Other than your first solo flight as a student pilot, the thing that causes the most apprehension and anxiety for pilots of all levels is the Checkride. Are you prepared for your pilot Checkride?
Whatever aviation checkride you might be preparing for, from pre-solo to Airline Transport Pilot, will be addressed on this website. In fact, providing student pilots with the information and resources they need to be successful on their initial checkride attempts will be our main purpose here at The New AviationMD. Why, because no pilot wants to fail a checkride as it may affect their future, especially if a career as a professional pilot is your goal.
How we plan to do that is by providing comprehensive aviation resources developed from over twenty years of aviation experience. The last five of which were spent as a Check Pilot for all pilot stage checks and certification checkrides; from pre-solo through Flight Instructor.
Most websites you’ll encounter only list the requirements for aviation checkrides and thus fail to provide the insights required for checkride success. These requirements are already common knowledge and specific as they’re listed in the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR’s), as well as the appropriate Practical Test Standards (PTS) guides. Here at The New AviationMD, we plan to break down these requirements into the finest detail and present them to you from an examiners perspective.
Thus, please become a member of our site by signing up to receive our free pilot tips newsletter. And hang on as we gear up for your aviation checkride success. Also, feel free to comment or ask questions on any of the posts here at www.aviationmd.com and we’ll provide a personal response in a timely manner.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I have been a licensed pilot since 1972. Due to an issue with a medical, for which I now have a written authorization, the letter from the FAA states “The medical flight test must be successfully accomplished n conjunction with your pilot check ride.” They issued me a medical certificate third class which states for student pilot purposes only. Does this sound right? Are all medical flight test the same? I have vision in only one eye, except for very slight peripheral vision, but I have passed 5 medicals since loss of vision, including one in 2009.
Carl,
This is the first time I’ve heard of a licensed pilot being issued a medical certificate with that limitation. However, the FAA has been overhauling their outdated medical certification process and this may be what they call “progress.”
My first question to you is: Are you applying for a new certificate or rating? If so the medical flight test can be combined with your check ride and the applicable Practical Test Standards will apply.
A stand alone medical flight test will be conducted to demonstrate that an applicant can safely operate the aircraft. I’m surprised you haven’t done this before. Useful vision in only one eye (monocular vision) is one condition for which a medical flight test might be used. There are hundreds of pilots flying with monocular vision waivers. The waiver becomes part of your medical certificate and shows that you have satisfactorily demonstrated the ability to safely perform the duties as required by the regulations. Thus, they’ll remove the student pilot limitation.
The following maneuvers and procedures will be conducted by your examiner:
(1) Observe an applicant with a visual defect(one eye missing or one eye blind) demonstrate the
following in an aircraft:
(a) The ability to select emergency landing fields at a distance, from high altitude, and preferably over unfamiliar terrain.
(b) The ability to simulate forced landings in difficult fields; note the manner of approach, rate of descent , and comparative distance at which
obstructions (stumps, boulders, ditches, etc.) are
recognized.
(c) The ability to recognize other aircraft (which may be present by prearrangement )
approaching at a collision course (particularly aircraft approaching from the far right or far left).
(d) The ability to judge distances and to recognize landmarks (compared with the inspector’s
estimate).
(e) The ability to land the aircraft.
(f) The ability to read aeronautical charts in flight and tune the radio to a predetermined station accurately and rapidly.
(g) The ability to read instrument panels (including an overhead panel, if any) quickly and
correctly.
We hope this was helpful and thank you for choosing the AviationMD as your source for pilot information.