We know that a checkride can be a crucial part of your pilot training and it is going to determine whether or not you can obtain your private pilot’s license. During your PPL training you have learned how to fly an airplane, study on the checklist, get shouted by your instructor and tried to survive under rains of tear. Now it’s time to show that you have become a pilot in your checkride. The main aim of the PPL checkride is to determine whether or not you can actually fly the aircraft safely and correctly according to your flight plan. Just before the checkride flight your palms may be sweaty, knees are week but we are here to relieve the stress and help you through your checkride. Let’s get started.
WHAT TO EXPECT A PPL:
Checkride consists of an oral and practical exam. The examiner will test your knowledge on ground with the oral exam and the practical exam is for the flight skills. The examiner will evaluate your answers and actions and decide to let you pass or not. During oral exam the main point of the questions is determining the knowledge range. Questions such as symbols on air charts, airspace identifications and operating limits, aircraft’s limits and specifications can be asked by the examiner and the student pilot is responsible for answering them correctly. The practical test is based on the air maneuvers, flight planning, planned flight following etc. Simply you will demonstrate what you learned in your PPL training. Don’t forget that the examiner is not trying to fail you as a student pilot. The examiner pilot’s only responsibility is choosing a worthy pilot by testing him or her.
ORAL TEST
Most of the students think that they will not get questions from aircraft’s limitations such as maximum EGT temperature or etc. But don’t forget that this is also your responsibility to know since you are responsible for the safety of flight. Your examiner may ask questions from the air chart related to the vicinity to your planned flight path as well as any random point on map. A random symbol from the air chart can be asked to that student. Other than that documentation and other limitations are also in the question range of the checkride.
PRACTICAL TEST
Even though it is usually on the same day with the oral test it practical test may be in a different day. The main point of this test is to determine whether you can fly the aircraft and apply the knowledge you know or not. Therefore, you have to fly accurately with your planned flight and comply with the examiner pilot’s instructions. The examiner may want you to divert to a different point on the chart and calculate the time and distance to reach there. You should be ready to find the heading, distance and time by using a chart. And after you prove you can navigate by using only a VFR chart and your eyes examiner will want you to demonstrate air maneuvers you learned during your PPL training such as sharp turns or power-on stalls.
HOW CAN YOU PREPARE FOR IT
Since the oral exam is done by the “open-note” method it is better to highlight important information, or use sticky notes to stay on track of specific sections that are likely to be asked. Staying focused and arranged will make the knowledge easier to find and increases confidence.
Take a practice checkride together with your flight instructor. Find another instructor from your flight school and ask if you can practice a checkride. By treating this flight as an actual checkride it may provide you with an opportunity to get familiar with the conditions of the real checkride. And gaining feedback from a different instructor than your own, might assist you gain experience flying with an unfamiliar pilot sitting on the right seat. If the airfield that you checkride will take place is certain you can fly there and try to get familiar with the surroundings and practice air maneuvers just to build up your confidenciency. Even if you can do just one or two landings on the airfield it can help you on the checkride flight.
