Checkride - Passed, but the bubble did burst a bit

Well, I passed by instrument checkride recently and thought I would
share my experiences. Started off the day with a flight from Fort
Smith, AR (FSM) where I generally fly out of down to Hot Springs (HOT)
where the examiner was. Started out as you might expect, paperwork,
going over the logs, showing recent inspections, etc. Then a discussion
of the flight I had been asked to plan from HOT to Bartlesville, OK (a
MUCH shorter flight than the one I had to plan for my private, but I
digress). Answered some questions about alternate minimums, chart
symbology, etc. A few about emergency procedures and we were good to
go. With the DE playing atc, I received my clearance to Bartlesville
and we were off. Of course, Memphis Center reported radar outage just
to make things a little more difficult. A bit north of the airport, my
AI and DG magically failed. Had to be reminded that this was a
checkride, not just training, and declare emergency to my controller in
the next seat and requested return to HOT. I was cleared direct Hot
Springs VOR (on the field) then for the VOR ZAPLE RWY 5 approach.
Things went well at first, then started getting into the partial panel
approach. It got pretty ugly for a while, finally I just said "Memphis
Center, 669RA request direct to the VOR to try the approach again." I
was cleared as I requested, and the partial panel approach went fairly
well from there. We landed and I was sure I had blown it. After
exiting, I asked where to, and he said back for departure. Since he
didn't tell me I failed at that point, my understanding of the rules
said he had accepted my partial panel and the partial panel approach, so
I tried to forget it for the moment and go on. (He told me after the
ride was over that I was about to get my pink slip when I asked for a
return to the VOR to start over). I also got to wait for a bit for
another aircraft landing to collect my nerves. I could have easily
departed in front of him, but I wanted the time to calm down (HOT is
uncontrolled). We flew the ILS with no problem, other than an extended
downwind for another aircraft (there were several practicing approaches
this day). This was actually the part we were worried about. The glide
slope was NOTAMED out of service, and we expected to have to fly :45 to
Little Rock to shoot an ILS, but it was working on the previous VOR
approach. While we both agreed it would be a dumb idea (and illegal
one) to use the glide slope in actual conditions, it was severe clear
and the examiner had no problems using it for the checkride if he was
satisfied it allowed me to show I knew what I was doing. Missed
approach, a turn to the south (ILS was to rwy 5), and he said I could
fly any non-precision approach except the VOR ZAPLE approach that we had
already done. After he remembered I need to to dew steep turns, we flew
to the VOR then did the VOR 5 approach, circle to land (rwy 1 I think,
but don't recall for sure. Landed, exited the runway
Me: "Hot Springs Traffic, 669RA clear of the active, Hot Springs"
DE: "Congratulations, you're an instrument pilot."

Not too long after that I was filing an IFR flight plan for the first
time using my name instead of my instructors for pilots name as we had
done during my training. Preflight, called up Memphis center and
received my clearance to Fort Smith as filed. I was just as proud as I
could be when my bubble burst just a little bit for a second. After
clearance, engine start, avionics master on.

Unicom "Cessna 669RA, Unicom"
Me: "Go ahead"
Unicom "9RA your chocks are still in"

DOH!!!

On the way back, there were just a couple of little puffy clouds, as I
started to think, are they above me or below me, do I have the
clearance, I suddenly reminded myself - so what. Now time to keep
learning and keep proficient.