As you make final preparations for your checkride here’s some key information that you might find helpful to ensure your checkride event goes smoothly.
Make Sure You Are Qualified
- Various regs in part 61 spells out the requirements for each type certificate – I recommend placing sticky notes in your logbook on the pages where each req is met.
- DPE’s are required to verify ground and flight training, regulations for qualifying for certificate states an applicant must receive and LOG certain items, those are essentially “keywords” that should appear in your logbook under the ground and flight section. Alternatively, some form of graduation certificate from an appropriate course can also satisfy the ground training. If you need a sheet to document your GROUND TRAINING you can print them at https://www.wificfi.com/endorsements
- Photo ID, Pilot Cert, Medical (or basic med info), Knowledge Test Report
- Advisory Circular AC-61.65H spells out the proper language for the various endorsements needed during training and for the checkride. I recommend checking your endorsements against that AC. If you need help figuring out the various required endorsements and training required you can also look at the ENDORSEMENTS page on wificfi.com and they have an easy guide. https://www.wificfi.com/endorsements
- With the exception of a student pilot taking a test for private pilot, any pilot attempting to take a test must have a valid flight review. “I thought the checkride counts as a flight review?” – It does, but you still need a current flight review to take the test.
- IACRA Application Signed by CFI – Be careful on your IACRA to verify things are complete an make sense. Frequent issues the MD left off the doctors name, or times don’t add up correct (example for a private test DUAL + SOLO should = TOTAL)
- You’ll need your login info to IACRA to sign the application during the test.
- Special note for Initial Commercial Applicants: 61.129.A.4 calls for 10 hours of SOLO or Performing Duties of PIC – these requirements must be met as ALL SOLO or ALL DPIC, cannot be mixed. Also all items listed in 61.129.A.3 are considered “training” so those must be signed off by a CFI, and finally item 61.129.A.3.i – do not automatically assume if you have an instrument rating you have therefore met 61.129.A.3.i – your instrument training can only be used to meet 61.129.A.3.i if the instrument training entries are notated appropriately that the training required by 61.129.A.3.i were covered in that training.
- Use this CASEL Worksheet to verify your qualifications for a Commercial Pilot Airplane Single Engine Land Initial Issuance
- Use this CAMEL Worksheet to verify your qualifications for a Commercial Pilot Airplane MultiEngine Land Initial Issuance
Make Sure the Airplane is Qualified
- Have records to substantiate airworthiness (AVIATE). Make sure AD’s are addressed.
- Have originals or photos of AROW docs available.
- PLEASE COMPLETE THE AIRCRAFT STATUS SHEET AND BRING TO THE TEST.
- The last page of this packet is a sheet titled “A Friendly Note About Aircraft Airworthiness”. This sheet will give you some insight to some potential gotchas.
Scenario Homework / Flight Planning Info
- For weight & balance I weigh 250.
- For the scenario homework and flight planning assignment, if you have not received that just text me and I’ll provide it immediately as long as you have returned the first page of this packet.
A Note About Discontinuances
I have found many discontinuances are avoidable. By default I treat discontinuances the same as a retest in terms of fees. On occasion there are circumstances that arise that were completely unavoidable (unforcasted weather, maintenance issues that develop during the test, unexpected illness). At the discretion of the examiner fees for unavoidable discontinuances may be waived.
If Doing a Retest or Continuation
- If this is a retest then endorsement A73 is required. You must still have a valid solo for private tests, and you must have 3 hours in the prior 2 months with a cfi.
- I will need the Notice of Disapproval or the Letter of Discontinuance – otherwise it’s a new test.
- If it’s been more than 60 days it’s a new test.
- If the retest or continue needs ground + flight then it will be full test price (1000) + travel.
- If the retest or continue is flight only then it will be half the full test price (500) plus travel.
- You need to bring all the same documentation you brought to the first test.
Optional Step
When we meet, the first task is reviewing all the documentation, logbooks, training records. This will take about 1 hour. If you want to streamline the process when we meet, we can reduce the amount of time spent reviewing paperwork if you send the following items back to me in a scanned PDF at least 24 hours before we meet. If you don’t send this in advance it’s fine, we will just review it when we meet.
- Completed Endorsements and Ground Training Record or Graduation Certificate
- Pics of pilot logbook pages where requirements are being met, or just export your electronic logbook to pdf.
- Completed Aircraft Status Sheet (Attached)
- Scan of Driver License/Passport, Medical, Pilot Cert (front and back)
- Airman knowledge test report
- Pictures of the AROW docs
Unprepared/Unqualified fee
A $200 fee + travel fee will be retained due to the following:
- The airman’s logbook entries do not demonstrate that he/she has met the aeronautical experience requirements for the desired certificate or rating.
- Applicant arrives without required documents including the aircraft maintenance records, proper endorsements, or identification.
- Applicant presents unairworthy aircraft (issue detected prior to start of practical test – i.e. aircraft out of annual or 100 hour inspection or other “easily avoidable” airworthiness issue).