PPL flight test

[Tony_Soprano17]

Just coming up to apply for my PPL test, does anyone have any interesting tales or bits of information about their test. Any strange or difficult questions asked in the ground part? Or for that matter any questions at all you were asked?

[Romeo India Xray]

Q What is the approach speed
A Of this aircraft we use XX kts
Q No, of any aircraft
A Erm.... (scratch head), do you mean 1.3 VsO?
Q Yes, exactly (turns to another student), you see, the British know the answer so why dont you? (I was not in the UK at the time)
Q OK, then tell me why it is 1.3 VsO
A (Blank look)
Q What is climb speed
A Erm 70kts
Q For any AC
A (Blank look)
Q It is 1.2 VsO. You can thus raise the drag flaps in a go-around and still have speed protection to get best rate of climb.

An exam should still be part of the learning process. Examiners are also (or have been) instructors. A good examiner will let you walk away thinking "I know more now than I did before the start of that"

RIX

p.s. good luck :ok:

[David Horn]

Try to relax a bit during the flight. I didn't and got progressively more nervous thinking that I'd ballsed it up, and just made more and more mistakes. My glide approach used most of an 8500 foot runway and thinking about it makes me cringe to this day.

Passed (just), lesson learned, and went on to take the CPL a couple of months later with no problem - even enjoyed the flight.

[Xorthis]

If your examiner is a nice, relaxed and friendly person as most are you'll do fine. The main number one biggest piece of advice for your flight is BE SAFE!

For any ground questions just make sure you are familiar with the preformance of your aircraft, like V speeds, fuel capacity etc. You've passed the exams so you should have no problem with questions that you would find there :)

[Gertrude the Wombat]

The old one:

The examiner is asking himself this question: "if this punter's next flight is with my kids as passengers, am I going to be happy?"

Answer "yes" and you pass, although you will get a bollocking for your various mistakes.

Answer "no" and you fail, even if the examiner has to be creative to find legitimate reasons for failing you.

That's the urban legend, anyway ... and I've never heard an examiner deny it. (Bet I will now though!)

[Nibbler]

With the PFL, consider if your best option is dead ahead! Beware the EFATO which usually follows the PFL early on the climb out, sight a suitable option on the PFL approach.

Ensure you know how to use the POH for the W&B and performance calculations.

The best of luck!

[George Zipper]

Know your route & know your aircraft.

And expect the unexpected.

If you have done the above you should be reasonably well prepared for the rest. :ok:

[Shunter]

Nibbler has a very good point. A lot of students have it banged into their head that they must set up a circuit, blah blah... if the engine fails, which can sometimes be completely the wrong thing to do. All he wants to see is you put it safely on the ground so practice a few scenarios with your instructor, best field being directly in front of you, how much alt you lose doing a 360 glide turn etc...

My PPL test was as mentioned above - simply a requirement for a competent, safe flight. I made mistakes, most people do, but nothing dangerous.

[gfunc]

The examiner for my test was the same person who I flew with on the nav test and was one of the senior instructors at my flying club. I'd flown with him a few times before, so I guess he had an idea of my capabilities.

I found out after everything was signed off that he used the nav test to mentally tick the boxes for the flight test. This explained why I got an EFATO straight after departure and then this ex-RAF chap wanted to go off and do some rather odd stuff such as some spins (this is in the mid-90's after it had been removed from the syllabus). He also directed me to fly into some clouds, covered the AI and DI and said 'whatcha gonna do now?', which prompted me to do a 180 with turn coordinator and compass.

Make sure you do a thorough preflight, since I found that the air filter thingy (technical term) below the landing light on the 152 was installed upside down. The examiner was very pleased with me, but incredibly angry with the other instructors who had not noticed during the previous 20 hours of flying.

Just relax, make sure you talk through the proceedures as you go through them. It might seem a bit silly at first if you are not used to it, but it lets the examiner know that you know. Don't do what I did and reel off the entire engine restart checklist after the the examiner reduces power to idle and says "right, you heard a bang and there's a piston popping out of the top of the cowling". I think that if you basically get around without endangering yourself, the examiner or others you'll be fine.

Best of luck,

Gareth.

[BYALPHAINDIA]

Yeah, As long as you bring the 'FE' back in one piece that's a start!!Lol

One of my 'Older' instructors used to 'Smack' your hand if you didn't keep your hand on the Throttle in the Circuit.

But, He was a 'One Off'

His CV went from Hurricane - to many many others he was in his 60's when I had him for lessons.

The One And Only = Charles Spooner Esq Of Norfolk!!

Good luck With Your GFT.

[Comanche250]

My PPL examiner said to me about half an hour into the flight..."Is this an Aerobat?" So I said yeah, he says..."I have control" and does a loop! Not what you expect on your GFT. Anyway, relax with the test, easier said than done we'll all admit but its the best thing, you wouldn't be sat there if you couldn't do it!