Join the pro CFIsInstrument Pilot "Checkride Ready!™"

This is the *final check* before the "big day!"

Be CONFIDENT and use this page to impress your FAA Pilot Examiner!

Try to self-calm and remember, every applicant starts an FAA evaluation with 100% (you are *already* instrument rated and PIC per 61.47 unless you prove otherwise)! All errors (and there will be errors: allowed and expected) are only a "mark down" (and 70%, though undesirable, is still a "pass"). Your DPE is required to emphasize: "perfection is not the standard" (don't psych yourself out with self-critical "over-thinking") Be PIC; you got this!    Do *EVERY* item on the checklist below!
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Flight Test Anxiety

IFR Alternate Requirements

A *Huge* Weak Area on Flight Tests!

IFR Alternates!
  • Is your IACRA complete and FTN available (know your IACRA Login/PW!)
  • Government ID (current with picture and expiration date)?
  • FAA pilot certificate?
  • Medical or Basic Med?
  • Verify you have a *current* FLIGHT REVIEW
  • Knowledge test? (know the wrong questions - they *will* ask)
  • Examiner's Fee? (ask before test)
  • CFR (Regs) and Knowledge sources (books)?
  • Pilot tools (calculators, tablets fully charged and/or current charts)?
  • All required endorsements?
  • All required hours experience logged/signed/tabbed?
  • X-C carefully planned with nav. log prepared
  • CFR 91.103 performance numbers (take-off landing distances W&B)?
  • Docs (logbooks) to verify airplane's airworthiness?
  • Current IFR database installed in aircraft?

endorsements

Flight portion (more soon)
If you are using GPS,
watch this YouTube!

Your best overview for the flight portion of any flight evaluation is to be meticulous and methodical (the conservative response rule). Use a checklist for every operation and if you are not sure about anything ASK. This is not a time to impress your examiner by cutting corners or being fast. Discussing "checklist philosophy" ("do list" vs "checklist") is important.

In flight remember that limitations (mostly 10 degrees/100 feet) are like the lines on a highway. Going over the line is undesirable but not necessarily an immediate failure (the examiner will clearly state if/when you failed). "Failure to promptly correct" is what the ACS defines as failure. Demonstrate to the DPE you are aware of any deviations and fixing them promptly (remember "perfection is not the standard"). If you are "consistently exceeding standards" you will probably be disapproved ("more training!") Exceeding any aircraft limitation (flap speed is common) is an immediate failure so give yourself a margine on these. Know all your performance speeds and the bold faced checklist items (immediate action items) should be memorized. Bruce Williams has an excellent series of YouTube videos clarifying when GPS is a legal substitution for conventional (groun-based) navigation signals. I highly recommend you watch this YouTube carefully!
These two YouTubes are also valuable for Garmin autopilot sync and Vnav "gotchas:"

endorsements

endorsements

Other Examiner's advice from various websites: