This is a simple checklist that will help you pass your Private Pilot Flight Test. After many years of teaching I find that this is what really matters: 1) Preparation 2) Oral Exam 3) In-flight Exam
But First…
- Get adequate sleep the night before by having all your documents, navigation log, headset packed in your flight bag ready to go. If you rush till last moment the pressure will make you nervous.
- Mindset is very important. I know it’s tough but instead of seeing the examiner as someone who is trying to test you. See, the examiner as a human being who is just a passenger along for the ride. They have their own fears, wants, desires. They want you to pass. The reason they are there is to just validate what your flight instructor already knows. That is that you are a good pilot.
Preparation
- Mark your Navigation charts with your route, fuel check points, and drift lines.
- Get all your weather forecast printed the night before. Analyze the weather and make a GO/NO GO decision.
- Input the winds into your Navigation log and complete the columns for ETE, Fuel required.
- Calculate the landing distances and have the weight & balance completed.
- Read your Pilot’s Operating Handbook and have all the mandatory items memorized.
- Now the MOST IMPORTANT step: CHAIR FLY! Seriously! It’s amazing how many not so good pilots become amazing pilots just by visualization alone.
- How to Chair Fly? First, sit in a chair at home free from distractions; Second, visualize every maneuver as you were flying a real airplane. The more detailed the better. I would visualize my engine start, radio calls, taxi, takeoff, turns, navigation steps, upper air work maneuvers, landing etc.
- It sounds ridiculous but the more you chair fly the better you become. I still do it till this day flying much bigger airplanes. It’s free flying and it helps!
Oral Exam
- This is done in a classroom setting with the examiner. This is the easiest part of the flight test since you already did all the preparation the night before. You are just telling him/her what you know.
- Come at least 1 hour early to have the airplane walk around completed and lay out your paperwork on the table.
- The examiner will ask to see your pilot documents for validity.
- Then will ask you to present your nav log numbers to see if it makes sense.
- Then will proceed to ask you questions about the memory items. Which may also include non memory items which you just have to know where to find in the Pilot Operating Handbook.
- Finally, most examiners will pose you a question. Do you think it’s safe to fly today with all the information you have available? All they want to see is that you did the necessary preparation and are making the Captains decision whether to go or not to go.
In-Flight Exam
- This is the fun part where you get to go flying with your new passenger (that’s how you need to treat the examiner, not as some authority looking down on you but as a friendly passenger).
- Show your walk-around items.
- Start the engine, run-up, and taxi safely to the runway. If not sure of any instructions ask ATC.
- Complete the departure procedure and navigate to your first check point.
- TIME TURN THROTTLE TWIST TALK over your Set Heading Point.
- After the examiner is satisfied with your navigation then he/she will ask to do upper airwork.
- I’m not going to go over each upper air work exercise other than to say please take your time. There is no rush, do the Height Area Security Engine clearing Lookout (HASEL) checklist always each time.
- Again don’t rush. You don’t get a prize for being fast. If you feel you made a mistake keep going. You probably did better than you expected.
- TIP: Keep the examiner informed of your intentions and decision process. This is because they can’t read your mind.
- Use high levels of situational awareness between yourself and other airplane and the ground at all times.
- Finally, if you’re not sure of any instruction the examiner gives you just ask them politely to repeat it.
All the best. Take a deep breath. Take it slow. You’ll do great.