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PVT checkride in a supercub

does anyone out there have any experience with recommending/giving a private pilot check ride in an airplane not equipped with navigational equipment? The PVT PTS is clear that the candidate must demonstrate adequate knowledge of the use of a VOR, however there has been some inconsistent opinions as to the installation requirements of "portable" units among the DPEs in my area. just wondering if anyone has been down this road lately.

Much respect to anyone that does their PPL old school like that.

I would find the DPE you're going to use, or the one that gives you the answer you want to hear, and go from there. That said, here are the requirements per the PTS.

https://www.faa.gov/training_testing...S-8081-14B.pdf

Quote:

Change 5 (
May
30, 2013)
VII.
N
avigation
Task A:
Pilotage and Dead Reckoning (ASEL and ASES
)
References:
FAA
-
H
-
8083
-
25; 14 CFR
p
art
s
61
, 91
; Navigation
Chart.
Objective:
To determine that the applicant:
1.
Exhibits satisfactory knowledge of the elements related to
pilotage and dead reckoning.
2.
Follows the preplanned course by reference to landmarks.
3.
Identifies landmarks by relating surface features to chart
symbols.
4.
Navigates by means of precomputed headings,
groundspeeds, and elapsed time.
5.
Demonstrates use of magnetic
direction indicator
in
navigation, to include turns to new headings.
6.
Corrects for and records the differences between preflight
groundspeed, f
uel consumption, and heading calculations
and those determined en route.
7.
Verifies the airplane’s position within 3 nautical miles of the
flight
-
planned route.
8.
Arrives at the en route checkpoints within 5 minutes of the
initial or revised ETA and provides a
destination estimate.
9.
Maintains the appropriate altitude, ±200 feet and headings,
±15°.
Task B:
Navigation Systems and Radar Services (ASEL
and ASES)
References:
FAA
-
H
-
8083
-
3, FAA
-
H
-
8083
-
6, FAA
-
H
-
8083
-
25;
Navigation Equipment Operation Manuals; AIM.
Objec
tive:
To determine that the applicant:
1.
Exhibits satisfactory knowledge of the elements related to
navigation systems and radar services.
2.
Demonstrates the ability to use an airborne electronic
navigation system.
3.
Locates the airplane’s position using the nav
igation system.
4.
Intercepts and tracks a given course, radial, or bearing, as
appropriate.
5.
Recognizes and describes the indication of station
passage, if appropriate.
6.
Recognizes signal loss and takes appropriate action.
55
FAA
-
S
-
8081
-
14B
7.
Uses proper communication procedures
when utilizing
radar services.
8.
Maintains the appropriate altitude, ±200 feet and headings
±15°.
Task C:
Diversion (ASEL and ASES
)
References:
FAA
-
H
-
8083
-
25; AIM; Navigation Chart.
Objective:
To determine that the applicant:
1.
Exhibits satisfactory knowledge
of the elements related to
diversion.
2.
Selects an appropriate alternate airport and route.
3.
Makes an accurate estimate of heading, groundspeed,
arrival time, and fuel consumption to the alternate airport.
4.
Maintains the appropriate altitude, ±200 feet and he
ading,
±15°.

The reasonable test must be applied IMO. An IFR/TSO GPS is not required for VFR, so no problems there IMO, but can it display a CDI? I'd want to test that the applicant can track and intercept with a CDI, since that is what most of all the airplanes equipped with nav will have, in one way or another. That is also "reasonable" IMO. Also, if equipped with a GPS, select a waypoint and go "direct to". Although it sounds simple, it's amazing how many people over-rely on "nearest" functions and can not dial in an "assigned" or "desired" waypoint.

If an applicant does an awesome job of intercepting radials and airways during their XC portion, then at some point I'd fail the navs and make it completely pilotage/DR, and then if that goes well, both tasks are done. If an applicant does the most amazing job of pilotage and DR ever, but doesn't use navs at all, then at some point I'd have them do some tasks with navs, intercepting and tracking, etc. There's not "one way" to do an XC in that sense, but all the tasks must be evaluated obviously. It won't impress anyone to plan the airways through a congested area or complex airspace, nor will it impress to fly out of radar coverage and fly 10 miles from the airway when it's readily available. It just depends on what is right for the exact situation.

Many aircraft equipped with nav systems can not be flown IFR due to inspections or other equipment limitations, but they are still used on checkrides. As long as the GPS unit can display a CDI, I'd think that would suffice and the rest could be determined through oral questioning. IMO that passes the "reasonable" test, but of course sometimes reality can be different. The more you know and understand the more you can make your case as to what is reasonable.

I am a tailwheel CFI, and have taught many students in cubs and other instrument-less a/c. For some we were able to do the "navigation portion" in a sim. For others we did most of the checkride in the tailwheel, and some in a 150/2 or the like.

Keep on rockin' it old school man!

thanks for the input. i asked four DPE's in my area about their opinion on using a handheld NAV/GPS to meet the PVT Practical Test Standards. the first three gave me vague answers and mechanical questionable requirements (installation of non-TSO'ed "docks") and the fourth said, "no problem, send him over." he was even comfortable with the idea of administering a check ride in the back seat of the pa-18, from which you can't see squat. So i guess it's an area left to interpretation. one would think the more simple the airplane, the more simple the check ride. apparently, that is not the case.