haztronic

Hello everyone,
my name is Harry and this is my first post here. I go to an aviation college in Florida and this week I am scheduled to have my commercial pilot check ride in the piper seminole. I've been flying the seminole for about a month so far and its fun to finally be on 2 engine aircraft. I've been studying my butt off learning all the systems, and of course going back to basics. However, I am just so nervous when it comes to doing a check ride. I was wondering if any of you out there had some tips on how to deal with the stress and anxiety of an upcoming check.

I feel as if I am ready for it but then I start to doubt myself and wonder if I know all the material. In my instrument check last year I experienced the dreaded mind block during a very easy question that was asked of me and it was clearly due to nerves.

I just hope it goes well and I can get it done smoothly without any hiccups. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Thank you

JamesNoBrakes

Probably most importantly, be familiar with and understand the PTS, so you can understand what you need to know, the references for what you need to know, the specific subject areas and items that will be asked. You can buy "oral exam guides" all day long and still not really understand where all the questions are coming from, as well as how to spot an invalid question or something outside of what's necessary. Everyone is human and makes mistakes, even the examiners sometimes, so you have to be able to stick up for yourself if it's ever necessary. Look at the references in the PTS for all the tasks and make sure you've read them and maybe even have some of them on-hand. As you take more checkrides you get better at taking checkrides, but being familiar with and understanding the PTS is probably one of the biggest keys that can take the "mystery" out of what should be known and understood for a checkride. Good luck!

Swedish Blender

The best thing to remember for this and future checkrides is that the examiner knows more than you do. Eventually, they will ask a question you don't know the answer to. Don't let it get you down. If you don't know something, admit it, be able to look it up and show them and press on.

blaquehawk99

Good Luck on your check ride. You wouldn't happen to be going to Aviator College would you? If so how do you like it there. If not what school are you going to?

Flying Enoch

I don't think Aviator College has Seminoles; I think there multi training is done in the BE-76

haztronic

Thanks everyone for your advice. I go to Florida Tech

Pacer17

May be too late now, but in the future remember this. Fly every flight to the precision of a checkride. That way, when the checkride comes around, its just like any other flight. As for the oral, they will stump you at some point, and they dont expect you to know every single thing. Just know where to find the information and have it readily available and it should be no problem. The examiner wants to pass you, its up to you to allow him or her to do so.

Flying Enoch

I instructed there for a little while; not too long ago. What program are you in? And are you doing the checkride with a flight manager or a DPE?

haztronic

Flight 4 commercial multi 141, its one of the in-house examiners

csucbrown

Not sure how difficult your examiner will be but I would be prepared to draw and explain ALL the systems on the PA-44 (vacuum/electrical/landing gear/etc.)

-Factors affecting VMC and VMC certification
-Critical engine factors
-Accelerate/stop distance and Balanced Fields

If this is an add-on the check-ride is pretty focused on multi engine aerodynamics and less on commercial regs.

Good luck!