Commercial Ride Tips
 

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the "Instrument Ride Tips" thread . . . I know it helped boost my confidence and prepare for that checkride, and hope a few others can say the same.

I was hoping to start up the same thing for the commercial ride, which I have coming up next week. Again, what tricks or commonly overlooked things should be looked out for on the ride? Tips or nuggets of experience any people on here have gathered over the years? Thanks :)

don't know if this helps..... but try to think of yourself as more of a professional than a private pilot. Think about your need for knowledge of systems, weather, contingencies, etc. Don't over do it, but try to come off as being serious and just...well....professional - knowing your stuff, but not being arrogant. If you make a mistake, admit it and correct for it.

If you feel that you honestly aren't ready for your commercial ride, don't take it! Remember that part of being a professional pilot is trying not to put yourself in a compromising situation...especially right off the bat.

Funny you ask. Some instructors and I have been putting together a list of checkride dos and don'ts. Very general things that overall seem to trip people up. FAA Checkride Guide. We're still adding things.

PilotOTS

There's no way to do well on these exams without knowing everything related to the subject pretty thoroughly. Even if you goof up a maneuver, the examiner will know if you are on top of things or not and they may decide to let it go if they can tell you are just having a bad moment. Be honest, thorough, and careful and you'll do fine. The only trick I can think of, which really is not a trick, is to take the airplane to the airport you are testing for a trial ride the day before if possible, better yet the morning before the checkride. Do a warm up flight even if you think the guy is around and can figure out who you are and what you are doing. Don't go nuts but just warm up by running through some of the maneuvers alone. This will make a definite difference in both your performance at the ride and your confidence on the ride and in the interview.

Yeah, in the past I've always prepared by checkrides by flying to the airport where I'll be meeting the examiner, and trying to put myself through everything that he/she is going to make me do. It definitely helps a lot. If you look around, you can probably even find the spots where they're likely to give you a lazy-8 or 8's-on-pylons, and practice right there.

As others have said, I always try to fly the day before a check ride, and it does seem to help keep me sharp. Keep your composure even if you think you may have failed. During my oral, the examiner pounded my weakness (systems) with several questions. In flight I bounced (hard) on my soft field landing. The rest of the check ride was fine though and I passed. It is very difficult to fly a 100% perfect check ride, but if you know your stuff and are a safe, competent pilot the examiner will (often times) overlook a minor mistake.

Don't show up reeking of alcohol and cannabis, then ask if he has a daughter who want's to join the mile high club.

Sorry, just had to interject a bit of levity...

Now back to your regularly scheduled useful posts.

That must have made the difference, because I made it through the oral today! Postponed the flight because of weather :( I'll let you guys know how it goes

I can think of things on almost every checkride I've taken that could have been a failure...
PPL...focused a bit too much on my flying and missed an airplane that was getting pretty close.
Inst... Held on the wrong radial (but remained in protected airspace, was off by 10*)
Comm...8's on pylons..nuff said.
CFI...Hard landing
II...forgot to identify a station
MEI... almost let the examiner pull the mixture back during "simulated" shutdown. She started pulling back, looked at me, then I got the hint and quickly blocked it.

I would imagine there are very few checkrides that go 100% to standards in all areas. If that were the case, there would be a lot fewer pilots. Not to say you should get lax, but realize you ARE human. An (most) examiners realize that.

I know it's too late to post my tips for the OP, but maybe someone else will gain from my biggest mistakes...

Like someone else mentioned, be the professional pilot.
Stand up for your decisions. During my oral, I planned a flight in a manner that was safe and I was comfortable with, but not how the examiner would have planned it. Using his ninja questioning skills, he had me second guessing myself and my choice of route. Once you start second guessing yourself, you cease to be the one in control of the flight and you begin second guessing other things. Luckily, I nipped it in the bud before it was too late.
On the other hand, admit it when you are wrong and volunteer to correct it ASAP.
Be able to identify why something didn't go right during a flight. My power off 180 was really crappy (was going to land 50' too short of the runway), I identified what I did wrong and things went fine.