How to Pass Your Checkride
You’ve been training for this — today is your day to shine! Earning a new rating at AeroGuard means demonstrating your abilities and passing a practical test known as a checkride. At AeroGuard, we want to help you pass your checkride on the first try. There are several steps you can take to help discipline and prepare yourself for this essential assessment.
Study, Study, Study
Studying is a key component in your success as a student and passing your checkride. For every hour of flight time, you should be spending ten hours studying.
It’s also important to understand that there are certain checkpoints and rules that your checkride examiner must follow. Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs) use the Airman Certification Standards (ACS), which focus on scenario-based training that attempts to ensure students can apply their knowledge in real-world settings. Throughout your training, your flight instructor should introduce you to the ACS documents. The ACS documents have all the information you need to pass your checkride, with each page containing valuable information for you to study to earn an FAA airman certificate. The ACS will be the framework that will guide the test and explain the standards that must be met in order to pass your checkride.
Manage your Time and Plan
Proper time management is essential to your success. Giving yourself enough time to review your materials well before your scheduled exam will help you feel confident and prepared. Additionally, don’t cram the night before your checkride, as this will prevent you from absorbing and retaining information, which will only hinder you in the long run. While planning time for studying is imperative, it’s equally important that you’re resting. Ensuring that you go to sleep at a reasonable hour and consume a healthy breakfast the morning of your checkride can help you feel focused, energized and prepped for any challenge.
Be Organized
Being organized is one of the most important tips to pass your checkride. Be sure to read your ACS and review all organization sections as to what is required during your checkride. Depending on the examiner, he/she will allow and disallow certain equipment in the cockpit. Be prepared without an iPad or a GPS. Ensure that your Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA), weight and balance planning, risk assessments, performance calculations, checklist, written test results and flight plan, if applicable, are all in order.
Practice
AeroGuard’s student support is geared toward your success. Take advantage of AeroGuard’s academic workshops, flight observation privileges, unlimited flight simulator time and stage checks for your practice and mastery. Stage checks, involving ‘mock’ checkrides, are performed with a different Instructor Pilot (IP) than the student’s regular instructor. These checks are plentiful in each stage for progress, allowing students to continuously prepare.
In addition, your checkride examiner may have a specific pattern they like to follow and your flight instructor just may be familiar with different patterns for you to practice. Ask your flight instructor to stay silent during mock flights, giving you the full checkride experience. DPEs will not prompt you or give advice on a checkride, so don’t stress if it’s quiet in the cockpit.
Stay Calm
It’s important to remain calm and collected during your checkride. Be sure to take a few deep breaths to help reduce your stress levels. One of the main ways to pass your checkride is training with a good flight instructor. At AeroGuard, you can rest assured knowing our flight instructors are here to guide you through the process of becoming a pilot.
Flight training takes dedication and hard work. If you are willing to go through the process, meet the requirements and commit yourself, you can reach your goals. Contact us today with your questions about becoming a pilot!