GFPT Checkride

[VH-YYY]

Just wanting some information on the GFPT check ride and what sort of things I can be expected to demonstrate?

[coke drinker]

Straight and Level
Climbs
Decents
Stalls
Turns
PFL
PSL
Circuits (flapless, engine out, normal)
They may ask you to do a side slip (not sure if that is still an optional manoeuvre)

Have a read of these:
http://casa.gov.au/manuals/regulate/fcl/form1023.pdf
http://casa.gov.au/manuals/regulate/fcl/form640.pdf

[dude65]

Make sure you know your radio procedures inside & out

[Capt Fathom]

Not sure why you would be asking here?

Your Flying School/Instructor will cover all of that. They will not put you up for the test until they think you are ready.

[The Green Goblin]

Everything covered in the GFPT is on the back of the flight test form, i suggest you jump on the CASA website and download it.

Expect to be tested on everything you have covered in your training so far, from effects of controls through to advanced stalls.

Have fun :ok:

[HappyBandit]

One engine inop NDB, ILS/localiser and DME/GPS arrival with a missed approach for another approach....:ok:

In case this isn't a windup.... what coke drinker said

[LambOfGod]

Have you started lessons yet?
I havn't done the GFPT yet but I have passed the BAK:rolleyes:

If you have started lessons you probably got a syllabus and it goes throught it all there, what I like it that it tells you a marking criteria.
e.g, 30 degree turn (-/+5 deg) Thats just off the top of my head, but yeah. I'm sure you can find it at casa.

[BrazDriver]

Perhaps try the flight test form???

[Charlie Foxtrot India]

The syllabus is here.

Flying training standards and syllabuses (http://www.casa.gov.au/fcl/vfrday.htm)

[SeldomFixit]

Goodness me - he just wanted to talk to the Perfessionals

[Track5milefinal]

And know your aircraft well! (speeds etc):ok:

[startingout]

remember that if you are not stabilized, GO AROUND! it shows that you can make decisions, not just another number.
:ok:

[Cap'n Arrr]

GFPT is all about SAFETY. You don't have to be Chuck Yeager, but you have to be able to lookout, put the plane on the ground in one piece, GO AROUND where necessary!

Basically everything you have covered in your training to date can be tested in the GFPT, but some parts are optional, which ones are done will depend on your testing officer.

If you are unsure about something, ASK! e.g. he says "Show me a stall" then you could ask "do you want be to recover at the buzzer or after the stall?"

Try and relax, make sure you know your aircraft, privileges of GFPT and the Air Law you've been taught today as well. If you need more specific advice, then ask your instructor, or even another student you know who's recently done the GFPT about what they did in the test.

Good luck!:ok:

[LambOfGod]

I'll be in the same boat shortly. Havn't done the area solo yet but I have been thinking about the GFPT. You dudes have educated me on the test, but im gonna have to ask some other sp's who have passed the test what happened, especialy when it's the same flying school.

Let us know how you go:ok:

[coke drinker]

LambofGod...the school is not going to give you the variations in the test, it will be the testing officer. Until you know who you're testing officer is, you won't have a good answer. Its just like your driving test, you can be told about all the foibles of all of them, but until you know who you will have its just irrelevant information clogging your mind.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Has it really changed so much over the years since I did it?

I would have thought anything on the GFPT syllabus would be fair game. Its been a while, but my memory of my RPPL test (with infamous ex-Lufwaffe pilot John Bally) came about by surprise when I turned up at the flying school to do some solo practice and was nabbed. "So and so hasn't turned up for their test, you might as well do yours"! "Ahhhhh, OK"!

Paperwork and questions; calculate TO and Landing distance required ("That's the distance you have available to you"!).

TO; Climb out and track to training area; compass turns; steep turns; stalls (no flap no power, 20 flap 1800 rpm); gliding steep turns; forced landing (JB: "Ah, I do not know if we are alive or dead"!); circuit entry; flapless appr and landing; cross wind circuit and landing; finished off with a short field landing (Instructor's last words in my ear, "Mr Bally likes to see good use of power in the short field landing"); I gave him power alright - dragged it in on the prop from a couple of miles out, over the fence, stuck it on the end of the runway and pulled up before the end of the piano keys feeling pretty smug !!!!!!

Then my world came apart!

JB: "Who taught you to do za short field landing like that"?
Me: "Ahhhh, I guess my instructor did"!
JB: "No, no, no, zat was terrible. I told you that you had za runway length available that you verked out before. Zere was no need to brake so hard"!
Me (thinking to myself): "Yeah right, and you can stick your f*cking pilots licence where the sun doesn't shine"!

In the debrief, JB continued to berate my short-field landings to my instructor (who shall remain nameless!)

Nameless Instructor: "Ahh, I might have over emphasised the use of power in the short field landing, but I will have him sorted out for his next test"!
JB: "Oh no, za rest of his flying is very good - but he cannot do za short field landing. You must go up straight way and do za hour on za shortfield landing, zen I will give him za licence"!

So we did - and he did!

Za moral of za story? If your school is any good they shouldn't put you up for a test unless you are ready for it. Relax! Fly the aeroplane! ......... and the test will take care of itself!

Dr :8

[DH 200']

Just to add on to what coke drinker said, you may have to go under the hood for a bit and then recover the aircraft from the unusual attitude. Also not too sure if it is in wide practice but with me it was a landing on an unprepared surface to finish off the flight.
Good luck, it's nowhere near as hard as you anticipate it to be.:ok:

[Centaurus]

They may ask you to do a side slip (not sure if that is still an optional manoeuvre

Who is "they?" One hopes "they" don't ask you to demonstrate a sideslip in a high wing type like a Cessna with full flap down. When the lowered flap effects the airflow over the tailplane you may expect a severe and potentially dangerous bunt and if at low altitude it could be all over very quickly indeed. Read the POH.

[A37575]

finished off with a short field landing (Instructor's last words in my ear, "Mr Bally likes to see good use of power in the short field landing

Bally was a class idiot and he became a CASA FTO to prove it. The true short field landing was essentially a wartime military manoeuvre that had no place in civilian aero club flying. It was flown as low as 1.05 above the stall with the best examples being carrier landings by Naval aircraft. These were flown literally on the point of the stall and required power on the approach to provide slipstream over the wings and tail surfaces. Pilots Notes Sea Fury quotes recommended final approach speed with flaps down engine on at typical service load of 12,400 lbs as 100 knots. For a deck landing the recommended speed was 90-92 knots. [B]That was a short field landing The difference in other military types was in the order of 10-15 knots lower than a normal approach and landing.

If the true "short field" landing was conducted today in light aircraft the stall warning device would be operating continuously on final approach and flare and I am sure CASA would not be too happy about that - nor the insurers. The student would also fail his GFPT if that happened.

Although the term is still used in the GA industry, it is a misnomer. A landing approach with the aim of arriving over the fence at the flight manual recommended IAS used for the landing performance tables is a normal landing - not a "short field."

Do you ever hear of a jet transport conducting a "short field" landing? I don't think so. Yet the airspeed used (manufacturer's flight manual) is the same basic principle as should be used in a Cessna. True "short field" landings are a thing of the past and rightly so.

[coke drinker]

Who is "they?" One hopes "they" don't ask you to demonstrate a sideslip in a high wing type like a Cessna with full flap down. When the lowered flap effects the airflow over the tailplane you may expect a severe and potentially dangerous bunt and if at low altitude it could be all over very quickly indeed. Read the POH.
They being said testing officer. When I did mine, we did a sideslip in the training area. One left, one right. The ATO said to me "it doesn't matter if you can't, but would you demonstrate for me a sideslip." Now, I haven't flown Cessna types (I'm not a fan) and the aircraft I was flying was perfectly fine for these manoeuvres-I would have to assume that an ATO in a Cessna type would be aware of this limitation!

Just to add on to what coke drinker said, you may have to go under the hood for a bit and then recover the aircraft from the unusual attitude. Also not too sure if it is in wide practice but with me it was a landing on an unprepared surface to finish off the flight.
Good luck, it's nowhere near as hard as you anticipate it to be.http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/thumbs.gif
From memory the only airport I flew into and out of was my home airport when I did mine (going back quite a long time now!), I may have gone to another nearby but I don't remember doing so. I certainly didn't landing on anything other than a sealed surface in my GFPT.

[MikeTangoEcho]

I passed my GFPT on 17/1, and the Testing Officer was literally ticking (and crossing mind you!) the back of the application form, which I guess is how they know they've covered everything.

I actually failed my first test on 9/1 due to absolutely losing it in the circuit... VERY disappointing.. I just baulked my flapless and short field landings :ugh:.. Too high on approach which resulted in a go around or too low on base (be established at 500'+ AGL on final!) I guess not having done a circuit lesson or any solo practice in the circuit since April last year didn't help. Spent too much time getting everything right in the training area which did pay off.

Just make sure you know how to answer/do everything thats on the back of the form and you can't go wrong and good luck if you haven't alreay passed :ok:

[rayjay850]

Having passed my GFPT about 6 months ago the only thing I would add to the above comments is RELAX RELAX RELAX ....and yes, not an easy thing to do!. I received a "You can obviously fly, just relax !" from the tester. Having your PFL's absolutely up to scratch also makes it less stressful :O

[b_sta]

Agreed on the 'relax' part. You've done it all before, if you weren't able to then you wouldn't be sitting the test in the first place. If you get stressed out it'll only make your performance worse.

Oh, and make sure you've got your PFLs and crosswind landings down pat, the former because it's probably what you'll most easily be failed for if you screw up, and the latter because you never know what conditions (wind-wise) you might end up going up in (had a 14kt crosswind for mine).

[UnderneathTheRadar]

the GFPT check ride

It's not a 'check ride' (unless you're a seppo), it's a General Flying Progress TEST.

UTR

[Zoomy]

UTR, you beat me to it.

It is either a General Flying Progress TEST

or

A GFPT pilot recency check, ie you have not flown in 90 Days ect ect ect.

[the wizard of auz]

True "short field" landings are a thing of the past and rightly so.
I would have to disagree with you. I use true short field landing as operation requirements whilst mustering and in ag work. sometime the length of an aircraft carrier would be a delight.:O

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Having your PFL's absolutely up to scratch also makes it less stressful http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/embarass.gif

Psssst! What the f*ck is a PFL?

Dr :8

[Track5milefinal]

Practice Forced Landing:ok:

[the wizard of auz]

precautionary forced landing as well. good for weather stress, last light muff ups etc. at least thats what I was taught back in the days.

[Arnold E]

Someone early in the piece said " know your radio proceedures". Yeah, I remember my Restricted licence test ( shows you how old I am ) and all was going well. Did the best cross wind landing at a remote airfield that I have ever done in a screaming crosswind, real proud of myself. As soon as I had rolled out, I was told to return to home base ( Parafield ). I had failed.:eek: The reason was that I had completely stuffed up the inbound call. At the time I was realy downcast and considered that I was too dumb for flying (some say I still am ) but now I can see the reason. To let other people know what I am doing. I think the reason why this happened was that I was very uptight. Try to treat your test as any other lesson ( difficult, I know ) but this will help you to not make simple mistakes and get as down on yourself as I did. My commercial test was much better because I was much more relaxed, treating it as just another lesson. Good luck, relax and enjoy.:ok: And another thing. Dont rely on memory. Plan, write everything down, notes on your charts or on your kneeboard will be most usefull and will be looked upon favourably.:ok:

[JPVD]

They call short-field landings/take-offs 'minimum ground roll'.

[Charlie Foxtrot India]

According to the syllabus, it is unit "A5.5 Execute short take-off and
landing"

[superdimona]

I'm sure the people discussing this 2 years ago will be very interested.

[A37575]

Your Flying School/Instructor will cover all of that.

You wish! I doubt if many Grade 2 or 3 would have a clue. At least on Pprune there is a wide spread of opinion rather than that of just one individual

[Slippery_Pete]

Having passed my GFPT about 6 months ago the only thing I would add to the above comments is RELAX RELAX RELAX ....and yes, not an easy thing to do!. I received a "You can obviously fly, just relax !" from the tester.
This is a sign of an excellent testing officer. Probably not a CASA employee. :D In twenty years time, when you maybe become an ATO, make sure you remember this.

Wrt short field landings - absolutely agree with other posters, they are a fallacy and don't exist in GA aircraft. It doesn't matter what graph you look at in the POH, the LDR is calculated with a 50' threshhold crossing and 1.3 Vs. Why on earth are CASA expecting you to demonstrate something other than this?

Another example of where CASA don't even understand what they are requiring people to demonstrate.

Short field landings with less than 1.3 Vs protection and less than 50' crossing heights came from military applications and have no place in CASA flight tests.