Preparing for Your Private Pilot Checkride: The Complete Guide

The Private Pilot Checkride: What to Expect

The checkride (practical test) is the final step to earning your private pilot certificate. It consists of two parts:

• Oral Examination - Ground-based knowledge test with the examiner
• Flight Test - Demonstrate your flying skills in the aircraft

Both must be passed on the same day, though they can be split if weather or other factors intervene.

Before You Schedule

Eligibility Requirements

Confirm you meet all requirements (14 CFR §61.103 and §61.109):

Age and Language:

• At least 17 years old
• Read, speak, write, and understand English

Experience (Airplane Single-Engine Land):

Requirement

Minimum Hours

Total flight time	40 hours
Dual instruction	20 hours
Solo flight	10 hours
Cross-country (total)	3 hours dual + 5 hours solo
Night flight	3 hours dual
Night cross-country	100nm+
Instrument training	3 hours
Solo XC flights	150nm+ with full-stop at 3 points
Solo takeoffs/landings	3 at towered airport

Additional:

• Pass knowledge test (written exam) within 24 months
• Receive endorsements from your CFI
• Log all required experience

Use ClearProp to Verify

ClearProp's progress tracking shows exactly where you stand:

• Hours completed vs. required
• Missing requirements highlighted
• Ready for checkride indicator

CFI Endorsements Required

Your instructor must endorse you for:

• Knowledge test (before written)
• Practical test (IACRA or paper)
• Specific areas of training completed

The Oral Examination

The oral typically lasts 1-2 hours. The examiner will verify your:

• Aeronautical knowledge
• Cross-country planning skills
• Risk management and ADM
• Understanding of regulations

Required Documents

Personal:

• Photo ID (driver's license, passport)
• Pilot certificate (student pilot)
• Medical certificate (current)
• Knowledge test results
• Logbook with endorsements
• IACRA application (FTN number)

Aircraft:

• Airworthiness certificate
• Registration
• Operating limitations (POH)
• Weight and balance data
• Equipment list

Remember: ARROW (Airworthiness, Registration, Radio station license [if international], Operating limitations, Weight and balance)

Topics to Study

The examiner uses the Airman Certification Standards (ACS) as the guide. Key areas:

Pilot Qualifications:

• Certificate privileges and limitations
• Currency requirements
• Medical requirements
• Documents required for flight

Airworthiness:

• Required inspections (annual, 100-hour, etc.)
• Inoperative equipment (91.213)
• Airworthiness directives
• Maintenance records

Weather:

• Sources of weather information
• Reading METARs, TAFs, winds aloft
• Hazardous weather (thunderstorms, icing, turbulence)
• Personal minimums and go/no-go decisions

Cross-Country Planning:

• Navigation log preparation
• Fuel planning
• Weight and balance
• NOTAMs
• TFRs

Airspace:

• All airspace classes (A, B, C, D, E, G)
• Special use airspace
• VFR cloud clearance and visibility requirements
• Communication requirements

Systems:

• How the aircraft systems work
• Emergency procedures
• Engine and propeller
• Electrical, fuel, flight instruments

Regulations:

• Part 91 operating rules
• Right-of-way rules
• Preflight requirements
• Alcohol and drugs (8 hours, .04 BAC)

Oral Exam Tips

• Answer what's asked - Don't volunteer extra information that opens new questions
• It's okay to say "I don't know" - Then explain how you'd find the answer
• Use resources - You can reference the FAR/AIM, POH, charts
• Think out loud - Show your reasoning process
• Relate to safety - Connect everything to safe flight

The Flight Test

After passing the oral, you'll fly together (weather permitting).

Maneuvers to Master

Takeoffs and Landings:

• Normal takeoff and landing
• Short-field takeoff and landing
• Soft-field takeoff and landing
• Forward slip to landing
• Go-around

Ground Reference Maneuvers:

• Turns around a point
• S-turns
• Rectangular course

Performance Maneuvers:

• Steep turns (45° bank, ±100 feet)
• Slow flight
• Power-off stall
• Power-on stall
• Spin awareness (oral)

Navigation:

• Pilotage and dead reckoning
• Diversion to alternate
• Lost procedures

Emergency Operations:

• Emergency approach and landing
• Equipment malfunctions
• Emergency equipment and survival gear

Night Operations (if applicable):

• Night preparation
• Night flight (may be oral only)

ACS Standards

Each maneuver has specific tolerances:

Maneuver

Altitude

Heading

Airspeed

Steep turns	±100 ft	±10°	±10 kts
Slow flight	±100 ft	±10°	+10/-0 kts
Stalls	Recognize and recover
Ground reference	±100 ft	Maintain pattern

Flight Test Tips

• Fly like you trained - The examiner wants to see consistent, safe habits
• Verbalize - Explain what you're doing (clearing turns, checklists)
• Manage workload - Aviate, Navigate, Communicate
• Small mistakes are okay - Catch and correct them
• Safety always wins - If something feels wrong, go around or speak up

Common Reasons for Failure

Avoid these pitfalls:

• Busting airspace - Know where you're going
• Unstabilized approaches - Go around if needed
• Stall recognition - React promptly to stall warning
• Steep turn altitude - Practice to standard
• Emergency checklist - Know the memory items

The Week Before

Final Preparation

• [ ] Review all oral topics with your CFI
• [ ] Practice all maneuvers to ACS standards
• [ ] Complete full cross-country planning for examiner's assigned route
• [ ] Organize all required documents
• [ ] Check weather for test day
• [ ] Get good sleep

Mental Preparation

• Visualize successful completion
• Review your training - you've done all of this before
• Remember: The examiner wants you to pass
• Plan something fun for after (you'll want to celebrate)

Checkride Day

Timeline

• Arrive early - 30 minutes before scheduled time
• Oral exam - 1-2 hours
• Preflight - Show examiner your inspection routine
• Flight - 1-1.5 hours
• Debrief - Receive results

If You Don't Pass

It happens. About 20% of applicants need a retest.

What to do:

• Listen to the examiner's debrief
• Schedule additional training with your CFI
• Address specific weak areas
• Reschedule when ready (no waiting period for retest)

What NOT to do:

• Get discouraged - Many excellent pilots failed their first checkride
• Rush back - Take time to truly fix the issues
• Make excuses - Own it, learn from it, move forward

After You Pass

Congratulations! You're a certificated private pilot.

Next steps:

• Receive temporary certificate (valid 120 days)
• Permanent certificate arrives by mail (4-6 weeks)
• Log your new certificate number
• Update ClearProp with your new certificate
• Go flying!

Remember:

• Your certificate is a license to learn
• Continue building experience
• Consider additional ratings (instrument, commercial)
• Fly often to maintain proficiency

How ClearProp Helps

Before your checkride, ClearProp shows:

• Requirement completion - Verify all minimums met
• Currency status - Ensure you're legal to fly
• Endorsements - Track what your CFI has signed off
• Totals summary - Ready for examiner review

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Good luck on your checkride! You've trained for this. Trust your preparation and fly the airplane.