preparing for PPL checkride and oral

A

Airmann

Well-Known Member
I am taking my checkride and oral for my private license in 7 days. Has anyone used that King's Schools DVD's that are specific to taking the checkride? If so are they worth buying or renting? If not, then please suggest something to use in order to prepare for the oral and checkride? What are the typical reference materials allowed for use during the oral? Does the examiner want to see you have most if not all the answers memorized, or, is looking them up, OK?

I am looking forward to getting through this and hopefully onto commercial/instrument!
 
Looking a few of the answers up is ok. I would go through the PTS Standards. It will tell you everything that is fair game on the oral exam. Just a sample is V speeds aircraft systems prat 91 regs etc. If you have a good knowlege of these that you won't have much to worry about.

Keith
 
special emphasis items are huge! Know them and know them well. Anything you can do to make the examiner feel completely safe with you is huge. If you read the PTS you will find the phrase "never seriously in doubt" all over it.

The examiner wants to see that you know what you are doing and that if you get yourself into a situation you will make the SAFE decision.

As far as the FAR's (pun) go, know the major points. Privi's and limitations. Minimum safe altitudes. IE stuff you can't look up while flying.
Other things, like maintenance, required instruments, etc. you should have at least a basic knowledge of and be able to look them up if needed.


The best thing you can do for yourself is get some sleep the night before.
 
Just passed my PPL checkride last weekend, I'll tell you this much, relax! By DPE was great at setting a relaxing enviornment and letting me fly comfortably, made all the difference in the world. Loosen up and enjoy it, treat it like another flight with your favorite CFI but be aware of what he's looking for with regards to the PTS, you'll ace it, GL!!
 
My advice is to over-prepare yourself...I did just that and my Oral was maybe 40 minutes and extremely easy and the flight was 1.1 on the Hobbs. I'm in the process of overpreparing for my Instrument ride next week. Just remember that as a Private Pilot, you don't have to know everything and just as long as you've got the basic ideas down, you'll do great. Good luck!
 
A150K said:
My advice is to over-prepare yourself...I did just that and my Oral was maybe 40 minutes and extremely easy and the flight was 1.1 on the Hobbs. I'm in the process of overpreparing for my Instrument ride next week. Just remember that as a Private Pilot, you don't have to know everything and just as long as you've got the basic ideas down, you'll do great. Good luck!
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I would have to agree with the above statement. I had my IFR ride a month ago and followed this philosophy. I used the ASA guide to the oral for both my PPL and IFR rides. It has all the questions that you can be asked along with detailed explanations. The only drawback is that the questions in the book are straight forward question.....in example, "what are flaps for?" The book doesn't give you scenarios. Know airspace down cold. Be able to pick anything and everything off of a sectional.

On the practical portion. Always tell the examiner what you are doing. This way, he/she is always in the loop. Its also a way to save your butt if he/she says, "I didn't know what you where doing when you did that." Most importantly, relax when you are flying. Show the DPE that you know your stuff. Dont be cocky but be confident. You are there for a reason. The one thing that helped me was when my instructor said, "Slow is smooth and smooth is fast."

Let us know how it is goes. That goes for the fellow prepping for his IFR.
 
ahsmatt7 said:
I would have to agree with the above statement. I had my IFR ride a month ago and followed this philosophy. I used the ASA guide to the oral for both my PPL and IFR rides. It has all the questions that you can be asked along with detailed explanations. The only drawback is that the questions in the book are straight forward question.....in example, "what are flaps for?" The book doesn't give you scenarios. Know airspace down cold. Be able to pick anything and everything off of a sectional.

On the practical portion. Always tell the examiner what you are doing. This way, he/she is always in the loop. Its also a way to save your butt if he/she says, "I didn't know what you where doing when you did that." Most importantly, relax when you are flying. Show the DPE that you know your stuff. Dont be cocky but be confident. You are there for a reason. The one thing that helped me was when my instructor said, "Slow is smooth and smooth is fast."

Let us know how it is goes. That goes for the fellow prepping for his IFR.
Click to expand...

Also, take what a penguins fan says with a grain of salt

:P
 
To answer your question, I highly recommend the King checkride DVD course. It definitely helps to watch on TV how your checkride will go before you show up. I also used the ASA oral prep guide. With those two put together, I pretty much nailed everything I was asked on the oral.
 
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