Please take a few minutes and look over the applicants log book for missing qualifications and endorsements.  

I've had several applicants show up short on the qualifications.  One commercial applicant was missing his 2 hour dual day cross country.  A CFI airplane candidate was missing his spin training and endorsement.  A Helicopter CFI candidate didn't have a flight review in the R22 as required by SFAR  73.  An instrument applicant didn't shoot 3 different types of approaches on his dual instrument cross country.  And a private pilot applicant only had 2 of the 3 required take off and landings at a towered airport.

All the endorsements can be found in AC 61-65F.  The most missed endorsement, and required for every check ride is the 61.39 endorsement.  The second most missed endorsement is the 90 day solo endorsement for student pilots (yes, we have to have it current for the private pilot check ride).

You can Google AC 61-65F if you need it.  There are also several "checklist" online to help ensure your students meet the requirements of 61.

Sorry for the long period of not posting.  Between check rides, a couple of vacations and work, I've been neglecting the blog.  

I'll get right to the point.  I have had some problems on some check rides.  Some things have left me baffled and others have scared me.  So here's a list of thing for you to think about before you or your students check ride.

1.  Can you or your student file and open a flight plan?

2.  How can you talk to flight service, in flight, to get an update on weather at your destination?

3.  What weather could you expect flying through a warm or cold front? 

4.  "I'll figure it out" is not a correct response to "How do you recover from a spin?"

5.  122.95 is NOT MSN approach frequency.  Nor is it RFDs

6.  Inadvertent IMC is the number one killer of pilots.  What will you do if you find yourself in IMC?

7.  What are your personal weather minimums?  How about at night?  What about winds?

8.  Never, I mean Never, stop flying the aircraft!!!

9.  When an engine fails on take off, Lower the Nose!  It should be your first reaction.

10.  Flying a Multi engine airplane is a thinking mans game.  Have a plan for a loss of an engine.

11.  Speaking of Twins.  Several applicant have gotten distracted and allowed their airspeed to drop       to dangerously low numbers after an engine failure.  FLY THE AIRPLANE!

12.  Are the performance numbers in your POH realistic?  Have you added any safety factors? What would be the shortest runway you would feel comfortable taking me into?  Why?

13.  Why does your landing distance go up when flying at Denver on a hot day?

14.  For the helicopter types...Why does Vne decrease with altitude?  What is the recovery technique for RBS, LTE, VRS and low G?

15.  If you bounce a landing and start porpoising, know what to do.  If the examiner has to fix it the check ride won't end in your favor.

16.  What is a stabilized approach?  

17.  Relax, Breath, Fly the airplane.  Are we high, low, fast or slow?  Fix it!

18.  Three things for a successful check ride.  Don't wake the examiner.  Don't make the examiner nervous. And.  Don't scare the examiner.  (No, you won't find that in the ACS or PTS).