Another way to shorten your checkride

The easy answer: get a high score on your knowledge test.

Did you know there is no requirement for an evaluator to test every knowledge and risk management element in a Task?  The evaluator has discretion to sample as needed to ensure the applicant's mastery of that Task. The required minimum elements to be tested from each applicable (or required) Task include:

• Any element in which the applicant was shown to be deficient on the knowledge test;
• At least one knowledge element;
• At least one risk management; and
• All skill elements, unless otherwise noted.

Let's use the initial CFI checkride as an example. The FIA knowledge test has 100 questions on it.  If you get a passing score of 70% that means the evaluator is required to test all 30 of the missed elements (questions) adding significant time to the test.     

Now, the evaluator doesn't know the exact knowledge test question missed, but they do know the ACS test element missed from the ACS codes on the knowledge test report. These elements are primarily tested during the ground/oral portion of the checkride. A good evaluator could use some, or all,  of those missed elements to develop a realistic scenario to shorten the test.  For example, I recently had a initial CFI applicant with the following ACS element codes on the knowledge test:

• AI.II.D.K2: Airplane stability, maneuverability and controllability
• AI.II.F.K2E: Factors affecting performance: Loading & Weight and Balance
• AI.II.F.K3: Weight and Balance terms including........
• AI.II.F.R4: Exceeding weight limits
• AI.II.F.R6: Shifting, adding, and removing weight

I think you can see the scenario here. The scenario was, "teach a student pilot how to do a weight and balance and explain the hazards associated with flying outside of the aircraft CG Envelope."

Now the issue. Most recommending CFIs fail to adequately review the missed elements on the knowledge test. They sign off the required 61.39 endorsement saying they reviewed it, but I have found those elements to be pretty weak during checkrides.  

Make your checkride as easy as you can by scoring high on the knowledge test and really bone up on your knowledge on the elements you did miss.