Any tips for a SE ATP check ride?

AlanM

AlanM

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Yeah, I know! A SE ATP!:yes: Might not be the goal of others but it has been my dream since getting my private at age 17 (I am now 61.)

So what do you think might be gotchas? Distractions? I am going to use a G1000 C172SP with a KAP 140 autopilot. I am looking for the oddities not covered in my pre check training.

Thanks.
 
AlanM said:
Yeah, I know! A SE ATP!:yes: Might not be the goal of others but it has been my dream since getting my private at age 17 (I am now 61.)

So what do you think might be gotchas? Distractions? I am going to use a G1000 C172SP with a KAP 140 autopilot. I am looking for the oddities not covered in my pre check training.

Thanks.
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I don't have an ATP myself, but I would imagine the main gotchas are the typical gotchas on any other instrument checkride.
 
It's just a instrument ride.

Use the AP, be able to hand fly, also be ready for more advanced stuff, say a circle to land to a missed.

Some of the little bits, how far can you be away from the airport on a circle to land, can you start a IAP from the IF, is a LPV a precision approach? What approaches require WAAS, how do you know if you have it, what do you do if you don't, which RNAVs will give you vnav? What is complementary vnav, what are it's advantages and disadvantages.

How would you shoot a approach with residual ice on the airframe as far as speeds and flaps go.

What forms of deice systems does your aircraft have, what about wing contamination and anti and deice procedures? Hold over times?

At what speed will your tires hydroplane?

Obviously lost comms procedures.

Alternate requirements, how about RNAV for a alternate?

Takeoff minimums.

How low can you use your AP, when do you need to disconnect on the approach?


The oral is probably going to mostly be systems, some CRM too I'd bet.
 
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If you're a strong IFR pilot, it's a non issue. It's an IFR check ride with tighter standards. Sort of a mastery lever IR. When you get your ATP, they actually remove your instrument rating from your ticket. "Airline Transport Pilot" as a certificat grade is all that's needed to fly IFR.
 
Be prepared to hand fly the aircraft,to stricter standards. Know the aircraft systems,so you can explain their operations.
 
frfly172 said:
Be prepared to hand fly the aircraft,to stricter standards. Know the aircraft systems,so you can explain their operations.
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Yes, but I believe only two approaches need to be hand flown. A OEI ILS and a non precision (generally GPS today). Seeing as though a OEI ILS can't happen, it's possible only three approaches with one hand flown is needed.
 
I had to hand fly all of mine.. but, from what I've seen and heard from my friends..

If you're using the autopilot as a tool, yeah just a min hand flown requirments, if it looks like George is taking the checkride and you're just along for the ride, probably going to be more than one hand flown approach.
 
James331 said:
I had to hand fly all of mine.. but, from what I've seen and heard from my friends..

If you're using the autopilot as a tool, yeah just a min hand flown requirments, if it looks like George is taking the checkride and you're just along for the ride, probably going to be more than one hand flown approach.
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I may be wrong, but I believe this is spelled out. I did my initial ATP many moons ago, and the fact that it was an initial or so long ago certainly may have been different. That said, I have done five type ratings with an ATP and was always told those rides are actually ATP rides. The hand flown standards I said earlier reflect those rides, but again, they are not "initial" ATP if that makes a difference.
 
Should have been clearer, I hand flew everything due to no AP on the twin I did my initial in.
 
Keep in mind that the ATP Oral is an "Equipment Examination". Even in a single engine airplane, a systems oral can get fairly in-depth, and will probably do so if the examiner is any good.
 
James331 said:
Should have been clearer, I hand flew everything due to no AP on the twin I did my initial in.
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That clears it up. I did my ATP ride in a twin with the A/P de-activated. However in the 135 check rides we will do at least one approach with the auto pilot, usually the ILS. The one engine inop ILS was hand flown.

But it was fine to use the A/P for the other approaches, since in real life we actually would use the A/P.

But, be sure to know that GPS and what it is capable of doing.
 
RotorAndWing said:
FAA publishes a guide that tells you everything to expect, it's called the Airline Transport Pilot Practical Test Standards.
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:yes:However, the PTS does not cover the little tricks DPEs play call distractions (that is, specific distractions like asking you to see if the fire extinguisher is charged while on an approach, etc.) My PTS is even yellow-highlighted.
 
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