AggieFlyer06

Hey guys, Im scheduled for my IFR checkride Aug 16. Past few days I have been drowning myself in books, and taking mock checkrides with my CFII. Anyone have any advice or thoughts on being prepared for this checkride?

HercDriver130

Yea.... the last day or two before your checkride.. CHILL OUT!! you will either know it or you wont by that point. think before you act.... take a deep breath, and do what you know you can do.

de727ups

ASA IFR Oral exam guide. Know it cover to cover. If the oral goes well, and you impress the DE, it somehow makes the checkride go easier.

I've signed off about 50 IFR students in my day. One thing I would do with my guys is know which examiner they were going with and make sure that we had that guys pet peeves covered.

shamrok

The ASA IFR Oral exam guide is very good, also make sure you can identify everything on an approach chart and low enroute chart ( symbols, intersections, freq's, mea, moca etc.). The examiner in our area likes to spend an hour just throwing questions at you in regard to the charts while you finger fly certain routes and scenarios on them. Be ready for a good portion of weather conditions and weather information services. On the flight just hold your altitudes and headings and RELAX. You'll do just fine. Good Luck!

planecrazyjenn

Pretty much what everyone said...relax. It's so important because your really taking so much information and cramming it into 40 hours of sim/actual IFR time...once you get out there and start flying in actual IMC more often, things will fall together. Read through the ASA book like everyone mentioned, and there's a few good FAA pubs. Know the FAR's that apply to instrument flight. I had to draw the different approach lights on a board. Outside of that...just a lot of cut and dry IFR stuff with some scenario based questions thrown in.

Oral wise - I got drilled on approach lights, FAR's, approach plates (know all the oddball symbols), charts...he didn't get into anything aeromedical with me for obvious reasons (Dr.)...did cover some weather, but not much. Every DPE is different in what they like. Some of the DE's we had liked systems on the IFR ride, I think I only got asked two...my oral went 6 hours though. This guy was anal about the oral. Other guys were out in 45 minutes but had a rougher flight.

As for the flight, yeah definitely relax. The day of my ride we actually had to postpone because the wx wasn't going to allow for us to get the non precision approaches in...once it improved enough to get the NP approaches in we went. A little additional pressure I guess...taking your checkride in solid IMC. I just went into it thinking hey, this is what I trained for...if I can't do this now, will I be ready to do it single pilot? We did actually break out for a while. However, I did make a really stupid mistake that I still kick myself in the butt for everyday. And the ONLY reason I didn't catch it, is because I started getting nervous...it was the last approach, all was going well, and I knew my husband was returning home from Iraq that day and I was scheduled to go shortly thereafter. I let my mind slip for half a second, kinda lost track of what I was doing and made a mistake that I wont relive again - done it enough here. lol. Had I relaxed and analyzed the situation, I wouldn't have done that. Flown that approach way too many times to do something so stupid. Just keep your head in the game...the DE wants you to pass - well so they say. lol. Key is to put all outside stresses to the outside, and concentrate on flying. They don't mix well with a checkride, I learned that quick.

You may not fly the best flight of your life, but examiners expect you to be nervous. And you will be, rightfully so. No matter what the outcome is, you will eventually walk away as an instrument rated pilot. As long as you take away something new from your experiences, then the flight really was worth it. Learn from your mistakes...and enjoy being able to show off some newly gained knowledge.

Best of luck and let us know how it goes!!

cfii2007

I recommend figuring out what airports the examiner likes to take students, and practice those with your instructor.

Study the ASA guide, cover to cover. Remember the 5 T's, approach briefing and how to draw a hold (you might be asked to do one!). FAR's, lost comm procedures 91.185 (?), the A123 rule, be able to read a METAR and TAF, chart and plate symbols.......

In terms of the flight, maintain your scan, fly the airplane first. It will also help to do altitude callouts (1000 for MDA, whatever it is for that approach, 100 feet to go, minimums.....). Also, be aware that a 3/4 scale deflection or more is a bust, as is dipping below the MDA or DH without correction. Pad the minimums a bit, you can be a little above (I think PTS is +100 and -0).

Mine was a disaster, but I passed!!!

rickair7777

If you need to study, do so. Study hard until dinner time the afternoon before...then relax, get some exercise, have a nice dinner and a beer (as in A beer, not ten beers ).

Break your studying into two categories:

Must Know: This is the stuff you know you will get asked, and must know 98%. You probably have acronyms for most of this, and it probably fits on 2-3 sheets of paper. Make certain you know it cold, and focus on this stuff as the checkride approaches.

Nice-to-Know: This is all the other info that you might get asked. You will need to know 70% of this stuff, but if you're a little weak on some details or you need prompting it will still be OK.

AggieFlyer06

today is the last day. my checkride is at 8am tomorrow morning. cant wait to get it over with.

Lbell911

Only tip I can give you that has not been mentioned here, "MAKE SURE YOU EAT BREAKFAST BEFORE YOUR CHECK RIDE". Get up, if your ride is a 8am, early enough to eat and it to settle an hour or so before your ride......it will make a huge difference.............Best of luck, and you'll do fine!!!!

POPA

Whatever you did to pass your private ride, do the same thing for the instrument ride - and every other ride, ever.