Hi Jetblast 77, and welcome to recurrent.

All these guys have good gouge, and the common theme is stay prepared all the time. After all, the "real check ride" can happen at any time and with a full boat on a hot day with a short runway.

I've been in this business 30 years as a line pilot, sim instructor, check airman and system chief. I've put in some good days in the sim, and quite frankly put in some downright pathetic days in the sim as well. The key is as these gents have said is to be confident in your abilities and maintain your calm.

Stay in the moment. You have to concentrate on what you are doing right now, but be confident your next step will be remembered and executed correctly when it's time for it. I've seen a lot of guys be so far ahead of the maneuver they royally eff up what they are doing right now. This is the hard part because you don't get to practice the emergency profiles that often. So, fly the kitchen chair, get a paper trainer on the wall, do MS flight sim with the plugin for your plane, just put as much effort into mentally flying the emergency profiles as you do studying systems for the oral.

You are going to get yelled at. Period. If they yell at you because you said "checked" instead of "set" you are doing great. If they yell at you because you crashed the sim on your third V1 cut attempt, you ain't doing so hot today.

You say the sim doesn't fly like the plane? Good, you have recognised the problem, now set up the fix. Learn what pitch/power settings you need for each maneuver and nail them. You are not in a plane, you are in a computer game. Treat it like that and you will win the game. You ain't gonna die, so relax. The maneuvers don't change and are known in advance.

There are good check airman, and there are power hungry whackos, just like on the line. If you see a set up in the making, excuse yourself from the situation, blame it on that monster buritto that perking inside if you have to, but somehow live to fight another day. Trust me, the CP knows who the Darth Vader check pilots are and will let it slide.

You say the profiles don't fit the real world? True again, but strive to be as consistant and as standard as you can be on the line. In the box we are going to load you up to the point your true line habits are going to come out, so be prepared by always striving for perfection. Heck, flying standard can become a game on the line. Bet beers on it. I owe you a brewskie for every missed call. You will either get sharp or need a new liver in no time!

Also, remember to support your partner. Teamwork is very important in the overall evaluation. CRM and AQP evals are the norm these days. Also know the FAA hot button issues, runway incursions, ATC busts, whatever trips the trigger of your POI.

Stay within the limits of your plane and clearance or say "correcting". Declare an emergency. Be stable at 1000 ft (or whatever your standard is) or go around.

I got in the box one day with a known bad a$$ ckeckairman and a new hire FO that was so nervous his hands were shaking. I briefed him to leave the APU on the whole session and turned to the check airman as we sat at the gate and calmly said I would like to declare an emergency at this time. "What's wrong?" he asked. Nothing yet, but I know something bad is going to happen pretty soon. The laughter from the check airman put my nervous partner at ease and we had a good session.

Oh, and ask around. The gouge is out there. Co-operate and graduate!

Enjoy...

Fred, the old man....