135 Check Rides

[Nightwing]

I'm new to the 135 game and am hoping to get on with a cargo or charter company.

For those who know, what are the 135 check rides like? Does the first checkout differ from the recurrent 6 month ones?

I've read the regs and am just looking for some specific stories. Thanks.

 

[cvsfly]

Your first checkride is an initial so it will be more comprehensive than your 6 mo. which is only an instrument currency for PIC. SICs don't require 6 mo. checks. Your initial checkride will be like an ATP ride or commercial if that is all you have. Based on the same PTS. Your ground oral of course will be geared more towards your Operations Manual and 135 regs as well as aircraft specifics.

 

[hyper]

Hi Nightwing,

You're initial will encompase 3 rides in one, but you may simultaneously complete them in one ride. It's very similar to your commercial (SEL or MEL) and instrument rides. The oral encompasses both with company ops specs too. The ride is really an instrument ride. The recurring 6 month (135.297) ride is just an instrument proficiency and can be completed in any airplane which you are qualified. The 12month (135.293, .297, .299) is a little more in depth and is the actual airplane checkout as well. Hope this helps.

 

[Nightwing]

Thank you both.

Guess I better get used to check rides again.
It's been too easy flying part 91.

 

[YODA]

It is not as bad as it sounds, just keep up your instrument and commercial knowledge and know the important 135 regs (duty times, flight times, etc..) and know the company ops specs. Keep yourself proficient while flying the line by shooting approaches to ATP standards everytime and do not let yourself slack off. If you keep yourself up to par than the recurrent rides are not that difficult. Remember, you get back what you put into it so fly smart and safe and have fun because that is what it is all about anyway.

 

[wingnutt]

...and let me just throw out that instrument currency does not equivically(sp?) mean instrument proficiency.

i started flying 135 @ 500 hours (VFR). that (single engine) ride was a piece of cake, and the biggest part of the oral was ops specs. now throw in 700 hours of single engine where you are not allowed to file IFR (some loopholes exist) and you can see the dilema that will occur once you reach the 1200 hour mark and eligible for an IFR 135 ride.

i managed to maintain currency, shot a few approaches now and then, and even got into some "inadvertant" actual. but that alone is not near enough to maintain a proficient status to prep for the ensuing IFR ride.

of course, if you already have the 1200 and are doing an initial ride, your examiner/check airman will have you figured out in no time.

good luck!

 

[jetdriven]

its really like a commercial and instrument checkride rolled into one. stalls, slow flight, steep turns, engine failure during takeoff and in cruies. then 2 nonprecision approaches and two precision approaches. one of the precision approaches is single engine and one nonprecision is partial panel. also, forgot you'll get a circling approach in there too. the oral is over 135 regs, 91 regs, and the aircraft systems, FOPM, etc. just study and remember the company and the check airman wants you to pass. good luck!

 

[flybynightly]

I also want to add that this ride is not exactly like a ride with an FAA examiner. The check airman can suspend the ride at any time to do training and then resume it. It is designed to make sure you are proficient not to see if you know how to do something. I mean how many times do you do things like slow flight, stalls, steep turns, and NDB approaches during usual everyday flying?

 

[Rick1128]

Since you have not stated anything about seat or type of checkride, I run your throught the IFRMEL requirements, since that is what I am most familar with.

As a check airman, I am notified by either the Chief Pilot or the Training Department that you are ready for a check ride. Then I examine your pilot file (training records). I am looking for many different things. Making sure everything has been done in accordance with the training program. All the boxes are filled. The i's dotted and the t's crossed, etc. Then I schedule a date and time for the checkride. Co-ordinating with maintenance and operations on aircraft availablility.

Next I notify the company's Principle Operations Inspector (FAA) that I will be conducting a checkride with you on this date and time. All my Letters of Authorization have required this notification. So the FAA can observe the check ride. Don't worry about it. I'll discuss it a little later.

On the day of the checkride, I will met with you and ask for your pilot certificate, medical and driver's license. While I am making copies for my files, I have you do a couple of written tests. Performance and regulations. Check airman may give you written test in leu of or in combination with an oral exam. I use both.

We will then discuss the Operations Manual and Operations Specificiations. Followed by the regulations, Parts 1, 61, 91, 135 and 830. Depending on your experience level, the aircraft and seat, I might discuss Part 25 with, mostly performance areas, 67, 71, 97 and 119. Usually just lightly and just a discussion.

We will then talk about the aircraft. Systems, limitations, normal and emergency procedures.

I will ask a question or two that are thinking type questions. No real right answer. Just to get you thinking. They are not gotcha questions, these are things that have really happened.

Finally, I will have you file a file plan and we will go fly.

I am going to watch you preflight the aircraft. I might ask a question or two. More likely on an initial.

You will do the checklists, start, taxi and do pre-takeof checks.

For take off's you will have a normal, a cross wind, rejected and a power plant failure. Captain must do an instrument TO. Manuvers can be combined.


We will do an area departure. And then do some airwork. FO's are not required to be tested for steep turns. And not required for recurrent. However, I have new hire FO's do them. It tends to loosen then up a bit. The into stalls. All three. Clean, TO and departure and Landing configuration. Followed by unusual attitudes. And depending on the aircraft maybe emergency descents.

After an area arrival, we will do a normal ILS, engine out ILS with a miss, coupled approach, 2 non-precision approaches, one of which will be circling. The FO is not required to do an engine out ILS, couple approach, missed approach for an ILS, a 2nd non-precision approach or a circling approach. Normally, because of all the different types of approaches we do, I generally have the FO's do the single engine ILS and a 2nd non-precision approach.

Then back home. The pilot will have also completed a normal landing, crosswind landing, landing from an ILS, Engine out landing, rejected landing and a no flap landing.

Also during this ride, I will asking questions as we go along and from time to time giving you system malfunctions.

After we get back to the ramp, you will close out the paperwork and we will discuss the ride. How you did and what you need to work on. I will not sugar coat it.

The only real difference between an initial or a recurrent, is that a recurrent might seem a little bit less involved. It really isn't. Since I am also a line Captain, I am regularly flying with these pilots and observing them. So I am seeing many of the required items on a daily basis. So I will cover those items, but not in the detail of an inital. Don't get me wrong, the items are covered, but a little bit differently. For example, I flew with another Captain into Aspen, yesterday. G+He did the performance planning for the leg out. If I were giving him a check ride today, I would ask him about the performance planning he did yesterday. Things like, what was the limiting factor for the takeoff yesterday?

Now during the checkride, I saw anything sub standard, I can stop the checkride and conduct training. It is my option. It depends on what I saw.

Once back inside, I start writting up Form 8410. A copy goes in your file, you get the top copy and a copy goes in my check airman file.

As for the feds riding along, they observe check airmen at least once a year. Depending on how many checkrides they conduct. Don't worry, ignore them. They are actually checking me. I know that is easier said than done.

Hope that helps. Good luck.