Instrument Checkride this Wed.. dont feel prepared..

[QuasarZ]

I have my checkride coming up this wednesday. Now that I am reviewing more than ever.. I just dont feel pepared enough for the oral. My flying I am not worrying about beacaue that is fine. DOes anyone have pointers on what to do or the last minute things to study? THe main topics in the oral?
Thanks in advance!

 

[viper548]

ASA oral exam guide

 

[QuasarZ]

i am using that... If i know that by heart will I be good? or does the DE get questions from somewhere else too?

 

[minitour]

Know 91.167, .171, .173, .175, .183, .185 by heart. Know when you're required to have an instrument rating. Know your charts (what ever kind you use NOS/Jepps) cold...Pitot/static and Vacuum systems and their errors...magnetic compass errors/how to use it. Service volumes of VORs. What is: MEA, MRA, MAA, MOCA, OROCA, etc. Where do Victor airways start/end? Jet Routes? O2 requirements and illusions. Weather: Be able to read the charts, winds aloft, METAR, TAF, etc. What causes ice to form? How can you avoid that? What do you do if you end up in icing conditions?

My instrument oral wasn't all that bad...I had to plan a cross country flight in front of the examiner (he called me 10 minutes before and asked me "do you want to do your checkride now?" so ... no time to prep). Then he asked me about weather...why I chose the routes, altitudes, airways, etc. Asked me about ICE...a lot (it was November). Talked about pitot/static, vacuum, VOR services, NDBs and how they worked, RMI, HSI, OBS, asked me if I wanted to go fly since it was relatively low IFR...said yes...an ILS, a Back Course, a hold and a LOC later and I was done.

Good luck! Hope this helps. If you weren't ready your CFI wouldn't sign you off...just do what you do with him/her with you.

-mini

 

[QuasarZ]

Will the examiner care if I plan using Duats? It pretty much does it all for you... but i would still have to explain why I chose those routes.

 

[minitour]

I don't think it's a big deal...I never had a problem.

-mini

 

[JimG]

My instrument oral was so bad, I figured he was going to fail me before we even got in the airplane.

Funny story about the results.....

We took off at sunset....right into the sun, but by the time we got to an airport with proceedures, it was pitch black and I couldn't get my panel and instrument lights bright enough for me to see them well enough.

So...I pulled out and handed him my flashlight out of my bag and asked him to point it around the cockpit wherever I needed it....and to leave my instruments alone (damned DE's)...lol.

The whole time he's trying to distract me with conversation and questions about my avionics, he's also commenting about what a beautiful night it was with the full moon reflecting off the bright white snow....

WTH???????? It's pitch black....we're in real IMC!

Anyway....I nailed my checkride. My flying was flawless.

As we got back to home base, I did one steep turn for him and one recovery from unusual attitude and I was told I was done and to pull the hood off.....along with my sunglasses that I still had on.

A few years later, luck had it that he was my DE for my multi. The oral part lasted maybe 10 minutes and the flying portion 45 tops.

I guess the moral of my story is: brush up on the oral, but make damn sure if you're weak on it, you're strong on flying to compensate.

Oh...and if you're in trouble and behind the ball in your flight...don't be afraid to use him/her as center and ask for help.

Good luck

 

[QuasarZ]

When the DE asks for the required instruments and equipment to fly IFR.. can you just say that you need the stuff for vfr day/night plus.. or do you have to list the vfr stuff out?
What does the Tomato A Flames thing go?
I havent studied that vfr stuff in a long time

 

[Kream926]

whatever he/she asks just say 1000 and 3

 

[Fly_Chick]

i am using that... If i know that by heart will I be good? or does the DE get questions from somewhere else too?

The ASA Oral Exam Guides are good, they are not published by the FAA nor on behalf of the FAA, so I use them as very good supplements.

I use the PTS as the primary source of information for the Oral. For the Instrument Checkride, review "I. Area of Operation: Preflight Preparation" and "II. Area of Operation: Preflight Procedures", and all Tasks included therein.

Have your instructor, another instrument student, or another student with added knowledge quiz you directly from the PTS in those areas. Use the ASA Oral guide to supplement your knowledge in those areas, yet use the PTS as the primary source of topics to be included on your oral.

 

[Flyingdutchman]

If your CFI thinks your ready, you are. no worries and goodluck!

FD

 

[BushwickBill]

What does the Tomato A Flames thing go?
I havent studied that vfr stuff in a long time

Anti collision lights
Tachometer
Oil temp
Manifold pressure
Altimeter
Temperature engine (liquid cooled)
O ("O" damn i cant remember this one)
Flap position indicator
Landing gear lights (green=down)
Airspeed indicator
Magnetic compass
Elt
Seatbelts

Well this was off the top of my head I'm sure I have them written down somewhere. Please can someone help get the final "O"

Thanks

 

[Gutenberg]

Know the GPS and the autopilot if they are in your plane. Sometimes, you will be showing the DE something they don't know. Have confidence, and don't be thrown off by the "are you sure?" You are most likely right. They want you to be confident, they want you to pass. Give them what they want.

 

[Fly_Chick]

Please can someone help get the final "O"

Oil Pressure Gauge.

Try this technique. Sit in the plane (also works with a cockpit poster), and start from left to right, top to bottom, and point to (and touch) each instrument and gauge and ask yourself "is this required"?

Everybody I have ever worked with has learned and used this method successfully. It allows you to interact and look immediately at an instrument/gauge and determine immediately if it is required.

Example: Look at the Airspeed Indicator. Is it required? Yes. Look at the VSI. Is it required? No! Look at the Outside Air Temp gauge. Is it required? Yes.

This saves time as you are not running though an acronym in your head trying to figure out if it is required equipment.

 

[Almerick07]

I can honestly say I felt the IA checkride was easier than my private. Just study ASA, know the charts and approaches cold and really make sure your weather knowledge is solid. The flying part is easy...just follow needles and remember to:
Turn
Time
Tune
Throttle
Talk
every time you do anything.

 

[QuasarZ]

well.. that is my thing.. my weather knowledge isnt my best area.. I am trying to learn it all but it is hard!

 

[Flyingdutchman]

no worries...

in the clouds = IMC
close to the clouds = VMC

 

[Almerick07]

really get into icing, any charts you might use to determine weather a flight is safe or not (ie weather depiction chart, surface analysis chart, radar summary chart) altimeter settings to millibar settings. Icing is really the big concern here, know all the different types of ice, how to avoid it, what to do if encountered...the usual. how far around tstaorms you should fly, turbulence procedures....memorize the weather portion of the ASA book, they take those questions from the PTS which is what the examiner uses. Get those down and youll be golden.

 

[TEXAN AVIATOR]

Ask other CFIs to do ground with you; know the regs & charts inside and out.

Good luck,
TA

 

[QuasarZ]

I am working on a truncated time table here.. haha.. one day left!

 

[blueraider]

I always ask myself two questions...when I am teaching ground (to get a visual perspective) or in the air (the procedures should be there already)...What am I waiting for and what am I going to do when I get there? The answer..5T's Turn Time Twist Throttle Talk, which and what applies. If your there with Idle time and nothing applies you have done a fantastic appch brief or you have missed to oportunity to get ahead of the aircraft.

Just stay calm, maintain your situational awareness, get the big picture but keep calm and relax you know this stuff, Good Luck, hope this helps

 

[MDAutry]

Who are you taking it with? Crowder?

 

[MDAutry]

1. Use the GPS. It is an available instrument, you are an idiot if you don't. However, be prepared if you fixate on it he will turn it off. I.E. in the hold turn your VOR.

2. In the hold ask for DME legs, I.E. ATC 123MT request 5 DME legs.

3. Sleep at least some the night before and eat breakfast.

Other than that you are probably better prepared for the ground than you could ever imagine. It was really easy.

 

[FN FAL]

ASA oral exam guide

Yea, I used to beat my 10 day instrument students with that oral guide...never had a washout.

 

[FN FAL]

I am working on a truncated time table here.. haha.. one day left!

I think you know more than what you give yourself credit for. Relax, you either got it or you don't at this point. Get that sleep the other poster mentioned...free your mind and your ass will follow.

Good luck, have a great ride

 

[TDTURBO]

Remember, if you forget something,


BFD!



Just look it up, no one has mentioned that, odd. There is no law that says it isn't open book, the oral is almost impossiple to fail.

 

[User546]

Know your lost comm procedures down cold! I got killed on my instrument checkride with those. And not just the rote knowledge, be prepared for any kind of scenario he can give you, and how you'd "real world" fly it. Sometimes there's a big difference between saying the rote knowledge, and really understanding how to fly it in the real world.

If your already using the ASA Oral Exam Guide you should be good. Those guides are really thorough and should have you well prepared.

And I agree about the autopilot thing as well. If you have one in your airplane, know it well! I was never allowed to use it during my instrument training, but during the checkride the examiner wanted me to fly an autopilot-coupled ILS approach. I had about 10 seconds to figure that one out. And as funny as it sounds, had I not used Microsoft Flight Sim during much of my IR training, I wouldn't have had a clue how to do it either! But fortunately I had, and I pulled it off with minimal coaching.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, just relax! I know its next to impossible to really do before a checkride, but give yourself some credit, and dont be spending the last day and few hours before the ride cramming your head full of stuff that you already know. It'll only make you less sharp, and stress you out even more!

I always had a rule for myself that on the day of the checkride, I wouldn't touch any books, or do anything that had to do with the checkride (asides from finishing flight plan, and weather when required). You'll go into the ride much more relaxed and fresh that way, and it'll show.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[KigAir]

My instrument oral wasn't all that bad...I had to plan a cross country flight in front of the examiner

I've never had to plan a cross country flight in front of an examiner. For both my Pvt and Inst checkrides, I was told to plan a flight before the checkride and bring the paperwork when meeting the examiner.

 

[minitour]

I've never had to plan a cross country flight in front of an examiner. For both my Pvt and Inst checkrides, I was told to plan a flight before the checkride and bring the paperwork when meeting the examiner.

Except for the instrument ride, I was always given advance notice of where to plan the flight to and always had it done. This one was a different kinda situation.

I had to plan a cross country flight in front of the examiner (he called me 10 minutes before and asked me "do you want to do your checkride now?" so ... no time to prep).

He had someone cancel the flight portion of their instrument ride so...away I went.

Quasar

If he didn't give you a cross country to plan already, expect to have to do it for him. Although if you're asking about DUATS, I'm guessing he already gave you that information.

Good luck with the ride!

-mini

 

[atrdriver]

And remember, in the oral, answer the question he asks, and STOP. Don't tell him how to build a clock if he asks what time it is.