didn't realize that this wasn't normal until I rented at an FBO for the first time. When I was going up for my checkout flight, I just ran through off the checklists and procedures that I was taught (leaning on the ground, verbally identifying things like the flap lever before moving it, etc). The instructor (a guy wearing flip-flops, Bermuda shorts, and some ridiculous hat) just looked at me like I'd sprouted 2 additional heads.

It was the shortest checkout flight I ever had.

But that was years ago. My last logbook entry is from 2003!