Best way to prep for the oral exam

Dmitri Scheidel

Dmitri Scheidel

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Hello,
I'm in the last weeks of my flight training, so it's time I start prepping for the check ride. I've been told I got the aero maneuvers down, I just need to brush up on my book knowledge some more.
What's a good program/ way to study for the oral exam?

Also, the FAA switched from the PTS to the ACS, as well as my school went Part 141 the middle of my training, any changes in the check ride I should expect?

Thanks
 
Obviously be familiar with the latest FAR/AIM for all the regs. I went through and tabbed with various color post its in preparation for the oral - it helped me review everything and also have a quick reference for something I might wanna ask the DPE to allow me to look up quickly.

I also read through the ASA "Private Oral Exam Guide" book, which I found to be helpful:
https://www.amazon.com/Private-Oral...sr=1-1&keywords=private+pilot+oral+exam+guide
 
Dmitri Scheidel said:
Hello,
I'm in the last weeks of my flight training, so it's time I start prepping for the check ride. I've been told I got the aero maneuvers down, I just need to brush up on my book knowledge some more.
What's a good program/ way to study for the oral exam?
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Seconded on the oral exam guides -- they're a good tool. Also use your instructor and friends. Have them toss you questions and see if you know them.


Dmitri Scheidel said:
Also, the FAA switched from the PTS to the ACS, as well as my school went Part 141 the middle of my training, any changes in the check ride I should expect?
Click to expand...

For the most part, expect most stuff to be "scenario based" where you'll cover a lot of things in a scenario. Just talk out loud to the examiner through the scenario and show good judgement as well as knowing what the regs are and you'll do fine. They'll interrupt and quiz you on stuff you bring up.

Have a good working feel for your FAR/AIM and generally know where things are in it. If you truly aren't sure of something asked, don't just say you don't know, say you know it's something you should know and that you'll look it up.

Expect more than the usual ADM type stuff. It's in the ACS now and not optional. Many scenarios cover the items without you really realizing the examiner created the scenario to cover them.

Never BS an examiner. They know you don't know everything. They want to know if you know enough to find the correct answer, not make one up. They're assessing your depth of knowledge along with the general knowledge level.

In the ACS do you understand how the sections work and that they have to create scenarios that cover a certain number of items in each section? If you study all those items in each task, you'll have a plenty solid grounding to work scenarios based on them. They're not supposed to be done as a "checklist" by the examiner but they're a great checklist for what to study. You shouldn't feel like you don't know anything about any of those items.
 
Does anybody at your flight school offer a mock oral? It could help you understand the expectations and experience the flow of the oral portion.
 
whereisrandall said:
and, the book. And this mock interview. And checkride reports.
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Hilarious. I clicked on that link and got this...

7d8490368c66f00600da46ff04cefb1b.png


So I guess you have to read it in Chinese. And that page on iPhone doesn't scroll. Haha. That's it.

James331 said:
Find out which CFIs have used this DPE before.

Pick the highest time ones.

Now pick the meanest one.

Insult his mother, now start a mock check ride oral.
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Although not recommended if they're the sort that once you get on his or her bad side, there's no getting back. :)
 
whereisrandall said:
And this mock interview.
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That interview, while dated, was definitely the best prep piece I found.

So, yeah, watch that a couple times. Also talk to people who have had exams with him/her and see what they say the person asks. Be sure you know how to answer the questions or type of questions you missed on your written as well, as you will be asked about those.
 
Talk to your CFI mock checkride stuff.
Be familiar with the VOR. Find the instrument question bank and work all the VOR questions on the instrument exam. Then you will be able to NAIL the VOR questions. Beware of the DE that turns the VOR head 180 when you arent looking.
Good luck!
 
Have your instructor give you a mock oral. There should be no surprises. You get to see the test before you take it (ACS).
 
For my PPL I used the "Private Oral Exam Guide". I am currently using a similar book for my IR check ride in a few weeks.
Study with your instructor (Have them give you a practice oral). Also find a friend or family member to take time to go through the book with you even though they won't understand half of the stuff they ask you. Oh and for the charts and weather, it is best to do that with your instructor or even another pilot if you don't want to with your instructor.
My instructor had me take a practice check ride and part oral with one of his friend instructors. I was nervous even though it was practice, and it really helped for the real check ride.
 
Also, most CFIs keep a file of checkride reports from students they send to DPEs - if yours doesn't, ask around. Somebody does. pm me w your email, I'll send you some for a Texas-based DPE.
 
Sit down with your CFI and have them ask you the questions.
 
coloradobluesky said:
Talk to your CFI mock checkride stuff.
Be familiar with the VOR. Find the instrument question bank and work all the VOR questions on the instrument exam. Then you will be able to NAIL the VOR questions. Beware of the DE that turns the VOR head 180 when you arent looking.
Good luck!
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I've read a few accounts of DPE that will do stuff like that... change radio freqs, change navaid settings, etc.

What's the point of that, exactly? The OBS suddenly spinning 180 degrees is not even a possible failure mode of that device. Never had a radio switch frequencies on me either. I suppose this post will trigger the "just to see if you're paying attention" answer, but that's not good enough. I set the radio. I identified the navaid. I positioned the OBS to the desired setting. None of those will change without some idiot in the right seat messing with it. Is that a ACS item? Detect interference from passengers? 'cause if not, the DPE has no business, none, messing with my airplane.
 
Mistake Not... said:
I've read a few accounts of DPE that will do stuff like that... change radio freqs, change navaid settings, etc.

What's the point of that, exactly?

The point is to see if you know how to troubleshoot the problem. See if you check the heading when you read the VOR head and see if it agrees with the DG and is where it should be. Some of those guys like to fiddle with your knobs and see what happens...

Some would call it "sandbagging"....



The OBS suddenly spinning 180 degrees is not even a possible failure mode of that device. Never had a radio switch frequencies on me either. I suppose this post will trigger the "just to see if you're paying attention" answer, but that's not good enough. I set the radio. I identified the navaid. I positioned the OBS to the desired setting. None of those will change without some idiot in the right seat messing with it. Is that a ACS item? Detect interference from passengers? 'cause if not, the DPE has no business, none, messing with my airplane.
Click to expand...
 
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