In the first two parts of this series, we saw how paperwork and the ground portion of your practical test can end poorly. It’s important to note that I am not writing about you. These are common errors. We have all committed them, and unfortunately, these errors sometimes happen on checkride day. If these errors do happen to you, fear not: You are in good company. The important thing is that you learn from your errors.
Remember, the DPE is not out to get you. We do not like disapprovals any more than you do. Our job is to ensure you are a safe pilot. With that said…
It is finally time to head to the airplane. This is what you have been practicing and studying for. Keep calm. Fly safe. Fly smooth. Fly standard. If you can do this, you will walk away with your brand-new pilot certificate or rating.
Fly Safe
It should be obvious that doing something unsafe will result in a disapproval. You may be asking yourself, “Self, what would the DPE think is unsafe?” A great place to start is checking the Risk Management sections of the Airman Certification Standards (ACS). A few of the most common issues when it comes to safe operations are failing to clear the area of traffic and obstacles, improper runway selection for conditions (landing with a tailwind against the traffic flow), and improper stall recovery.
Fly Smooth
We all have that one friend we refuse to ride with on a car trip. Your drinks and snacks will end up on the floor. You wear a hole through the carpet trying to press your non-existent brake pedal. Meanwhile, your seatbelt strangles you as your friend mashes the brakes and skids to stop at the last moment. You do not want to ride with that driver. Your airplane passengers do not want a similar experience flying with you.
To fly smooth is to do everything deliberately, positively, and smoothly. Yank and bank may be fun when playing video games, but the real airplane is not the place for that type of control. Some applicants can keep the plane within the minimum standards, but odds are, most applicants cannot. Flight instructors describe this as either being behind the airplane or ahead of the airplane. A smooth pilot always thinks ahead, knowing not only the next step but also the next step after that. A wise DPE once told me, “You can’t fly a 200-knot airplane with a 90-knot brain.” My, how true that is!
When you are flying behind the airplane, you are constantly playing catch up. You are never quite on heading. Never on altitude. Never trimmed for hands-off straight and level flight. You are slow to re-configure the airplane after a particular task.
The ACS lists Typical areas of unsatisfactory performance and grounds for disqualification. One of these items is “Consistently exceeding tolerances stated in the skill elements of the Task.” This item is not too concerning for the smooth pilot. The smooth pilot thinks well ahead of the airplane and what it is doing and how they plan to make corrections. Wait a second. “Consistently exceeding tolerances….” What does this mean? It means that you can exceed the tolerances if you take prompt corrective action, and it does not happen consistently. Whew! You do not have to be perfect!
Fly Standard
The ACS (or Practical Test Standards for CFI applicants) contains all the standards for satisfactory performance. One of the first questions I pose to applicants during the pre-test briefing is “are you familiar with the ACS?” I hope the answer is yes, though this is not always the case. I also hope I don't see you tear the cellophane off the ACS your CFI made you buy the morning of the test.
The ACS is where we find the standards and tolerances for the test. Did your CFI tell you to maintain altitude within 100 feet and heading within 10 degrees during preparation for your private pilot test? He or she derived those numbers from the ACS. If you receive a notice of disapproval during your practical test, the DPE will be able to point to one or more specific task elements and explain why your performance was unsatisfactory. Conversely, if you perform all tasks within the prescribed standards found in the ACS, congratulations! You passed your checkride!
Task Elements
Let's dive deeper into specific task elements that routinely result in unsatisfactory performance.
Taxiing
The first common problem is taxiing. How can that be? Well, did you perform a brake check immediately after the airplane began moving? Did you have the flight controls positioned correctly for the wind? Did you taxi without excessive use of the brakes? Did you use an airport diagram? If not, you can fail the test before you leave the ramp.
Takeoffs and Landings
One of my biggest pet peeves is not using the maximum available takeoff area for short field takeoffs. Rolling 100 feet down the runway before stopping is not using the maximum available takeoff area. For short field landings, do you know the tolerance? Many applicants tell me they thought it was plus or minus 200 feet (or 100 feet for commercial tests). Sorry. It is within 200 feet [100 feet for commercial] beyond or on the specified point, threshold markings, or runway numbers….
Landing short is unsatisfactory. Since we are discussing landings, how about the forward slip to landing? Have you ever practiced one? I am no longer surprised when an applicant gives the deer in the headlights look when I ask for a forward slip. It is a required task for private pilot applicants.
Navigation
During the navigation part of the test, far too many applicants find themselves lost within 15 miles of the airport. Perhaps they have only flown cross-countries using the magic GPS with ForeFlight and learned during the examiner’s briefing that this task is pilotage and dead reckoning. You will also be tested on the use of an airborne electronic navigation system. Think VOR or GPS navigation.
I have lost count of the number of times someone has tuned in the wrong VOR, listened to the Morse code identifier without verifying it is the correct station, then flew the wrong way. Applicants have often told me they have never flown using a VOR before. If it is in the airplane, you can be tested on it.
Slow Flight and Stalls
For slow flight and stalls, one of the most common errors is not maintaining heading within the prescribed tolerances. Why? It is almost never because the applicant is simply on the wrong heading. It is usually due to a lack of rudder inputs and coordination. When you are not using the rudder correctly during slow flight and stalls, the left-turning tendencies win and pull the airplane to the left beyond the standards.
Other Errors
Common errors during performance and ground reference maneuvers usually come down to deficiencies in the division of attention, resulting in overshooting headings and altitudes.
When it comes to the instrument rating test, most disapprovals result from misinterpreting approach charts and flying to the wrong minimums or waypoints. If the error is not a misinterpretation, it is usually a failure to maintain headings, courses, and altitudes, especially during approaches with loss of primary flight instrument indicators. Remember, you need to be ahead of the airplane during all flights. It is critical to fly safely during instrument flights.
Fly safe. Fly smooth. Fly standard. There should be no surprises on your practical test. You and your flight instructor have access to the same testing standards the DPE will use. Arriving for your checkride with the proper paperwork, solid knowledge for the ground portion, and the ability to fly safe, smooth, and standard will surely impress your DPE and end your checkride with “Congratulations, you are the world’s newest pilot!”
|
![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5496cf91e4b0efb497e76858/1619549058064-LMUT5UM80UBC6WGX2QIA/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kBUDAxm-FLUF-OJf9moK1kV7gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLfrh8O1z5QPOohDIaIeljMHgDF5CVlOqpeNLcJ80NK65_fV7S1UT_TXfTUFcrrnRvtinoH4JYxq5g0UB9t65pVePltZrd1IKYY7Qu0iTZQJ-GJ4dsqLQ/C.+Whittle.JPG?format=500w?format=750w")