Private Pilot Practical Test in 2 weeks!
 

Hello all. I am a student who has been training at a Part 61 school and my Practical is in 2 weeks. I have come here because I wanted to get some tips/ suggestions from the people who have been there and took it.

I just want to know any:

Tips
Suggestions
Do's
Don't's
Past Experiences

*Just for the record, I am Flying the C-152

I am open to anything. Since my post count is not high enough, if you do send me a PM, I won't be able to write back. Thanks a bunch!

First of all, good luck! Remember that your examiner wants you to pass. You have to give him a reason not to pass you. Make sure you read through the PTS and that you are familiar with all of its contents. The things they will always ask you about are airspace (ie requirements for flying in each, wx minimums), charts (do your best to memorize the chart's key. Also, know how to tell if an MOA is in use or not), basic aerodynamics, basic systems, PPL limitations (ie passengers cannot pay more than their pro-rata share), XC navigation, and other things. If you do not know something, and I can't stress this enough, DO NOT MAKE SOMETHING UP. It is 100000 times better just admitting that you don't know than to venture a wild guess. As long as it is not a piece of basic information that you should have memorized, the examiner will let you look it up in the FAR/AIM. Make sure you know how to look things up in the FAR/AIM. Having post-it notes in the book for regulations pertinent to the PPL would be helpful. If you look at the beginning, it will have a listing of important regulations pertaining to each level of pilot license. You don't have to flag all of these in your book, but some of them would definitely be worth putting a post-it note in. I strongly recommend buying one of those PPL Oral Exam Guides as they give you a very good idea of what to expect on the oral. If your instructor hasn't done so already, ask him/her to do a few practice oral exams with you.

As for the checkride, remember to always do clearing turns before each maneuver. If you aren't set up for a maneuver, don't start doing it. Just let the examiner know you need more time to set up. Also, if you do mess something up, it's not the end of the world. Tell the examiner what you did wrong, and they may let you repeat the maneuver (as long as it wasn't God-awful). If you stray a few feet out of the PTS required performance for a maneuver, don't freak out. Just make sure to correct yourself ASAP, and everything should be okay as long as you aren't doing this on every maneuver. Try your hardest to treat the flight like any ordinary flight with your instructor. I know this is much harder than it sounds, but the more you treat it like a routine flight, the more you'll relax and the better you'll fly.

My PPL oral was about 1 hour, and it wasn't tough. I must admit that the only checkride I ever failed in my life was my PPL, and it was because I didn't do a clearing turn between a power-on and power-off stall. I was devastated, but I elected to continue the checkride and knock off all the other items that needed to be accomplished. My re-check took 20 minutes, and I have been a clearing-turn Nazi ever since.

Let us know how it goes!

My suggestion for the flight test is to be prepared for the examiner to give you variations of maneuvers, such as stalls with banks or changing from dirty to clean configurations during slow flight. The way I view the checkride is that you're either ready for it, or you're not. If you and your instructor have confidence that you can consistently perform the maneuvers within standards, then you have nothing to worry about. Also keep in mind that the check airman is looking at the flight as a whole. mcis987 said, the examiner wants you to pass. If you give him/her a safe flight without breaking any rules, then you will have no trouble passing.

Hope this helps.

The examiner will know it way better than you do, so he/she will see right through it if you try and BS it. Admit to not knowing it, and try to look it up if you are given the opportunity (you will have to ask). The best advice I was ever given before any of my checkrides was to eat a good dinner the night before (something that will fill you up), and have a decent breakfast. Show up early and have everything ready to go when the examiner gets there. As Mic already stated, you will have to give them a reason to bust you, so don't start it off early by showing up un/under prepared.

Know the oral exam guide and PPL PTS by heart. Also, find out who your examiner is going to be and ask every CFI you can find for intel on the examiner.

+1 about maneuvers being changed up. Some instructors don't do this with their students, but it is useful. For example, with my students, I like to do the stalls while in a turn. As long as you are coordinated, there is nothing to worry about. I like to take students up who are very bad about coordination and let them spin it in a turning stall (of course at a safe altitude and approved aircraft). The first time they spin, they realize just how important coordination is during flight. If you have any more flights left with your instructor, ask if they could try combining certain maneuvers together. It really doesn't change much, but it makes you concentrate even harder. Also, make sure you know how to climb and descend in slow flight. It's another great test of coordination and skill.

Thanks a lot for all the great info guys. I really appreciate it.

I have been studying the blue ASA oral guide for the oral part. I also printed out the PTS standards at school (since its free ;)) and have been looking that over. I also found out that my examiner is big on making sure the we do clearing turns before each maneuver.

As for the turning stall, this examiner DOES have you do a turn while doing a power-on stall, so my instructor and I have been practicing on getting those down to a science!

Have a checklist in your hand during preflight and use it. Give your examiner a pre-departure briefing and check the final to make sure it is clear before you taxi onto the active runway. Maintain Vy until 1000 feet AGL after take off and do clearing turns before your maneuvers.

Can't believe noone has said it..............Just don't screw up!

Seriously though, good luck, the PTS is the major one because it is the guidelines for the DPE to test you on. Admit you are wrong if you are, and don't be afraid to look up information during the oral.

Well, I did kind of say that, but in a nicer way ;) Don't do anything unsafe or break any rules!

Hello again guys, I just want to say thanks again for all the advice. Weather for my checkride (Tomorrow) is sunny skies and winds 5-7 MPH. I think it is going to be the best day to earn a PPL. Ill tell you guys what happens tomorrow. Hopefully I will be telling you as a private pilot!:cool:

Good luck. Just make sure the examiner has his/her seat belt on. Heard some examiners have failed students for such small things.

Impress your examiner in the first 5 minutes, and your checkride will be SO much easier. Treat your examiner courteously, but don't ever kiss his/her @$$ or laugh at their bad jokes :D. A sure-fire way to fail the checkride is to put the airplane in a situation that scares the examiner and makes them take over. As mentioned above, your examiner wants you to pass, and your CFI wouldn't have signed you off for the checkride if they didn't feel you would pass (failures look bad on their record, too). If you don't feel ready, it's your duty to tell your CFI so you can do extra training.

My DPE hit charts and emergency procs pretty hard on the checkride. Know everything in your "Cleared for Takeoff" or Jeppesen Private Pilot book, but spend extra time committing the emergency checklists and speeds to memory. Know all the antennas and be prepared to answer a question about just about any part of the airplane's exterior/interior. Remember that you are the PIC, so brief your DPE like they're a passenger on pre-takeoff stuff (how to buckle/unbuckle seatbelts, evacuate the airplane, how controls will be exchanged [positive exchange of controls is a special emphasis item, and failing to brief this may result in a failure depending on your DPE's sex life], etc.).

As for the maneuvers, fly them like you've always flown them. A checkride isn't the time to experiment or do anything new. Before the flight, ask your examiner if they will allow you to restart a maneuver if you're not satisfied with how it's going. Talk your examiner through each maneuver and explain what you're doing, and how you're correcting if you see yourself going out of tolerances.

Don't think of a checkride so much as a test, but as a chance to fly with and learn from an experienced airman. Let us know how it goes!

Good luck!

One of the things I tell my student's is not to think of it so much as a "checkride" as an "I agree" ride. I have them read the endorsement for the check/stage ride and it says something to the effect "I (the CFI) find them competent to pass the test." I tell my students you are training to get that endorsement, which says that I, who know your abilities the most, find you (the student) competent to be a pilot. The examiner is just flying with you to see if they agree with me.

Sure it's a bit idealistic but it helps put things in perspective. Does it lower the student's stress? Maybe a few days before the exam but they still go in sweating bullets. I try to down play all checkrides and orals (except CFI initial) that they are just trying to see how much you know and if you can fly the airplane safely. It doesn't mean they shouldn't prepare but it helps with nerves a bit I think.

Well guys I just came back and I passed. All of the advice was really helpful and the examiner did want me to pass. Whenever I thought I was Bullsh**ting an answer I just owned up and said I don't know. The oral wasn't too long since I got a 92 on my written and the flight portion was pretty expected. I nailed my emergency landing the first time which boosted my confidence for the rest of the ride. Thanks again guys and I will soon be off to start instrument!:cool:

rev4life3 -

Congrats and welcome to the club!
You should post a more inclusive account of your experience for others soon to be in your shoes.

USMCFLYR

congrats dude!

ive been checking this thread all day to see if u passed lol

Congratulations! Mine is coming up soon and I'm sweating bullets about it! I'm going to have to remember to do clearing turns as I'm bad about skipping them.