Designated Pilot Examiners are known for saying a new rating/certificate is “a license to learn.” When I passed my instrument rating the examiner told me to file IFR on some nice days and work my way into real weather. It didn’t work that way.

I had planned my checkride to be able to return the airplane to the flight school (now defunct Aviation Atlanta) and drive two hours home to spend the evening with my kids. When I realized that wouldn’t work I called my ex to ask about shifting the time some. I got a negative response, so I made arrangements to keep the airplane for several more hours. I flew home with the plan to see my kids, fly back to Atlanta, and then drive home. It would make for a long day, but time with the kids was worth it.

I invited a friend to go with me and checked the weather in Augusta and Atlanta for the 115-mile flight. VFR. Good to go.

About 20 minutes into the flight it wasn’t looking as nice as I expected. Then I saw a heavy rain shower off to my left. It was pretty impressive to see – torrential rain streaming down with swirls of mist all around the perimeter. NOT where I wanted to be flying. Then I saw more heavy rain off to the right. I was glad I had a bag full of pubs in the back seat as I decided to request a pop up clearance so I didn’t have to worry about ending up in the clouds.

We dodged the rain and only ended up with a bit of “actual.” The landing at PDK was uneventful as was the drive home. It was not what the examiner intended, but learning certainly took place – at a minimum I learned that the weather around the two ends of the flight is not enough to be fully aware. Pop up storms in Georgia in the summer. Who knew?