Jason Schappert has created a short six minute video containing his tips and secrets for passing a private pilot checkride. These tips and secrets included the following:
- Know Your Cross Country. Jason emphasized that you should be able to explain true course, magnetic heading, magnetic course and course heading as well as how you calculated any numbers you come up with while navigating or calculating a course. He also noted that you should not only know the frequencies from the airport you are flying from and the airport you are flying to, but you should also know the frequencies of any airports in between. Moreover, Jason also noted that your examiner may divert you to an airport you have never been to and hence, you should be familiar with the layout of all airports in your area.
- Have a Backup Plan. Jason mentioned that your examiner or even ATC may divert you from a planned course. Hence, you should have a backup plan ready or better yet, more than one backup plan or route plan to use.
- Special Emphasis Areas. Jason then listed about 10 topics that are almost guaranteed to be asked on your checkride. Hence, you should probably know these topics and be prepared to be asked about them.
- Navigate the FAR/AM. Jason also emphasized that while you are not expected to know everything in the FAR/AM, you will need to at least know how to look things up.
Keeping the above tips and secrets in mind will go a long way towards helping you to pass your private pilot checkride and not be caught off guard by the examiner.