The FAA Oral and Practical exams are not fun. Besides being extremely stressful, checkrides can be challenging for a number of reasons. Every examiners “gouge” can be quite different, weather can change at a moments notice, and unpredictable circumstances can sometimes make way for complex lines of questioning. But like most things, being prepared can go a long way..
Studying is the key to earning your ticket. Check out these tips to help you prepare for the big day:
Preparing for the Oral Exam
The oral exam is the root of checkride success. It is the first step in developing your examiners confidence in your knowledge and skills. Designated Pilot Examiners (DPE) are highly experienced at evaluating the mark of a safe pilot through this test. The FAA, as such, gives these individuals a great deal of leeway on the specifics of how they administer the test. The standards are always the same, but no two examiners will ask the exact same questions. This means going into your oral exam prepared is of the utmost importance.
What examiners look for in this test is the airman’s ability to apply what they have learned in flight training. Anyone can memorize a textbook, but “knowing” the material and having an “understanding” are different. Having an undertsanding means an airman can put what they know into practice. Extrapolating the information that they have learned to make actionable decisions in in real world flying. As a pilot, you need to be able to make safe decisions, considering all risks and factors, based on your limited understanding as an inexperienced aviator. Examiners are highly skilled in developing questions to evaluate these skills. As such your study should incorporate scenario based thinking beyond a simple wrote level of knowing the material Consider these oral exam tips to use during your evaluation. Keep these tips in mind as you prepare:
Develop a thurough understanding of the Airmen Certification Standards
Review the ACS line by line and take good notes. Know the standards you are being tested on by heart. Having this awareness will give you a “heads up” on how to best answer your DPE’s questions. It will also be a great opportunity for you to discover which areas you may be deficient in.
Answer directly & concisely. Avoid Rambling!
Bullet point your responses. Be direct and only answer within the limits of the question. Examiners often will think of new ways to “test your skills” when you mention new information. Many pilot’s refer to this as the “rabbit hole”. By keeping your answers short, you will avoid the chase for the rabbit.
Demonstrate your knowledge by incorporating relevant insights
When you are confident in your understanding of an examiners specific line of questioning, don’t be afraid to incorporate elements into your response which highlight confidence in the material. DPE’s need to trust your skills. Using key facts, quoted FAA material, or providing a sound risk analysis behind a particular question can go a long way to earn your examiners trust in your abilities.
Ask for clarification if needed
Sometimes confusion can exist between the evaluators question and the candidates understanding. Examiners are not perfect beings, and sometimes they make mistakes. Asking relevant questions to ensure mutual understanding of the examiners question can be extremely important in how you form your response. Never answer something that you don’t fully understand. This is especially true for scenario based questions.
Make use of all available resources
No pilot knows everything. Referencing FAA resources such as the FAR/AIM, Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, or Pilot Operating Handbook can be extremely useful in effectively answering particular questions. Don’t over-use these materials, but when necessary, they can be your saving grace! Consider making tabs for quick and easy reference.
Common Study Strategies:
Review the ACS
There’s no better way to prepare than to read the evaluation standards
Get a Study Buddy
Don’t let studying be boring. Find another pilot to help! Remember to keep it fun!
Use Flash Cards
Quick, easy, and effect, flash cards are a great way to review routine acronyms & FARs
Take a "Mock Oral"
Use a CFI, other than your own, to test your knowledge and provide valuable feedback
Tab your FAR/AIM
Recalling specific regulations can be challenging. Create tabs for quick and easy refference.
Read Oral Exam Guide
There are a number of great Q&A style oral exam guides. They are great study resources!
Preparing for the Practical Exam
Once you’ve successfully passed the oral evaluation, you will be onto the next phase of your evaluation–the practical. Preparing for this phase of the test is straightforward and evaluation standards are mostly quantified. This means that there is generally less ambiguity about the standards by which a pilot is evaluated. The ACS details these standards in the “Skills” section and is typically items such as “must maintain +/- 100 feet” or “correctly identifies an impending stall”.
The best way to prepare for this portion of the exam is by flying the exam profile with a qualified instructor other than the one who provided your training. This can give an altering perspective on your skills and can help identify maneuvers which may need more practice. Consider these tips for your practical test:
Verbalize your actions
Many items that examiners evaluate pilots on are often things which are typically left unspoken in the cockpit. Making use of “callouts” and verbalizing your actions or observations/thought process can be a great way to demonstrate your skills to your DPE.
Always use appropriate checklists
Whether completing a “flow” or “read/do” checklist, these procedures drive everything pilots do in the flight deck. Make sure you are using them as appropriate during your checkride. Examiners are often very critical of this so make sure you are familiar with the checklists for your aircraft and use them often during the flight.
Practice how you Play
Ever heard the term practice how you play? In sports this means that you “practice” the same way you plan to “play” the game. When you are practicing maneuvers, it may seem beneficial to skip certain items to help save time. This can actually work to your disadvantage. Often students will miss small, seemingly insignificant, items on their practical. Avoid this by always practicing the same skill sets you plan to demonstrate on the checkride. If the ACS task says “complete clearing turn” be sure to do so or at least verbalize its action.
Are you Ready?
You’ll be hard pressed to find a pilot who feels completely prepared to take any FAA checkride. They are evaluations that, in their nature, are never the same. Each pilot’s test can have a wide variation of circumstances and unique challenges. The key to being prepared is practice and developing good study strategy that works for you. Most importantly, use a qualified instructor where appropriate. It can be difficult to gauge your own preparedness as a student. Using multiple instructors to give you feedback is the only sure way to truly know if you are prepared. Take that into consideration and always get multiple perspectives before the big day. Best of luck!
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