FAA Checkride Prep Notes

Written by Head of Training | 07 April 2011

Once you have received all of your required training, hours and endorsements from your instructor, and you hold sign-off for the checkride it is time for you to prepare for it. Be aware that preparing for any checkride is time-and energy-intensive, consequently  I recommend you do a preparation flight within the 2 weeks prior to the actual ride with your CFI.


All DPE's use the PTS (practical test standards main page) as the required guideline by the FAA to evaluate the test. I highly recommend reviewing  the appropriate PTS before the checkride, including the areas of special emphasis.
Direct PTS links:

List of PTS updates (ASA)

Private  PTS
Commercial PTS
Instrument PTS



PLEASE REFER TO THE FAA WEBSITE FOR THE LATEST VERSION/REVISION OF THE PTS and the FAR/AIM.


You are required to fill out the 8710 form before the checkride. There are two ways for you to do this: the old fashioned manual way, and the new, preferred electronic way called IACRA.

IACRA is faster, self-correcting, efficient and generates less paperwork. It will help you get your license sooner and makes the entire process easier for everyone involved, as the application can be reviewed from any computer.

Tha Paperwork

This is probably the hardest part of the check ride....just kidding. However it is extremely important to make sure all of your paperwork is in order. If you follow the check list you downloaded and with the help of your instructor you have fulfilled and completed all of the requirements and endorsements according to FAA part 61/141, it should be an easy start.
Be aware that some FAA part 61 regulations have changed as well as some endorsements.



I would highly recommend to use IACRA to submit your application, however I can process a manual FAA 8710 form

The Oral

We will meet the day after you first contact me, normally at a specific quiet location at the flight school. After the first introduction and a cup of coffee/tea, we’ll sit down and we go over all of the paperwork, including:

personal documents, log book (required times & endorsements), graduation certificates (if applicable normally for part 141 schools), A/C maintenance logs, IACRA and so on. This process normally takes approx 30 min. As a pilot you want to have all of your personal paperwork in order, and you need to check that the aircraft has all the required documents before takeoff. When I did my training I used the AV1ATE and ARROW reminders (acronyms). If everything is complete, and no mistakes are found, we’ll start the ground portion of the checkride.

I typically use scenario-based questions, in which you are the PIC and I am merely an observer who you are taking on a flight. Through all of these scenarios I will evaluate your knowledge and performance as you are the real Pilot in Command. You will show and explain the flight plan to me, as well as the Weight and Balance calculations and performance calculation (to prevent this-please click!). We will go over aero medical, aerodynamics, systems, airspace, FAR/AIM (61,91, NTSB 830 and other section if applicable for the type of test)  and many more topics - don't be alarmed if you see me write down some notes, they are just reminders of that I may want to discuss with you and/or CFI at the end of the test.

The flight portion  (also called the practical test)

As you have seen in the PTS you are required to demonstrate a variety of tasks, (examples to come), in the ground portion I will have gone over what I call a "plan of action" which pretty much explains in what sequence/order we will cover all of the tasks, I have created my own checklist to make sure I do not miss anything.

The Outcome

there are 3 outcomes

pass
self-explanatory

discontinue
for any reason beyond our control such as weather, mechanical, medical or any other issue, you as the PIC will discontinue the test and we will continue at a later time. (within 60 days).

disapproval (failure)
any time a task is performed in a way that is below the standards in the PTS, that task is failed, I will let you know right away and you will have the option to continue the rest of the tasks, however, if the ground portion is failed the flight portion can not be started.
If this happens you will need some additional training from a CFI, an endorsement in your logbook and a new 8710 or IACRA and make sure that the box on the first page is marked that you have failed this test before.

There will also be an additional fee.