PPL Skills Test - Hints, tips and experiences
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Ooh arrgh land
PPL Skills Test - Hints, tips and experiences
Pruners,
I am now at 44hrs TT, and now contemplating the upcoming skills test for PPL.
I have done a search, that didn't turn up too much, so thought this was a candidate for a new thread. I suspect I will be corrected!
I have read and inwardly digested CAA doc 19 which is very informative with regards to what to expect etc. My instructors and club are also very helpful.
What I am really after are any little hints, tips and experiences that you are willing to pass on in order help me prepare for the big day. I am due for a mock test when the wx improves, so would like the opportunity to try out anything you have to suggest.... anything at all...please!
I hope to continue on to start studdy for ATPL theory on completion with hour building etc etc etc... usual stuff.
Many thanks in advance.
Bigals
I am now at 44hrs TT, and now contemplating the upcoming skills test for PPL.
I have done a search, that didn't turn up too much, so thought this was a candidate for a new thread. I suspect I will be corrected!
I have read and inwardly digested CAA doc 19 which is very informative with regards to what to expect etc. My instructors and club are also very helpful.What I am really after are any little hints, tips and experiences that you are willing to pass on in order help me prepare for the big day. I am due for a mock test when the wx improves, so would like the opportunity to try out anything you have to suggest.... anything at all...please!
I hope to continue on to start studdy for ATPL theory on completion with hour building etc etc etc... usual stuff.
Many thanks in advance.
Bigals
Joined: Apr 2002
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 1,264
Likes: 57
From: Surrey, UK ;
Excellent advice, make absolutely sure you commit all the memory items to memory But ...... Don't do things from memory that you can do from the checklist. You will forget something in the heat of the moment. Even do the walk-round with a checklist.
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: UK
Mate, in addition to the very important technical tips you will recieve from others, let me suggest the following:
Your examiner wants you to pass. He is not an ogre. It is OK to make some mistakes, inform the examiner as soon as you can. He will have noticed. Consider the mistakes on the ground and under no circumstances allow them to get in the way of the rest of your test.
Finally, arrive at the field in plenty of time.
Good luck.
Wombat
Your examiner wants you to pass. He is not an ogre. It is OK to make some mistakes, inform the examiner as soon as you can. He will have noticed. Consider the mistakes on the ground and under no circumstances allow them to get in the way of the rest of your test.
Finally, arrive at the field in plenty of time.
Good luck.
Wombat
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 779
Likes: 1
From: Kent UK
Mazzy's thread - 'From Zero to Forty-Five....'
Hi BigAl's,
Excellent (but huge ) thread an all aspects of FT but this page gives his skills test write-up:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...138022&page=67
Enjoy! (took me ages to find it...
)
Kev. Good luck!
Excellent (but huge ) thread an all aspects of FT but this page gives his skills test write-up:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...138022&page=67
Enjoy! (took me ages to find it...
)Kev. Good luck!
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
From: Leicester
Pfl's are what let me down. Always remeber to fake tune transpnder to engine failure and then say i would say a mayday. My instructor never taught me these two things my examiner had a field day with them. Also have fun treat it like a normal flight as soon as you get tense you start making mistakes. And when he asks if u want to land and have a break dont be forced into landing as ur landing will count. I didnt land and im glad sun was in my eyes and I'd never been to that field before.
Good Luck
Dave
Good Luck
Dave
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
From: Worcester
Try and get an aircraft you know well. I did my test in an aircraft with a comms system I hadn't used before and also had a coarser prop which threw out my cruising speed and nav timings. I did spot that I was going to be early and adjusted my ETA accordingly.
Chris
Chris
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 263
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From: Not around here
As has been said, try to relax and remember that the instructor wants you to pass. He is not looking for perfection but more the case that you're safe.
Remember also to treat the examiner like a passenger. I did the following:
1) Asked him his weight, obviously for W&B calcs.
2) Asked him to keep quiet whilst I verbally conducted the walkround
3) Said to him that if he were a normal passenger that I would ask him not to touch anything in the cockpit unless asked but that if he did by accident then he should tell you.
4) Also, again if he were a normal passenger then could he please keep a sharp lookout and tell me if he saw any traffic. Don't assume that I've seen it.
Hopefully by doing this he will feel comforted that you a reasonably in control and should make a good 'captain' of your aircraft.
All the best and let us know how you get on.
C23
Remember also to treat the examiner like a passenger. I did the following:
1) Asked him his weight, obviously for W&B calcs.
2) Asked him to keep quiet whilst I verbally conducted the walkround
3) Said to him that if he were a normal passenger that I would ask him not to touch anything in the cockpit unless asked but that if he did by accident then he should tell you.
4) Also, again if he were a normal passenger then could he please keep a sharp lookout and tell me if he saw any traffic. Don't assume that I've seen it.
Hopefully by doing this he will feel comforted that you a reasonably in control and should make a good 'captain' of your aircraft.
All the best and let us know how you get on.
C23
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 6,626
Likes: 12
From: UK
I am now at 44hrs TT, and now contemplating the upcoming skills test for PPL.
The main tip is enjoy yourself and just show the examiner that you can safely operate the aircraft.
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 82
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From: N/A
I had a radio failure on my test, or at least the PTT button on my side of the airplane. Felt like a right prat seen as it had been working until about 20 mins into flight.
Examiners button worked, but we had to go back to leeds straight away because if I cant use the radio, then I cant complete the test.
Passed a couple of days later, but the weather up here aint been good the passed month and have only hade 40 mins flying time in the past 4 weeks.
GOOD LUCK and just be yourself
Examiners button worked, but we had to go back to leeds straight away because if I cant use the radio, then I cant complete the test.
Passed a couple of days later, but the weather up here aint been good the passed month and have only hade 40 mins flying time in the past 4 weeks.
GOOD LUCK and just be yourself
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 267
Likes: 31
From: UK
I had a radio failure on my test, or at least the PTT button on my side of the airplane. Felt like a right prat seen as it had been working until about 20 mins into flight.
Examiners button worked, but we had to go back to leeds straight away because if I cant use the radio, then I cant complete the test.
Examiners button worked, but we had to go back to leeds straight away because if I cant use the radio, then I cant complete the test.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 548
Likes: 0
From: Scotland
Remember your instructors putting you forward for test on his own review of your performance so fly as you would. The examiners looking for a safe approach to your flying, if you make a mistake rectify it safely.
Give your examiner a call the night before your test to review everything, he might give you his weight and route to plan which will give you more time to mentally fly your test. I was unfortunate in this area, my examiner gave me exactly 1 hour to plan everything before my test. Its not as much time as I would've liked but its enough.
I messed up my PFL on test day, I thought I had failed, I continued but for a few moments I thought I had just ballsed the LST up, I decided to continue positively and identifyed my errors with examiner...I made all the right decisions on the day and passed so if you mess up, pick yourself up fast and continue. If you don't you will only make the examiners decision easier for him.
Good luck with test day and enjoy it! I was physically and mentally drained after LST, that I struggled to drive back home!!
Give your examiner a call the night before your test to review everything, he might give you his weight and route to plan which will give you more time to mentally fly your test. I was unfortunate in this area, my examiner gave me exactly 1 hour to plan everything before my test. Its not as much time as I would've liked but its enough.
I messed up my PFL on test day, I thought I had failed, I continued but for a few moments I thought I had just ballsed the LST up, I decided to continue positively and identifyed my errors with examiner...I made all the right decisions on the day and passed so if you mess up, pick yourself up fast and continue. If you don't you will only make the examiners decision easier for him.
Good luck with test day and enjoy it! I was physically and mentally drained after LST, that I struggled to drive back home!!
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
From: N/A
The aircraft I was flying, a Robin 200, wouldn't allow me to do that, I tried everything, and the examiner, decided to go back because the aircraft wasn't airworthy.
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
From: Hampshire
A couple of things I'd add to what has been said above.
Remember, you are trying to sell to the examiner the concept that you are a competent safe pilot. No examiner expects perfection - although they may discuss some of the less than perfect points with you. Mine demonstrated several things during the test. I still passed (and that was after me demonstrating an accidental spiral dive from a steep turn!)
A great deal of this is about your professional attitude. Try to relax and remember that, even during the test, you should be enjoying flying. The most likely thing, if you stuff something up, is that you will be deferred. That is not the end of the world and does not equate to that other great dread in life - failing the driving test!
If you can, opt to do the nav first. That gets you used to flying the plane in the conditions on the day.
Finally, I haven't read the rules about provision of aircraft for the test - which probably require a working radio - but since when has a faulty PTT button rendered an aircraft unairworthy? Seems to me like the examiner lacked a certain amount of common sense and discretion; if you had passed the radio test previously, he could have opted to do all the radio work himself.
HH
Remember, you are trying to sell to the examiner the concept that you are a competent safe pilot. No examiner expects perfection - although they may discuss some of the less than perfect points with you. Mine demonstrated several things during the test. I still passed (and that was after me demonstrating an accidental spiral dive from a steep turn!)
A great deal of this is about your professional attitude. Try to relax and remember that, even during the test, you should be enjoying flying. The most likely thing, if you stuff something up, is that you will be deferred. That is not the end of the world and does not equate to that other great dread in life - failing the driving test!
If you can, opt to do the nav first. That gets you used to flying the plane in the conditions on the day.
Finally, I haven't read the rules about provision of aircraft for the test - which probably require a working radio - but since when has a faulty PTT button rendered an aircraft unairworthy? Seems to me like the examiner lacked a certain amount of common sense and discretion; if you had passed the radio test previously, he could have opted to do all the radio work himself.
HH