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Permalink Reply by Jim Ging on January 1, 2012 at 10:31pm

On my checkride, I was flying a cross-country flight that the examiner had assigned when he told me we needed to divert to a different destination.    He asked me how I would do that.  Below me, I noticed a nearby road running in the direction of the new destination.  i pulled out my chart and described a visual track using the road below and a crossing road that would take us right to the new destination.  The take-away is you need to plan your flight and fly your plan, but be prepared to formulate a Plan B on a moment's notice.  

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Permalink Reply by Nicholas Blanck on January 2, 2012 at 12:19am

Yep, know that. Mainly what i am looking for is the ground. Like What would they ask about airspace, limitations etc.

As well as questions while flying

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Permalink Reply by Aaron Baker on January 9, 2012 at 1:15pm

I assume you've got the oral exam guide. If not, that is a must. I'm also assuming you're talking about your private?

The questions isn't what you need to know. The question is what don't you need to know. LOL.

Airspace is a biggie. Definitely be up to speed on cloud clearances and vis for VFR flight for all classes as well as transponder and mode C requirements, ATC contact requirements, etc.

Bust out the sectional and look up everything you see that you don't understand. I'm not sure where you live and what sectional you use, but with my location we've actually got a lot of class G out to my west and that's not something that is typically encountered, and its been known to trip up a lot of students. 

Make sure you have your FAR-AIM highlighted and tabbed for quick reference. Its one of the references you can take with you into your oral. If you don't know the answer to something it helps to be able to show that you know where to look right away.

With regards to the diversion, the way we've always been taught is to get a quick vector using a compass rose on the sectional. As long as you know where you are and where you need to go, you can take your pen and place it on the path you need to fly to get to the airport you've been diverted to. Hold the pen at the same angle and slide it over to the nearest compass rose and get a good generalized heading that you need to fly. After you're heading in the correct general direction, you can better assess your visual references. The key is to make a quick heading correction as soon as you get your diversion.

I hope this helps some. I know I didn't cover any specific questions, but I've gotten my instrument and helicopter ratings since I did my fixed wing private, so I've brain dumped a lot of it.

Last, get with your instructor for a ground session and possibly a mock check ride. They should be able to really run you through the wringer and point out your weak spots.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Hornak on January 10, 2012 at 2:24pm

As an Examiner, the best advise i would give you is that everything is listed in the PTS along with the references for where to get the answers.  So, bring those references with you to the chackride and use them when necessary.  Check Rides are not "closed book tests" they are "Practical tests".  e.g. if a year from now as a private pilot you read a METAR and it has the term "VV" and you do not know what it means, you might look it up in the AIM or some other reference, so it is fair that in the check ride you would get to do the same, that is what "Practical" means, right?  But do not expect to be allowed to look up spin recovery or Class Bravo visibility requirements, those should be known without looking up.  YO may also wish to post questions to the DPE group on HangarChat.

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