Mustang17c
Well-Known Member
Call me crazy, but I think a should DE should be able to pick apart your knowledge base quite well in about an hour or so. Any longer, and they are seeing how much you do not know, and are being unneccessarily anal.
PPL oral from hell...
- Thread starter tgc
- Start date
MrLeisure757
New Member
So when you don't know the answer to a question, how is the best way to answer it? Just a "I'm not sure" or is there a trick to avoid coming out with that?
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
No shame in admitting when you don't know something. The key is to know where to find the answer. Any DE should let you look in the FAR/AIM for an answer as long as it's within reason. I wouldn't look in there for EVERY answer, but maybe two or three shouldn't be a pink slip. It would be much worse to try to bluff your way through than admit you're not too sure of the answer.
jtrain609
Antisocial Monster
These guys are spot on. This is how I view the whole memorizing everything BS: that's what books are for. You need to have certain memory items in your head and ready to pull out at the drop of a hat. Those would be the first few items on an emergency checklist that are time critical at the time the emergency is happening so you can get yourself in a good position to pull out a checklist. Those would also be other things that you simply need to know to operate the aircraft safely and efficently. But random stuff that has absolutely no bearing on operating the aircraft? Bite me. Sure I'll know where to find it, but there is no need to know random details about pitot static sytem theory when I can't control anything about the pitot static system other than "Heat - On/Off" and "Alternate Air - On/Off."
A great example I heard from this guy on this Saab 340 checkride. I'm going to screw up some terms here, but you'll get the idea.
The examiner asked this guy and his partner at what EGT the amber warning light comes on for engine overheat. They both blurt out "996." The examiner says "Or maybe, about 1,000? That's great that you know that, but really guys. That's how this checkride is going to go."
Sounds to me like the dude that gave this guy his checkride (that would be the dude that started this thread, not my example) would fail him for saying "About 1,000" instead of 996. What's the difference? If you don't have a digital display, you probably can't tell the difference between the two numbers on a gauge. That, to me, is crazy. You obviously know how to operate your aircraft in a safe manner, but you get nailed on a technicality when you actually do understand it? Dudes like that need to get introduced to MikeD.
A great example I heard from this guy on this Saab 340 checkride. I'm going to screw up some terms here, but you'll get the idea.
The examiner asked this guy and his partner at what EGT the amber warning light comes on for engine overheat. They both blurt out "996." The examiner says "Or maybe, about 1,000? That's great that you know that, but really guys. That's how this checkride is going to go."
Sounds to me like the dude that gave this guy his checkride (that would be the dude that started this thread, not my example) would fail him for saying "About 1,000" instead of 996. What's the difference? If you don't have a digital display, you probably can't tell the difference between the two numbers on a gauge. That, to me, is crazy. You obviously know how to operate your aircraft in a safe manner, but you get nailed on a technicality when you actually do understand it? Dudes like that need to get introduced to MikeD.
BrianNC
Well-Known Member
My PPL oral lasted less than an hour.Once he saw I knew my stuff he began to flip quickly through his book and if I even hesitated on an answer to think about it he answered it for me and we went on to the next question. Easy as pie.
My instrument oral was about the same. I actually did a dual oral with another guy I trained with. The DE would ask me one question and then him. It was more like a teaching/bull session. It was like he wanted to show us what he knew more that he wanted to know what we knew.
We even did our checkride together. My buddy rode in the back seat while I was doing mine (C182), but I got out of the plane and didn't go on his after I got through. I passed the checkride and he didn't.
One other thing: I didn't even have to land the plane at the end of the intrument check! After I did a circle to land he took the controls and said, "Let me land it". He did a real flat approach. He flies commercially also so I guess he just wanted to show us how well he could land.
My instrument oral was about the same. I actually did a dual oral with another guy I trained with. The DE would ask me one question and then him. It was more like a teaching/bull session. It was like he wanted to show us what he knew more that he wanted to know what we knew.
We even did our checkride together. My buddy rode in the back seat while I was doing mine (C182), but I got out of the plane and didn't go on his after I got through. I passed the checkride and he didn't.
One other thing: I didn't even have to land the plane at the end of the intrument check! After I did a circle to land he took the controls and said, "Let me land it". He did a real flat approach. He flies commercially also so I guess he just wanted to show us how well he could land.
Wannabe2
New Member
You seriously wouldn't reccomend a ride with Azma? I did commercial, multi and CFII with him and they were all very short, quite easy rides. Perhaps I just had good days when i flew with him. It's Balestrieri by the way, and yep, he's a great guy. I haven't had a chance to fly with him (we tried a couple times but taxied back both times with bad mag drops), but I have backseated a couple of his checkrides and he was very cool.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
I think I might have got him on a bad day. Just REALLY REALLY bad checkride. And when I say bad day, I'm not talking "woke up on the wrong side of the bed" bad, I'm talking "wife left me and took the dog" bad. This was also 3 years ago, so he might have mellowed out in that time.
Boltonpilot
New Member
Wow, um...I think that I might be pushing it to say that my oral exam was 30min.
But yeah, like everyone has said, go to someone else. Knowing the name of the first stage in a developing thunderstorm only has so much validity in your ability to make a safe, logically-rooted go/no-go decision, and to raise an eyebrow about that is pretty damn anal.
Good luck on your re-test, and don't let that guy's attitude make you feel insecure and uncertain about your flying abilities.
But yeah, like everyone has said, go to someone else. Knowing the name of the first stage in a developing thunderstorm only has so much validity in your ability to make a safe, logically-rooted go/no-go decision, and to raise an eyebrow about that is pretty damn anal.
Good luck on your re-test, and don't let that guy's attitude make you feel insecure and uncertain about your flying abilities.
Jayrock
Well-Known Member
Ouch, that sounds like an oral from hell.
Actually, I've often wondered if it would be possible to discontinue an exam at that point (or any other). I mean the DPE is riding you and I am sure you can sense it's going down the wrong path. Why not just say, excuse me, I'd like to go ahead and discontinue this exam; I am not feeling well.
What are your thoughts on that?
Actually, I've often wondered if it would be possible to discontinue an exam at that point (or any other). I mean the DPE is riding you and I am sure you can sense it's going down the wrong path. Why not just say, excuse me, I'd like to go ahead and discontinue this exam; I am not feeling well.
What are your thoughts on that?
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
Well, there's a couple of ways to look at it. Yeah, you'd probably get a discontinuance out of the deal, but it might make it tougher if you go again another day with the same DE. If you're not financially well off, you'd be paying full price to go with a different DE anyway. Most of the DEs I know only charge half for a re-test, so you save money. Plus, busting a checkride isn't THAT much of a stigma, esp at the PPL level. At some point, the law of averages catches up with everyone, and a bust is likely at some point in your career.
Keep in mind that the DE might even think you're doing well and is grilling you to see how far he can push. Why stop when you're actually doing okay b/c you think you're gonna fail. See it through till the end and either emerge victorious or ride it down in a flaming ball of glory.
Keep in mind that the DE might even think you're doing well and is grilling you to see how far he can push. Why stop when you're actually doing okay b/c you think you're gonna fail. See it through till the end and either emerge victorious or ride it down in a flaming ball of glory.
dont feel bad my examiner failed me the first timei did my oral b/c i didnt know what class b airspace was. the only problem is i did know, i told him the vertical limits the width the requirements to enter, and even cloud mins. He failed me b/c i did not say its a upside down wedding cake.... the whole time he had this mentality that he was gonna stick it to this young punk. He also wouldnt let me look anything up. i will never take another checkride with him but if your a older ex military guy he would probly pass you without asking more then 1 question. we hit the whole book and then some.(seriously page 1 - to thepoint at which he failed me)
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He failed me b/c i did not say its a upside down wedding cake....
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If that's, in fact, true; then this guy qualifies for a blue-light special, one of a kind, get it while you can, going out of business sale, grade-A, limited edition MikeD ass kicking. All across the ramp and through the T-shades. AIM book to the head included, multiple times. Boot in the ass standard.
I hate DEs like this. And I'm on a personal mission to eradicate their nitwit asses.
He failed me b/c i did not say its a upside down wedding cake....
[/ QUOTE ]
If that's, in fact, true; then this guy qualifies for a blue-light special, one of a kind, get it while you can, going out of business sale, grade-A, limited edition MikeD ass kicking. All across the ramp and through the T-shades. AIM book to the head included, multiple times. Boot in the ass standard.
I hate DEs like this. And I'm on a personal mission to eradicate their nitwit asses.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
Show me in an FAA publication where it says it looks like an upside down wedding cake. This guy busted you for describing it the way the FAA does. Now if John and Martha King wrote the regs, it would be a different story. Then again, it would also be a really whacked out world.....
mtsu_av8er
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
if your a older ex military guy he would probly pass you without asking more then 1 question.
[/ QUOTE ]
Well, you know what that means. you know what you need to do . . .
if your a older ex military guy he would probly pass you without asking more then 1 question.
[/ QUOTE ]
Well, you know what that means. you know what you need to do . . .