Re: Light-Sport Aircraft Yahoo group Sport pilot checkride advice

David, the checkride really isn't about the oral or about the maneuvers,
it is about you as a safe pilot. As long as you demonstrate a
reasonable understanding of the light sport rules and aviation knowledge
during the oral (including where to look things up because no pilot
knows everything) and you don't scare the examiner during the maneuvers,
what he'll be looking for is really just "are you safe?" A student who
looses more than 100 feet during slow flight before recovering isn't
going to fail a checkride. On the other hand we had a checkride the
other day where our mechanic found the oil cap laying on the ramp after
the plane left. He called them on the radio while they were on the
run-up pad. The DPE asked the student if she was sure they had their
cap. She replied "of course" and went right on with the rest of the
checklist. He asked her to shut down, climbed out of the plane, opened
the cowl and saw that there was no oil cap. That ride didn't go well.
If on the other hand had she replied to the DPE, "I am fairly certain
that we do, but the safe thing would be to check" and then stopped the
plane and checked, there never would have been a problem.

Don't scare the DPE and show good judgement. Remember, your CFI has
essentially signed you off as a pilot and the DPE is legally your first
passenger. He will arrive for your ride with the assumption that you
know what you are doing. As long as you don't do anything to shake his
faith in that (like trying to take him flying without an oil cap) you'll
be fine.

Also, check with your CFI. Most CFIs keep a stack of write-ups from
previous students on the DPEs that they use called "gouge sheets."
These can be confidence builders. (The typically start off along the
lines "I thought this was going to be really scary but the DPE did
everything he could to put me at ease.") If your CFI does not have them
check with other CFIs who use the same DPE. If he is appointed by the
FSDO he will also be giving very similar private pilot rides and there
should be a bunch of gouge sheets floating around for those.

Good luck, and don't forget the oil cap!
Helen

On 10/13/2011 1:36 AM, David C wrote:
> I'm getting prepared for my checkride. I've spent hours studying for the oral portion and hours practicing ground reference maneuvers. I just can't get up the courage to actually call and schedule the exam. Am I making a mountain out of a molehill? Any advice?
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> Yahoo! Groups Links
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