Checkride: A Different Approach

As the FAA continues to fine tune its airman certification standards (ACS) first introduced last year, the new ACS for commercial pilots—and a newly revised version for private pilot and instrument rating applicants—became effective on June 12. Among the several changes introduced was an adjustment to the performance of slow flight and stalls for private and commercial pilots. While the changes are not radical, they do imply a philosophical shift in the way the FAA wants pilots to treat flight at slower airspeeds, especially as these speeds approach an airplane’s stall speed.

As described in the FAA’s “ACS—What’s New and What’s Next” briefing for designated pilot examiner (DPE) training, aircraft may be viewed as operating in one of three modes at any given time. Most often it’s a normal mode, which can be described as flight with no warnings or abnormalities. A normal mode is what we strive to maintain—or return to—whenever possible. Next is an “abnormal” mode, defined as when things are not as they should be—or as we’d like them to be. When encountered, pilots should respond by returning to a normal mode as quickly as possible. Then there is the “emergency” mode. This is when things have degraded even further, requiring immediate positive action by the pilot to return to a safe flight—normal mode—condition.

Details: The number of FAA-certificated remote pilots surpassed 50,000 in July.Flying the airplane at a slow speed is considered a normal operation and is actually a required element of every approach to landing. Maintaining slow flight in the normal mode requires timely and precise flight control and power inputs, which is what the ACS skill requirements demand. When load factor or slow airspeed causes the airplane’s stall warning system to activate, an abnormal mode exists and timely corrective action should be taken. And if the situation goes unchecked with the airplane entering a stalled condition, the emergency mode has been reached, requiring immediate and aggressive pilot action to recover from the stall.

While the FAA is suggesting that pilots in training and during checkrides view stalls and slow flight maneuvers from this normal/abnormal/emergency mentality, what remains to be seen is how these fundamental changes will ultimately reduce occurrences of accidental stalls and spins close to the ground, especially during takeoffs and landings (see “The Right Formula,” p. 42).

The shift to treating a stall warning activation with much more respect is not a bad idea. But acute airspeed awareness and recognition of an approaching stall—and the ability to recover immediately—are the bedrock of accidental stall avoidance. Continued routine practice of full stalls and recovery procedures is, therefore, essential for all pilots.

With the slow flight task, the change is more subtle. Both private and commercial pilot applicants will now satisfy the ACS requirements by flying as slowly as possible without activating the stall warning system—not simply flying five to 10 knots above the stall warning activation speed as originally specified in last year’s private pilot ACS. With this change, it stands to reason that the only way to determine this reduced speed has been achieved is to slow to the point where the stall warning is momentarily activated and then accelerate to just above that speed for the remainder of the demonstration. This technique has been suggested by the FAA in a May 2017 Safety Alert for Operators. But to eliminate any misunderstandings, review the task specifics in the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook and discuss any lingering concerns with your DPE before your checkride.

A thorough review and understanding of the various knowledge, risk management, and skill factors associated with each task in the ACS goes a long way toward relieving checkride stress and is the trademark of a well-prepared applicant.

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.

After the Checkride

Go soaring

Try flying gliders with the FAST program

The FAST (Fly A Sailplane Today) program allows anyone, pilot or nonpilot, to experience the thrill of soaring with an introductory flight lesson, during which you’ll control the glider under the guidance of a flight instructor.

Buy a FAST program voucher at the Soaring Society of America website (www.SSA.org/FAST) and then call a participating soaring operation to schedule your lesson. You can also order a voucher by calling 575-392-1177.