CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 13 Issue 2 - 21

CHECKRIdE CHECKLIST
Q
A
DO YOU SEE A WIDE VARIATION IN HOURS
LOGGED BY STUDENT PILOTS TAKING
THEIR EXAM? I HEARD THAT FLIGHT SCHOOL
STUDENTS TEND TO HAVE MORE HOURS THAN
THOSE USING INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION.
The number of flight hours varies a great
deal situationally. In general, students who
complete a course of training (think private
through instrument and to a commercial
certificate) will have fewer total hours in an
FAA Part 141 training program than in less
structured, non-syllabus based training efforts.
But students who can dedicate more condensed
training time may finish training in fewer hours
than students who can only fly once a month.
There is no real standard and life makes a big
difference in the outcomes of hours. The best
advice is don't worry about the hours-meet the
standards and proficiency needed to pass the test.
Q
A
I'M STUDYING FOR MY INSTRUMENT
WRITTEN EXAM AND WOULD LIKE TO
KNOW IF IT MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE ON THE
PRACTICAL IF THE CANDIDATE SCORES A 70
VS A 90+ ON THE WRITTEN.
Honestly, for most DPEs, the score
means little other than what they must
incorporate into their plan of action for testing.
A DPE must include testing on the practical test
on all areas found deficient on the applicant's
FAA knowledge test, so more things wrong
on the knowledge test means the DPE must
work to include specifically those areas on the
practical test. But as to whether the applicant
will be better if they scored 90 vs 72, there is
little correlation between the written score and
success on the practical test. Many high scoring
applicants have engaged memorization studying
efforts to get high scores while some lower
scoring applicants have learned the material
better and may in fact actually have better
knowledge. The gist is that a DPE won't be easier
on an applicant who scored a 99 percent than one
who scored 71 percent.
Q
A
HAS ANY DPE REQUIRED AN
APPLICANT TO USE FOGGLES WHILE
DEMONSTRATING VORS?
Let's assume here that the question
is specifically related to flying under
simulated instrument conditions and
demonstrating electronic navigation skills for a
private or restricted commercial pilot candidate.
Both the private pilot and commercial pilot ACS
documents include Navigation Systems and
Radar Services as a testing area, but that is not
incorporated into any demonstration of those
skills while in simulated instrument conditions.
In fact, no demonstration of instrument skills
is included at all on the commercial single
engine practical test. For the private pilot test,
the Basic Instrument Procedures task area
does not include any skills demonstration using
electronic navigation equipment either. With
those points made, I cannot say that no DPE has
ever asked an applicant to do this, but I can say
it is not described as a testing area in either of
these ACS documents (this would be different
if accomplishing a commercial multi-engine
certificate for an applicant who is instrument
rated already).
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have a question you'd like to ask a DPE? Email cfinewsletter@aopa.org to post your question.

CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 13 Issue 2

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 13 Issue 2