rev4life03

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!

mcis987

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!

9kBud

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.

mshunter

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.

de727ups

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.

mcis987

+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.

rev4life03

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!

Gajre539

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.

Ewfflyer

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.

9kBud

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