Checkride in 4 days - last minute study advice?

AndyMac

AndyMac

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Andy
WX forecast for Tuesday looks good (so far )! I’m working on highlighting the requirement flights in my log, organizing / documenting the airplane logs, reading the ACS and oral prep books but i want to know what Nuggets you all might recommend that i won’t find in these books.

What say you?


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You don't say what ride.
Can I assume you have a heavily book marked FAR/AIM that has seen lots of use?
 
Says me do everything you can think of to study and prepare. EVERYTHING. When it comes time for the check ride, relax. You are as well prepared as you can be you will pass or fail on your best try. No one can ask you to do better than your best. So relax, do the ride and when it's done, remember, you did your best. Good luck.
 
Read Ron Levy's ride advice that is stickied at the top of the forum.

I created this to share on other venues.

Oral Exam preparation
  1. Take the ACS and make a colored highlight in the corner of each page that deals with the oral examination questions
  2. for the first pass, On each page/task, go line by line trying to identify where in the FAR’s or the various FAA handbooks you can find the answer. Make a note of that (such as FAR §61.113 for the question about private pilot privileges and limitations)
  3. After that first pass, do another one, this time creating an outline of simple “Spark Notes” or Cliff Notes” that provide the additional details to answer the question posed by that line.
  4. End result #1, you have now created your own study guide similar to this photo. https://i.imgur.com/HIYCoVr.jpg
  5. HIYCoVr.jpg

  6. End result #2, you now are much better equipped to be able to find the answer should you suffer brain vapor lock and cannot dig the answer out of long term memory.
  7. End result #3... hopefully this process will make you much better prepared for the exam as a whole because you put some good work into your preparation.
 
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AndyMac said:
highlighting the requirement flights in my log, organizing / documenting the airplane logs, reading the ACS and oral prep books
Click to expand...

These things are good to do. My advice - don't cram. Review and brush up - yes. Cram - no. Your CFI (II?) knows you are ready and has signed you off. You got this! Maybe do some chair flying at home especially if you know the route the DPE likes. Maybe try to go up with your CFI (II?) one more time for a flight. Or do like I did - a few days before my private, I went up by myself and just flew the pattern for fun. It was relaxing and reminded me of how I knew I was ready.

Point is - try not to stress. That is easy for me to type, but hard to put into practice. You got this. You are ready. Brush up. Study. Don't cram. Relax. Relax. Relax. Be confident. Relax. You got this! (just repeat that over and over...)

And good luck!
 
Have you done mock oral exams with an instructor? I always found that helpful to get comfortable with the flow of the exam and identify any potential knowledge deficiencies. There is also some good simulated checkride YouTube content. Fly8MA is probably one of the better ones.
 
If you haven’t already, and there’s time, do a mock-checkride (ground and flight) with another CFI playing role of examiner.
For students that have ever only flown with the one CFI, it can be stressful when a brand new person in the right seat is looking at you. Getting that out of the way with ‘mock’ ride can help with that.

Heh, Cervieres beat me by 2 minutes...

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AggieMike88 said:
Read Ron Levy's ride advice that is stocked at the top of the forum.

I created this to share on other venues.

Oral Exam preparation
  1. Take the ACS and make a colored highlight in the corner of each page that deals with the oral examination questions
  2. for the first pass, On each page/task, go line by line trying to identify where in the FAR’s or the various FAA handbooks you can find the answer. Make a note of that (such as FAR §61.113 for the question about private pilot privileges and limitations)
  3. After that first pass, do another one, this time creating an outline of simple “Spark Notes” or Cliff Notes” that provide the additional details to answer the question posed by that line.
  4. End result #1, you have now created your own study guide similar to this photo. https://i.imgur.com/HIYCoVr.jpg
  5. HIYCoVr.jpg

  6. End result #2, you now are much better equipped to be able to find the answer should you suffer brain vapor lock and cannot dig the answer out of long term memory.
  7. End result #3... hopefully this process will make you much better prepared for the exam as a whole because you put some good work into your preparation.
Click to expand...

That’s great advice. The DPE for my last checkride specifically commented on how frequently applicants were unfamiliar with the ACS.
 
To make the exam check in process go very smooth, have all the required items gathered up in a manilla folder and in order as the examiner needs them. Make sure a printed 8710 is there with a sticky note containing your FTN number. Also include an envelope with his fee.

Have the aircraft logbooks out and ready. Tab the pages in these logbooks that contain the different AAV1ATE entries so they are easily found.
 
Did your instructor sign you off?

It's not a test, it's a review. You know your stuff. Relax. Breathe. Goosfraba.
 
aftCG said:
You don't say what ride.
Can I assume you have a heavily book marked FAR/AIM that has seen lots of use?
Click to expand...

Great point. Initial PPL.

I have a well bookmarked digital version that has seen (but doesn’t show ) much use.


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Man guys - this is fantastic stuff. I’ll be reviewing and executing it all this weekend. Thanks a ton!


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Cervieres said:
Have you done mock oral exams with an instructor? I always found that helpful to get comfortable with the flow of the exam and identify any potential knowledge deficiencies. There is also some good simulated checkride YouTube content. Fly8MA is probably one of the better ones.
Click to expand...

I have some one full mock CR with a CFI including an oral, and one that was just flight. My biggest concern is the oral but I’ve been watching and listening to as much mock CR content as I can find. Plenty of it thank goodness. +1 for fly8ma


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EdFred said:
Did your instructor sign you off?

It's not a test, it's a review. You know your stuff. Relax. Breathe. Goosfraba.
Click to expand...

Good perspective. Aaaand literally as I’m typing this reply I’ve received my CFI’s endorsement.


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Good luck. As ed said, its the cfi's job to determine you're a pilot, it's the dpe's job to check his work. The dpe wants you to pass; you'll make mistakes, but as long as you're safe you'll pass.

You'll definitely get asked about 91.205 and 91.213. Don't memorize them, just be familiar and know how to find them. If you have a question about flying with inop equipment you'll be on the ground and have time to look it up.

My dpe gave me a partial power loss scenario, which we hadn't practiced. It was a good learning experience as that is more common than a catastrophic failure. He also had me do a turning stall, which we didn't do in training, but just remember to use the rudder. Those scenarios would be worthwhile to discuss with your cfi if you haven't already.
 
During the flight, then the inevitable engine out emergency is sprung on you, remember to look down to see if there is an actual runway below you before committing to the field in front of you.

Also consider the best emergency landing spot could be behind you.
 
If you should bust a maneuver and the DPE bust you. They MUST tell you and give you the opportunity to continue with other maneuvers. You should continue, because your second check ride will ONLY cover those maneuvers you failed in the first.

Do not volunteer any critique of your own performance, e.g., never say something like, "I could have done that better."

Good luck. The check ride is a knowledge, skills, and ATTITUDE test.
 
AndyMac said:
WX forecast for Tuesday looks good (so far )! I’m working on highlighting the requirement flights in my log, organizing / documenting the airplane logs, reading the ACS and oral prep books but i want to know what Nuggets you all might recommend that i won’t find in these books.

What say you?


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Click to expand...

Get a good nights sleep. Have a good breakfast. Don’t cram the night before.
 
Domenick said:
This is my understanding. Please feel free to more explicitly correct me.
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I had my comm check ride on a 15G30 day. Passed all the maneuvers except the power off 180 to finish the ride. Wind was down the pipe, guessed wrong on where/when to make the turn from downwind. Went past my touchdown point. Busted. Two weeks later it was dead calm came back to finish the ride. Took off, was expecting just a trip around the pattern, but he wanted to see 1 or 2 maneuvers on a calm day since I was close to/up against tolerances on the 15G30 day. Flew em like we were on rails. Then the 180, hit within 20' of touchdown point and passed.
 
AggieMike88 said:
remember to look down to see if there is an actual runway below you before committing to the field in front of you
Click to expand...

Ah that's a good one! This may or may not have happened to me..... DPE - *pulls power* "uh oh... looks like your engine is out..." Me - *pitching for best glide in the mighty 172... looking for best place to land.... ah that nice looking field will do......* "Gonna circle down to land in that nice fiel...... waaaaiiiittt how about we land at CRJ which I now see is off our right wing" DPE - "Good job."
 
@AndyMac ... During the flight, verbalize a bit of a running narrative of what you are doing as you are doing it, as needed.

This serves the following purpose
  • Can slowdown your excited and chaotic mind and force it into proper linear thinking mode
  • Helps the examiner know what you're thinking as you perform the requested maneuver
  • If you notice you're not within specs (altitude, heading, etc), and you see it, verbalizing that you saw it, that you're correcting, and what you're doing to correct it might avoid being busted by the examiner.
On the last point, it's been my experience that the examiner would rather know you spotted the error and are fixing it than think that you are ignoring the error.

The exception being when you are waaaay out of spec. If you're supposed to be ±100 feet but you're 500 feet off and increasing before you notice it, that likely will be a bust.
 
EdFred said:
I had my comm check ride on a 15G30 day. Passed all the maneuvers except the power off 180 to finish the ride. Wind was down the pipe, guessed wrong on where/when to make the turn from downwind. Went past my touchdown point. Busted. Two weeks later it was dead calm came back to finish the ride. Took off, was expecting just a trip around the pattern, but he wanted to see 1 or 2 maneuvers on a calm day since I was close to/up against tolerances on the 15G30 day. Flew em like we were on rails. Then the 180, hit within 20' of touchdown point and passed.
Click to expand...

Meh, that sounds like the exception rather than the norm. At least based on what I’ve heard on the internet, which is always right.
 
My understanding was that a retest should only cover failed maneuvers. That said, what the dpe is supposed to do and what they actually do don't always match 100%.

They're not supposed to give you an unpublished dme arc on your instrument ride, but mine did.
 
Jim K said:
My understanding was that a retest should only cover failed maneuvers. That said, what the dpe is supposed to do and what they actually do don't always match 100%.

They're not supposed to give you an unpublished dme arc on your instrument ride, but mine did.
Click to expand...
The dpe can retest you on anything they want. They HAVE to retest you on failed maneuvers.
 
Appendix 5 (Practical Test Roles, Responsibilities, and Outcomes) of the Airman Certification Standards provides guidance for all parties involved in the certification event.

Jim K said:
My understanding was that a retest should only cover failed maneuvers.
Click to expand...

It is at the discretion of the examiner -- the retest may only cover tasks which were deemed unsatisfactory (along with any untested tasks of course), or the examiner may retest any or all of the tasks previously considered satisfactory.
 
Don't stress. If you don't know something be honest about it but know where to find the answer... Good Luck!
 
AndyMac said:
Man guys - this is fantastic stuff. I’ll be reviewing and executing it all this weekend. Thanks a ton!


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Click to expand...

Make sure you can answer the question "What are your personal minimums", IMSAFE, etc. Know every symbol on your XC route, know all the airspace on your XC route and what the requirements are for every airspace including required equipment.
 
When I did my ppl Checkride I looked at my minimums for different airspaces. A weak spot for me. Literally looked at it moments before going in.
 
Be aware of conditions the day of, that includes any Notams at the airports in question, airspace/ATC too.
 
Print the weather charts the morning of your ride, and make sure you can identify everything on them and describe the weather.
 
The first thing the DPE asked me was to show him that the plane was airworthy and that I was a legal applicant for the checkride. I had the maintenance logs and the AD compliance sheets bookmarked. I made a sheet with all of my flight experience including all of my landings day and night (he laughed about the landings), but it made everything a breeze. After looking at my info, he just asked me to show him my long cross country, my night flying hours and that was basically it. Felt like it made that portion go very smooth. For the 250nm cross country he had me plan, I used ForeFlight to make a sheet to show fuel stops and prices along the way. For weather, I took notes on my weather brief from WX brief and walked him through it and he was satisfied. Perhaps overkill, but it made those areas go great.


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Well - I have my cross country assignment; to KMCD from 8D4. I have the path planned out and am studying the airspace(s) now. Weather looks good for tomorrow - let's hope the airplane is all ready! (yes, I've reviewed the log books - have notes on them, including the required inspections and many of the STCs.)
 
Last minute study - relax, you got this. You obviously care enough that you're not going to miss it.

There's going to be stuff you can't answer. As long as it isn't something basic like "What is class bravo airspace", you're good.

Be relaxed and just go fly. You aren't performing for the instructor, you're just flying.
 
luvflyin said:
Get a good nights sleep. Have a good breakfast. Don’t cram the night before.
Click to expand...

100 % agree with this. But feel free to glace through your notes for an hour the morning of the check ride.

AndyMac said:
Well - I have my cross country assignment; to KMCD from 8D4. I have the path planned out and am studying the airspace(s) now. Weather looks good for tomorrow - let's hope the airplane is all ready! (yes, I've reviewed the log books - have notes on them, including the required inspections and many of the STCs.)
Click to expand...

Take a look at the sectional and identify potential nearby airports you might fly to instead. I wonder if you will fly to D07.

I think looking over the sectional and thinking about any interesting aeronautical landmarks (Oh, hey, here's MOA Powder River 4 and MOA Gap C what makes them different?) is a good idea. Are there any symbols or notations you don't recognize? Don't forget you can look at the legend on the sectional.
 
NHWannabe said:
View attachment 96850
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Thanks!

Got my XC assignment around noon. I’ve done the plan and have gone over it a couple times. Scouring it for obscure symbols, chart supplement gotchas, and airspace. found a noise abatement procedure at the destination I hope comes up

Edit: I genuinely don’t remember posting earlier today. Better get my crap together lol!

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