Initial 135 Oral/Written

Douglas

Douglas

Old School KSUX
Did anybody do their 135 Oral/Written with the Feds?

135.293 (a) states that these items will be tested by written or oral:
1. Applicable parts of 61, 91, 135 and company op specs.
2. Your aircraft
3. Weight and Balance
4. Navigation (reading approach plates)
5. ATC procedures
6. Meteorology
7. Procedures for Recognizing and avoiding bad weather.

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In your experience, are there any other categories that are commonly asked?
Do you suggest any additional reading? (i.e. be able to recite the "instrument oral exam guide" book?)

Thanks
-Douglas

P.S. I have already read the Austin Collins website.
Fantastic source of information.
 
Douglas said:
P.S. I have already read the Austin Collins website.
Fantastic source of information.
Click to expand...

You should call up Austin. I'm sure he would be happy to quote from the relevant regulations verbatim, from memory. Sorry, I don't have any actual info for you, since I avoid fed rides like plutonium, just quippery. Good luck.

PS. For what it's worth, the check airmen at my jobs have always done the initial as a written, with questions and answers that you should recognize from the training if you were awake. The Federales may be completely different, though.
 
As Boris said, Austin can pretty much quote chapter and verse of most regulations. The only one that he will not quote is the HAZMAT regs (there are just too many). Are you with FLX at this time? or going somewhere else? From most of the people that I have talked to say the flight is more of an issue than with the oral, if it is company procedure to do a test the FAA really doesn't stray from that. They pretty much have to abide by their own rules (well most of the time). FWIW.
 
braunpilot said:
As Boris said, Austin can pretty much quote chapter and verse of most regulations. The only one that he will not quote is the HAZMAT regs (there are just too many). Are you with FLX at this time? or going somewhere else? From most of the people that I have talked to say the flight is more of an issue than with the oral, if it is company procedure to do a test the FAA really doesn't stray from that. They pretty much have to abide by their own rules (well most of the time). FWIW.
Click to expand...

I am not with anybody yet, our flight school is getting a C-182rg on our 135 Cert.
VFR Pax.

Even though it is only a 182, I am really looking forward to it. Everybody has to start somewhere.
 
Douglas said:
I am not with anybody yet, our flight school is getting a C-182rg on our 135 Cert.
VFR Pax.

Even though it is only a 182, I am really looking forward to it. Everybody has to start somewhere.
Click to expand...
That's a pretty sweet airplane, actually. I've got a dozen or so hours in one. Loved every minute of it. It's like a 182..........only better.

-mini
 
Douglas said:
I am not with anybody yet, our flight school is getting a C-182rg on our 135 Cert.
VFR Pax.

Even though it is only a 182, I am really looking forward to it. Everybody has to start somewhere.
Click to expand...

VFR 135 ride is pretty easy. Regs are pretty straight forward too.
 
I have done both of my VFR 135 rides with the fed. As stated, they are pretty easy as checkrides go. In my recurrent ride the fed actually made a remark in the oral about it how it was 'pretty hard to fail one of these,' but with my stress level in a ride I am always very happy to pass, as I am sure you will be. :rawk:Then you can actually do some flying!
 
Nver taken one with the Feds, but I would suggest knowing the aircraft (systems and limitations), opspecs, and GOM. i doubt your gonna get much weather, approach plate/chart, or ATC questions... I could be wrong, just my experience so far in the 135 world.

ALL of those subjects are/were covered in my Indoc classes though. At my current company, we use CBT for indoc so its pretty thourough. Kinda reminded me of an online FIRC.
 
I did my 135 IFR PIC with the feds (Piper Chieftain). The reason for it was the chief pilot at my company was obtaining examining authority for the new airplane on our cert, so the FAA was testing him testing me. Because of that, it was thorough but also pretty straight forward...

-Know the 135 regs down cold. Practical issues are most likely to be asked... like how to choose an alternate, wx mins for shooting an approach, duty times, etc.

-Obviously know everything about the plane... Limitations, V-speeds, Max landing weight, W&B, systems, emergency procedure memory items, etc.

-There were some scenario questions thrown in... like what do you do if you have low fuel pressure on an engine during the climb, what will the prop do if an engine loses oil pressure, etc.

-They will probably come up with a scenario involving a typical run. For me it was a 3 stop charter, trying to maximize my fuel load at my departure point while adding just enough fuel at one other point to come back legal. Loads changed at each point.

-Weather was covered, from a practical point of view (reading TAFs, etc.). Because our ops originated in south FL, there were also a lot of questions about T-storms, windshear, etc.

-Medical expirations.

-IFR currency requirements.

That's pretty much it. Really it was like an instrument checkride with a bunch of questions about 135 ops thrown in.

You didn't ask, but as far as the flying goes they covered everything on the 8410 form, and a little beyond (single engine circling approach). Here's a good link for info on how to prepare:

http://www.austincollins.com/ace.pdf

This book is what I used for all of the practical 135 knowledge:
http://www.amazon.com/Everything-Explained-Professional-Pilot-Excruciatingly/dp/0974261300

It is worth every penny, and I still use it today... It's actually getting worn out I use it so much!

Like I said, it was very thorough, but very professional and fair. Good luck!
 
I've taken numerous rides with the FEDS for 135. As they will tell you, they can do anything on the checkride for the rating you hold. If you hold ATP, they can ask you to do anything that an ATP checkride may entail. On my checkrides with them, they will get into the regs as required, 61, 91, 135, 830. If you know them well, they usually move on to something else. One thing most of the FEDS told me, just anwer the question and don't get to elaborate. If you do and open up another issue with the answer, they will keep at it. Know the plane you are flying very well. All of my checkrides the FED questioned the plane quite a bit. I've had them ask tire pressures, prop diameters, all the dimentions, speeds, etc etc. And know your op specs well. As far as flying, they can ask you to do anything but as far as the ones I've taken, you get the failures, approaches, etc. The manuvere usually consist of stalls, steep turns, unusual attitudes, any approach that the aircraft is equipted for and is in the op specs, go arounds etc.
I hope this is helpful
 
It does help. I was wondering if they were going to be asking dimension questions.

Fortunately our great mechanics found the small crack in the tail, unfortunately the ride has been pushed back indefinitely.
 
The written test I had to take was mostly about the radios and the ride was probably the easiest checkride I have taken yet. 2 stalls but only to the first indication a set of steep turns a simulated engine failure a power off 180 and a short field landing was about it.
 
Killtron2000 said:
The written test I had to take was mostly about the radios and the ride was probably the easiest checkride I have taken yet. 2 stalls but only to the first indication a set of steep turns a simulated engine failure a power off 180 and a short field landing was about it.
Click to expand...

I keep hearing that it is pretty easy as long as you know your stuff.
The DO said I can expect an Oral.

I am really looking forward to it, though I think it can't be any easier than my ASES add-on. That is rating is just a fun day at the lake!
 
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