Private Pilot Checkride Study Guide - Part 1

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Posted on Sat Nov 9, 2019 at 20:30 UTC

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Congratulations! You are at the entry gates to an exclusive club. Your months of preparation have paid off, and you’re about to take your final step to becoming a licensed pilot.

Only one thing stands in your way – your practical test (colloquially called your “checkride”).

In this series of articles, I will attempt to give you an introduction to the practical test and a study guide that will increase your chances of success. We will cover:

• What to expect.
• Common questions.
• Typical flight scenarios.

So, join me as we dive into the private pilot practical test.

What to expect

A practical test consists of two sections – the oral and the flight test. The oral always comes first, and passing the oral is mandatory to continue the test to the flight portion.

The typical oral portion of the exam goes like this:

1. Introductions, pleasantries.
2. Requirements and endorsements.
3. Aircraft airworthiness.
4. “Main” part of the oral.

Introductions, pleasantries

This gives the examiner a chance to know you - a (soon-to-be) private pilot. They’re typically interested in what motivated you to become a pilot, any aspirations to become a professional pilot, etc.

It is in your best interest to dress and behave professionally. Make sure to reach the exam venue on time (or, preferably, ahead of time.) Have some answers prepared for typical questions like “Why do you want to be a pilot?” or “What motivated you to take up flying?”

Requirements and Endorsements

The examiner will review your IACRA and your log book. They will need to make sure that the IACRA has been accurately filled out, and that the logged hours in the log book tally with those in IACRA.

The examiner will also verify that the hours logged meet the requirements of the relevant FARs (in the case of the Private Pilot test, this will be FAR 61.109).

Here are some pointers to make sure that this portion of your test goes smoothly. This will also give you some “brownie points” with the examiner.

• Total all columns in your log book - in ink. If the last entry in your log book occurs partially through a page, use a pencil to total the last page alone.

• Use flags or tabs to mark the pages in your log book where you completed some of the critical milestones for your rating. For example, mark the dual and solo cross-country flights, the night cross-country, instrument time (“hood” time), etc.

• Have your CFI double-check that they have made all the relevant endorsements during your training. In particular, there are 3 endorsements that must be signed in your log book to allow you to take the practical test. These must be endorsed, or you will not be able to continue with the practical test. The three endorsements are:

  1. The instructor has given you the required instruction in preparation for the practical test and you are qualified for the practical test.
  2. The instructor has covered the items that you did not get correct on the knowledge test with you.
  3. You have received the appropriate training per the relevant FARs and you are prepared for the practical test.

The next step in the oral is, typically, making sure your aircraft is airworthy. This also helps the examiner cover one of the required sections in the Private Pilot Airmen Certification Standards (ACS), specifically section I.B (Preflight preparation / Airworthiness requirements).

Let us now dive into the study guide itself.

Aircraft Airworthiness

• An aircraft is airworthy as long as it has an airworthiness certificate and all required inspections have been completed, and appropriately entered into the aircraft’s log books.

Required inspections — AAVIATE

Acronym	Explanation	How Often
A	Annual Inspection	Every 12 months
A	Airworthiness Directives	As mandated by the AD
V	VOR Inspection (For IFR flights only)	Every 30 days
1	100-hr (if operated for rent/hire)	Every 100-hours
A	Altimeter & Pitot Static System Inspection	Every 24 months
T	Transponder Inspection	Every 24 months
E	Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT)	Every 12 months

Be prepared to show these entries in the aircraft log books - airframe, powerplant (i.e. engine) and propeller.

Special flight permits (Ferry permits)

• If the aircraft is unserviceable at its current location, the FAA might authorize the owner/operator to send the aircraft to an alternative location where repairs/maintenance can be performed.
• This authorization is issued by the FSDO (Flight Standards District Office).
• Typical reasons to request a Special Flight Permit:
  • To fly the aircraft to a base where repairs, alterations, or maintenance are to be performed, or to a point of salvage.
  • To fly an aircraft whose annual inspection has expired to a base where an annual inspection can be accomplished.
• The FSDO might require an inspection of the aircraft before issuing the special flight permit.

Airworthiness Directives (ADs)

• Legally enforceable regulations issued by the FAA to correct an unsafe condition in a product.
  • a product is defined as an aircraft, engine, propeller, or appliance.
• Compliance is required or the aircraft is considered un-airworthy.
• Common examples are the 100-hour seat rail inspection for Cessnas. The inspection mandated by this AD needs to be performed every 100 hours.
• On the Piper Cherokee and Archer, there was a one-time AD that was issued to verify that the fuel valve placard was aligned correctly. Since this was a one-time AD, the inspection was required to be performed only once.

Inoperative Equipment

An aircraft can be flown with certain equipment inoperative — under certain conditions.

The decision tree for this can be complex, but the key rules are as follows:

1. If the inoperative equipment is indicated as required on the aircraft’s POH, then the aircraft is unairworthy.
2. If the inoperative equipment is not required per the POH (or if the POH does not specify whether the equipment is required or not) the rules of FAR 91.205 come into play.
   • If for day VFR, use “GOOSE A CAT”.
   • For night VFR, use “FLAPS”.
     If the inoperative equipment is required per the above regulations, the aircraft is considered unairworthy and must not be flown.

If the equipment is not required per the above, the aircraft can be flown, but the inoperative equipment must be removed or placarded as inoperative.