Horror stories

Well, that’s not entirely true. Let me tell you how it actually looks. Designated pilot examiners like me must undergo regular oversight by the FAA. So, every now and then, an FAA inspector will come watch me give a complete practical exam, including the ground and flight portions.

This year, the FAA came for a private pilot checkride I was giving in a Piper Archer. The friendly inspector showed up 15 minutes or so before the ride, so when the applicant arrived, I introduced everyone. “This gentleman is here from the FAA. Don’t be alarmed. He is here to observe me, not you. And the good news is, you get a free checkride because I waive my fee for these observation rides.” Do you think the applicant then relaxed and settled in without another thought for the extra stranger in the room wearing an FAA lanyard and taking notes on his big yellow pad? Um…not exactly. If anything, the applicant looked even more nervous than when he initially walked in the room.

If you fly long enough, you are bound to experience an FAA observation at some point. For my pilot in command type ride in the Beechjet 400, an FAA inspector was present. And for one of my airline trips in the CRJ-200, an FAA inspector joined us for a leg in the jumpseat. When this happens to you, just operate the aircraft like you normally would. If you are a safe pilot who operates your aircraft in accordance with the regulatory requirements, you really have nothing to fear. But there are a couple of things to keep in mind to help the process go more smoothly.

Contrary to public opinion, you are not being “double examined.” The FAA inspector is truly there to observe the designated examiner, not you. The inspector will have his or her list of items to evaluate, including things like if the DPE is using a current testing document (airman certification standards or practical test standards). Is the DPE giving the three required briefings? Pretest, preflight, and postflight? Is the DPE conducting him- or herself in a professional manner, showing up on time, dressed appropriately, and so on? You will notice none of these things have to do with you, the applicant. So, as much as possible, forget there’s an extra person and focus on the task at hand, which is demonstrating your knowledge and skill as a pilot.

Now, there is one exception to this rule: On the flight portion, consider the fact that the extra weight from your backseat passenger may change the way your aircraft performs. In your typical general aviation trainer, a third person will usually put the airplane near maximum gross weight. The private pilot checkride I told you about happened in the middle of a Mississippi summer, so you can imagine how poorly that airplane performed with the extra weight, high temperature, and near 100-percent humidity.

If you operate your aircraft based on memorized power settings, keep in mind the 2,000 rpm that normally hold your altitude and airspeed during a steep turn might not be enough to do the job on this particular flight. Several things may look different to you—your climb rate, takeoff distance, or rotation speed, for example. So from a training standpoint, it might behoove you to occasionally practice maneuvers with a back-seater, even if only to prepare you for a future of flying fun when you want to bring more than one passenger along for that $100 hamburger.

When the checkride is over, the DPE and the FAA inspector will have a little private discussion before the results are announced. My old FAA managing specialist used to call this a “conflab” (but he was British, so he had all sorts of interesting terms that were good for a laugh).

At this point, you may be wondering how that nervous private pilot applicant performed on his checkride. You’ll be happy to know that once the initial nervousness wore off, he did great, passing the ride with flying colors. He even reported that the FAA inspector was so nice and quiet that he almost forgot he was with us. If the FAA shows up for one of your checkrides, take comfort in the fact that the testing standard does not get harder. No one expects you to be perfect.

So just relax, do your best, and fly the airplane like you have been trained. That’s good advice for any checkride, no matter who’s along for the ride.

Natalie Bingham Hoover began flying in 2004. After corporate and airline work, she now serves as an FAA designated pilot examiner and chief instructor of a flight school in Mississippi.