Lessons from Checkride

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fordie55

Filing Flight Plan
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fordie55
Passed my checkride recently.

Some things I learned along the way:

Practice the radio, read "Say Again Please" by Bob Gardner and listen to ATC Live. In the beginning the radio can be a distraction but very important. The more you are comfortable with it, the flying is much easier.

Practice power on stalls in a turn and straight. Slight difference between the two and you never know what you may see on a checkride.

Practice landings with no flaps, or partial flaps. DPE made me land with no flaps with a strong wind, telling me my electrical system just failed and I cannot deploy the flaps for landing.

Manage your time with the instructor. Make sure you are learning something each time you go up and not just going through the motions building time. Its your money.

Have fun....

Practice takeoff's and landings in a variety of weather and winds. Being with an instructor allows you to make mistakes and be around for another day. It's much better to know how to land in difficult conditions and not use it, rather then having to land and not knowing how to handle the conditions.

During your training, study a little each day. It won't be so overwhelming come test time or for the oral.

You will make mistakes during a checkride. Don't get upset over it. Move forward and at the end I believe you will pass on how you perform overall rather than on one specific task.

Again have fun
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Congrats on the checkride! Good advice too. One other bit of advice when it comes to the oral - if the DPE doesn't ask for more information, don't give it to them. Felt like I was digging myself into a hole a few times from trying to over-explain things.
 
Thanks..

Time to have a little fun now, build some time to gain more confidence and explore the countryside.

The more I learn about this great hobby, the more I really realize there is much more to learn.

Next on the list, getting instrument rating and maybe a tailwheel endorsement.
 
Nice write up. What really helped me before my checkride was to practice tons of short and soft field takeoffs and steep turns.
 
skynewbie said:
Nice write up. What really helped me before my checkride was to practice tons of short and soft field takeoffs and steep turns.
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I agree, I think I logged in 175 landings in 52 hours before my checkride. Seemed liked it took forever for me to nail a consistent landing. Like others have said, one day it finally clicked.

I always seemed to lose altitude during the steep turns. Finally someone told me turn 30 degrees, then add 200 rpm, trim the nose up half a turn on the wheel and then adjust for 45. Look outside to the horizon and aim the rivets on the cowling. Did that a few times and now I nail it like a pro.

My other advice, if you are having trouble with something, feel free to get a second opinion. Each CFI has their own technique. During my training I flew with five people, three of them were only for one flight each. Each of them taught me something the others did not.

Learning to fly has been a humbling experience. Literally lots of ups and downs.

I am now proud to be part of a community of pilots who understand that getting a certificate is only the beginning.
 
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Congratulations on passing your checkride and getting your license to learn. It only gets more fun from here:)
 
One more checkride tip:

Safety, safety, safety

DPE does not expect you to be able to handle an airplane like a 500hr pilot but does expect you to handle it safely.

Do a slow pre-flight, touch things, walk around the airplane as you begin and again when you finish.

As you taxi, look right, look left, say clear right clear left.

During maneuvers, do clearing turns before each task. I know it takes time, but to the DPE, it shows caution and safe operation.

As I said earlier, I dont believe you will pass or fail based on one maneuver but will be judged on the entire flight. Showing a keen awareness of safe operation of the airplane goes a long way in passing the checkride.
 
you will fail a portion for one maneuver. You balk the steep turns you fail steep turns and will get a pink/salmon slip. Then you fly with CFI again to tune them up and then schedule the DPE again.
 
fordie55 said:
DPE does not expect you to be able to handle an airplane like a 500hr pilot but does expect you to handle it safely.
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Excellent point. I think a lot of students get hung up on the idea of perfection, when really the DPE is just looking to see if you are a safe and competent pilot.

All your tips were good. Congratulations on a job well done!
 
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