Checkride question.

[JordanD]

If I get a low score on my PPL written, will that mean that the examiner will make the checkride tougher than if I had gotten a higher score? I'm kind of curious. It seems like I'm still only able to get 85% consistently while practicing for the written. I've never gotten above a 91 (gotten 3 90's in the past week or so). My written is this month so I'd like to get maybe a 95%. I just feel like an idiot sometimes because I keep missing some questions that should come easily.

[ASpilot2be]

I got an 87 on mine, and I dont think it made any difference on the oral and practical.

[JordanD]

Thanks Alec. It seems like I'm mostly able to get in the high 80's consistently. Sometimes in the 90's but I'd say rarely. One question that just threw me a few minutes ago.
" An electrical system failure (battery and alternator) occurs during flight. In this situation, you would"
I said: probably experience failure of the engine ignition system, fuel gauges, aircraft lighting system, and avionics equipment.
But they said the correct answer was "experience avionics equipment failure".
Now in the plane I fly, the ignition system, fuel gauges, lighting, and avionics don't work without the battery, as in all planes, so I thought my answer was the correct one. Was it wrong because of the word "probably" in the answer? In other words, did I basically answer that those things might fail? So is the "probably" thing just their way of keeping you on your toes?
I hope that made sense
One more question:
Is the minimum score 70% for all of the tests I'll be taking (Instrument, CPL, CFI, ATPL, whatever else)?

[Star Alliance]

Actually, Jordan, it would be wrong because the magnetos operate independantly from the electrical system. So, even if the lights go out, the engine keeps running.
I'm pretty sure that's the way it goes, maybe some land-bound bird type could correct or back me up on this?
Mitch

[screaming_emu]

Actually, Jordan, it would be wrong because the magnetos operate independantly from the electrical system. So, even if the lights go out, the engine keeps running.
I'm pretty sure that's the way it goes, maybe some land-bound bird type could correct or back me up on this?
Mitch

Yup, Mitch is correct. I think what might be confusing you Jordan is that without the battery master, the starter will not work. But once you get it started, if you turn off the master switch, the engine will continue to run. In fact, you an turn off the battery master and one of the magnetos and it will continue to run with no problem.

As for the written, some examiners might look at your written exam results and hit on some of the subject areas you had issues with. Their job is to ensure you are a safe pilot and that you can demonstrate a high enough level of knowledge to convince them as such. The written results might give them an idea of some of the places you need to be tested a bit more on.

[JordanD]

I knew the engine would keep running, but I was thinking that the starter wouldn't work. I guess I got some terminology confused here. Thanks guys.

[Crunk415balla]

Jordan, there will be a lot of questions that make little sense. You're not always looking for the right awnser, just the best awnser.

There is one question that asks for the forcast ceiling from a DUAT, but then everyone gets the awnser wrong because they pick the celing from the weather outlook when the real awnser is the current weather. We all looked it up and forcast was defined pretty much as a weather outlook, so what the hell?

Another question on DUATS asks what they contain, and two almost identical awnsers are there, but one says "Cloudiness" while the other says "Cloud coverage". They mean the same thing, but again they want the best awnser, not always just the right awnser.

Is cloudiness even a word?

[LRJet Guy]

Anything above 85 to me is great. If I remember it right, I got a 70 something on my private test, 90 something on my instrument, 80 something on my commercial, don't remember my CFI or FOI (never took the checkrides), and a 93 on my ATP written.

Didn't get any flack on the ATP score during the oral (quite the opposite actually). With the others the examiners hit a few questions on the subject codes that I missed, but nothing big.

Most examiners have a set of questions that they'll ask you no matter what your written test score was. I've had more than one pull out the Oral Exam Guide and use it almost exclusively, with a few aircraft and region specific questions.

I don't know anyone who's busted a checkride over an oral except for a couple who were doing type rides. That's a different ball of wax. I think most examiners will keep asking you questions until you've supplied enough correct answers. Then it's on to the airplane.

Go take the test.....

[LRJet Guy]

Oh yeah...

An examiner CAN'T make the checkride any tougher with a lower written score.

The maneuvers and tolerances are spelled out in the Practical Test Standards. They have no lee way on what you have to demonstrate. The only discretion they have is how much error they "see". That being said, if you get off your altitude, heading, speed, etc, they might not have "seen" the error if you recognized it and corrected it.

They also know you're nervous as hell, and should make efforts to put you at ease. All the examiners I've flown with have done that. I was nervous as hell for my private, but put at ease. The rest of the checkrides went easy after that one. You know what you have to do, and you do it.

[Crunk415balla]

Just to add to the topic, an ex-Northwest Captain turned CFI at my flightschool who I often chat with told me something interesting as far as checkrides go.

Learn every part of the aircraft you fly, and how to draw the systems.

His students fly the 172. He was telling me what he does with his students is he has them come down and meet him, at no charge, and they go out and wash 172s. And he drills them on what every little part and antenna is. Another thing he has them do is look through the aircraft manuals and practice drawing the fuel systems out whenever they have the chance, along with others such as the pitot and vaccum systems. After doing both things 10 times or so, its embedded in their memory. He told me how his students who did this blew the socks off their examiners. When asked to describe something about a system, the students would say, "Can I draw it out for you?". And durring the walk around, they were equally stunned as the students talk out every little detail of the aircraft durring the preflight. Although I'm sure his students went through the same checkride we'll all face, he said "You'd be surprised at how smooth your checkride will go after that."

I say hes got a great meathod.