Originally Posted by
MarkerInbound
Yes, most of the commercial checkride is flown VFR. Somewhere along the way the Examiner will hand you the hood and then an engine will fail, imagine that. Then you go shoot an approach to a landing.
Your timeline is correct, just make you pass the IR written before you show up at the FAA office to pick up your FAA private certificate. And remember our TSA wants to make sure you're one of the good guys before any of this happens. Plus you'll need at least a FAA third class medical for the checkride and a second class medical before you're actually paid to fly.
The FAA makes available on the FAA website a guide to checkrides called the Practical Test Standards or PTS. The commercial airplane PTS lists all the items covered during the oral and checkride for SEL, SES, MEL and MES. Gives you an idea what you're in for.
Good day MarkerInbound, would you be able to confirm that once the "normal" IR written is taken, and successful, no IFR check ride would be needed to move the IR to the CPL. This would be done during a commercial multi check ride which would include the demonstration of instrument proficiency, on the same commercial multi ride?
I ask because a DPE from FL advised me that if the "normal IR" written is taken I would still have to do a IR check ride but no check ride is needed only for the "foreign IR" written but that would only give instrument privileges on the "based on" license.
I am a CAA CPL IR holder, looking to acquire a FAA MEL CPL w/ IR.