Knowledge Is Power
Knowledge really is power when it comes to taking a test like the checkride. Uncertainty and the indecisiveness it breeds, on the other hand, are two of the most destructive emotions you can have as a pilot�and they can mean failing the checkride. So don�t allow uncertainty to get you.
The checkride is your opportunity to demonstrate that you have the skill, knowledge, and judgment needed to perform effectively as a certificated pilot. Don�t take your practical test until you feel you are ready. Then fly with confidence that you know exactly what�s expected of you and that you�re up to performing each of the required tasks.
To find out exactly what you will have to do on your checkride and precisely what standards you will be called upon to meet, all you have to do is read the PTS. The PTS is meant to be easy to use, and it is.
Make Sure You�re Current
It�s a good idea to get used to using the PTS now, as you prepare for your very first pilot certificate, because you will use different versions of these standards to measure your progress for every rating and certificate you seek for the rest of your flying career. PTSs are available for everything from the recreational to the airline transport pilot certificates and cover all aircraft types� fixed wing, rotary wing, seaplanes, gliders, powered lift craft, and balloons. Whether you want to be an instrument flight instructor or get a type rating in a new Dassault 900EX, the rules are spelled out for you.
Before you dive into the PTS, make sure you�ve got a current copy for the rating or certificate you seek. If your course textbook includes the PTS, it may well be out of date. AOPA Online has the latest PTS available (www.aopa.org/members/ resources/training.html), as does the FAA�s �Aviation Support and Regulation� site (www.faa.gov/aviation.htm). Be warned that there are some 20 PTS options on the FAA site, so be sure you�ve got the right version for the rating you seek and the type of aircraft you will be using.
If you don�t have access to the Internet, call AOPA (800/USA-AOPA) or your local Flight Standards District Office (the number is listed in the telephone book under the federal government section). You can also get copies of the PTS from your local FBO, flight school, or pilot supply shop.
Breaking The Code
Once you get your own copy of the PTS, read it. As the old saying goes, �You can�t tell the players without a program,� and the PTS is your program for the checkride. In fact, not only does it identify the players, but it also lists all the plays.
Most practical test standards are broken down into at least two major parts: the introduction and the areas of operation�a detailed breakout of the individual things for which you will be responsible on the checkride itself.
Start at the beginning. The introduction is important and not to be skipped. The information here is not just fluff�it�s your guide to everything that the book contains. It�s also your guide to how the examiner will use the PTS, explaining that the examiner must have a written plan of action for your test and what he or she must include in that plan. It also lists eligibility requirements to take the checkride. It�s a good idea to review these carefully as your checkride date approaches. You�d be amazed how many candidates are sent to examiners only to be turned away because they haven�t fulfilled the prerequisites for the test.
If you have the FAA-produced copy of the private pilot PTS, that one book will contain the standards for all types of fixed-wing aircraft, including single-engine land and sea and multiengine land and sea. The book actually contains four different PTSs, all with the same set of introductory comments. Not all of these parts will apply to you.
If you are seeking a private pilot single-engine land certificate, ignore everything but the introduction (about 12 pages long) and Section 1 (approximately 40 pages long) titled �Airplane, Single-Engine Land Practical Test Standards.� This section lists the tasks and standards you will need. Commercially published PTSs will usually contain only the one PTS in the book you buy, so you will need to read the whole book.
The PTS for some certificates�the ATP for example�will list current FAA- prescribed �special emphasis areas.� The areas to be emphasized in the 2001 ATP PTS are positive aircraft control, collision avoidance, wake turbulence, land-and-hold-short operations, aeronautical decision making, controlled flight into terrain, and other safety topics.
The private PTS, on the other hand, omits the section on special emphasis areas, but it does contain specific references to such things as use of distractions and positive exchange of flight controls. These items are explained in the introduction, and you can bet that your examiner will look carefully at how you handle them. (Don�t be surprised when your examiner asks you to pick up his pencil off the floor when you�re right in the middle of a maneuver.)
The introduction also lists the prerequisites for your particular test, how you should use checklists, your flight instructor�s responsibility, and the examiner�s responsibility. It provides a sep- arate checklist for you as the applicant as well as a detailed checklist for the examiner to use during the briefing. The applicant�s checklist tells you exactly what you will need to bring to the checkride in terms of documents and equipment. Be sure to review the list a day or two before the exam and check it again as you walk out the door on the way to your checkride.
What constitutes both satisfactory and unsatisfactory performance is also clearly explained in the introduction. Understanding this information can really ease your mind during the exam because you won�t have to wonder whether or not you�ve made the grade after each maneuver.
Too often, candidates skip the valuable information in the introduction. Don�t! It spells out the policy that governs your overall checkride. The examiner is obliged to follow it strictly, and he or she will require no less of you.
Areas Of Operation
After the introduction comes the �Areas of Operation� section containing detailed descriptions of the tasks and operations for which you will be responsible It is important to understand how the FAA uses these terms.
An area of operation is a major part of the practical test that groups similar subjects together for evaluation. Some examples of the 12 areas of operation included in the private pilot PTS are �Preflight Procedures,� �Takeoffs, Landings, and Go Arounds,� and �Slow Flight and Stalls.�
Within each area of operation, specific tasks are individually defined. In the case of �Slow Flight and Stalls,� for instance, the specific tasks are:
- Maneuvering during slow flight;
- Power-off stalls;
- Power-on stalls; and
- Spin awareness.
Under each of these tasks, you will find knowledge requirements, safety considerations, maneuver entry parameters, and a statement of the exact performance tolerances in terms of airspeed, bank angle, altitude, heading, and other important factors for every aspect of the task. Pilot operations within the various task groupings contain the specific performance and knowledge standards your flying and thinking should meet. These are the things that pilots (at the level of the certificate or rating you seek) are expected to be able to do.
In each of these task areas you will also see references to FAA publications such as advisory circulars and the federal aviation regulations. These references identify the source material that explains the tasks and knowledge you will be expected to demonstrate. If you�re studying from a commercially-produced text as most people do, the references may require a bit of research because they refer to the official FAA publications.
The references listed for �Power-Off Stalls,� for instance, are �Advisory Circular 61-21, Advisory Circular 61-67, the pilot�s operating handbook for the aircraft being used for the test, and the airplane�s FAA-approved airplane flight manual.�
Of course, the advisory circular (AC) numbers mean little to most of us. The actual names of the ACs can be found on page ii of the private pilot PTS. For example, AC 61-21 is the FAA Flight Training Handbook. Incidentally, although this is listed in the current PTS, the name of this particular publication has changed. What used to be AC 61-21 is now FAA-H-8083-3, the Airplane Flying Handbook. Don�t let this name change throw you. Your CFI is aware of it and will make sure that you are using the correct study materials.
Putting It All Together
Would you agree to play a game if no one told you the rules? Of course not. Then why would you learn to fly without learning the rules by which you�ll be judged? It may seem silly, but that�s exactly what students do when they don�t bother to read the PTS.
The rules are clearly spelled out for all of us to read. If you read them and still have questions, ask about them. Your CFI, the FAA, and the examiner are all available to help you. All you have to do is ask.
Although you may have to take the intelligence you glean with a grain of salt, talk to other pilots who have recently taken the checkride with the examiner you will use. While the rules are the same for every examiner, each individual has his or her own way of putting together the test.
Ask your friends about the areas covered, especially in the oral part of the test. If you discover any surprises or weaknesses in your preparation, review the material again to satisfy yourself that you�ve covered all the bases.
Regardless of what you hear, remember that you are responsible for understanding, explaining, and demonstrating everything listed in the PTS. That can seem a little overwhelming, but as you read the PTS, you�ll notice recurring themes�especially in terms of performance standards. Remember that an experienced examiner can and will evaluate several tasks simultaneously.
When you meet your examiner before the test begins, ask him or her any lingering questions. Clear up potential misunderstandings before they arise. If you know what�s required of you, and you and your instructor agree that you can meet those expectations, you can�t miss. Go show �em your stuff!
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