Checkride: The Real Meat and Potatoes

Soft-field takeoffs and landings represent two of the more challenging tasks for checkride applicants, so it’s not surprising to see some struggling throughout these maneuvers. Understanding the maneuvers’ primary objectives is essential: for takeoffs, getting the airplane airborne at minimum airspeed. This skill demands coordinating flight control inputs to maintain directional control, even in crosswinds, while the airplane accelerates in a nose-high attitude, gently lifting off at minimum airspeed. And for landings, consistently getting the airplane to touch down softly at minimum airspeed and with no sideways drift requires a finesse that usually takes extra time and effort to master. In either case, the skills you acquire during your initial training will pay dividends long after your checkride day.

For soft-field takeoffs, especially important elements include having the airplane configured for takeoff, as recommended by the pilot’s operating handbook (POH), keeping the airplane rolling as you enter the runway, and beginning the takeoff roll with the elevator and ailerons positioned to protect the nosewheel and to minimize crosswind drift. As soon as possible during the takeoff roll, establish and maintain a nose-up attitude (angle of attack) that will permit the wings to gradually lighten the load on the main wheels and result in a minimum-airspeed liftoff. This is all made more challenging since forward visibility will be restricted by the elevated nose cowling as P-factor becomes a powerful yawing force to the left. Maintaining an adequate forward view and positive directional control as you accelerate is essential and demands aggressive and timely rudder inputs. You are the pilot—know where you want your airplane to be, and keep it there—on the runway centerline!

Once airborne, a gentle push on the yoke will be needed to keep the airplane within several feet of the runway as you accelerate toward V_X or V_Y, as appropriate, before continuing the climb away from ground effect and then retracting the landing gear and flaps. Smooth control inputs here are always appreciated by your examiner.

For the landing, configure and stabilize your approach descent path and airspeed early. Set up for a longer final approach to help ensure this. The biggest problems arise when applicants approach the runway high, fast, and misaligned with the runway, hoping that everything will somehow work out fine in the end. Think short-field approach, but with a quite different flare technique. The soft-field landing should be a power-on flare to touchdown. Not a lot, but just enough (slightly above idle power) to ensure a gradual reduction of airspeed as the airplane is allowed to settle to within inches above the runway and then touching down at, or very slightly above stall speed, with minimum sink (smoothly). Many applicants retard the throttle to idle as they begin the flare, similar to a normal landing technique, resulting in rapid speed decay during the flare and a subsequent, often jolting, arrival to terra firma. Bad idea.

Upon touchdown, adjust/retard the throttle to permit a controlled deceleration to taxi speed, without using brakes, while continuing to protect the nosewheel and propeller (full up-elevator), raising the flaps only after clearing the runway. This will leave a nice smile on your examiner’s face—and yours, too.

Watch out for these common takeoff errors:

• Poor directional control on takeoff, especially during crosswind conditions.
• Climbing above ground effect prior to accelerating to VX or VY.
• Abrupt control inputs at slow speeds and low altitudes—scaring the examiner.
• Allowing the airplane to settle back to the runway after liftoff in ground effect.

And for landings:

• Too high, fast, and unstable approach with poor decision making to continue an ugly approach.
• Power cut to idle in flare, resulting in a firm, uncontrolled touchdown.
• Improper use of brakes and retracting the flaps immediately after touchdown, or allowing the nose wheel to fall firmly to the runway.

As always, the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook provides an excellent overview of the details required for the many maneuvers you’ll be demonstrating during your checkride.

Bob Schmelzer is a Chicago-area designated pilot examiner, a United Airlines captain and Boeing 777 line check airman. He has been an active gold seal flight instructor since 1972.