Check Ride Equipment

Geico266

Geico266

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Geico
What equipment is manditory for a PPL check ride?

Airspeed indicator
Altimeter
Compass
 
minimum equipment required to fly the airplane by 91.205 and/or the POH/Operating Manual/Operating Limitations

+ anything that the PTS would require, such as suitable navigation equipment, for example.
 
Geico266 said:
What equipment is manditory for a PPL check ride?

Airspeed indicator
Altimeter
Compass
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Everything in 91.205 for Day VFR flight, plus all "Required" equipment in the aircraft's equipment list, and any equipment required for Day VFR in the aircraft's Kinds of Operations list in the AFM/POH. Also, a 2-way VHF comm radio and some sort of radio nav equipment for Area VII Task B and Area IX Task F. Also, everything in the Applicant's Checklist in the PP-Airplane PTS (including the aircraft maintenance records and a vision-restricting device). While there is no requirement for an attitude indicator and gyrocompass (DG/HI), you might want to have them for the instrument events including unusual attitude recovery unless you're really good at needle-ball-airspeed instrument flying.
 
The reason I ask is a buddy just told me his CFI said he needs a VOR for the PPL checkride. :mad2:
 
Geico266 said:
The reason I ask is a buddy just told me his CFI said he needs a VOR for the PPL checkride. :mad2:
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You need a radio navigation device for Area IX Task F. It can be a VOR, GPS, or ADF, but you must have something you can track. But I think it can be a handheld -- ask the examiner.
 
Ron Levy said:
You need a radio navigation device for Area IX Task F. It can be a VOR, GPS, or ADF, but you must have something you can track. But I think it can be a handheld -- ask the examiner.
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The plane has a panel mounted (Air Gizmo) Garmin 296 GPS, would that work?
 
Rotor&Wing said:
That's what we used in the helicopters for the Private and Commercial since we didn't have VOR's. I checked with our FSDO and they said no problem.
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At least two FSDO's where I've checked said it's OK for helos but not airplanes (the section in 8900.1 covering this only talks about helos). Other FSDO's say it's OK. Doncha just love standardization in the Flight Standards Service? I haven't asked AFS-600, from where the definative answer would come. Ask your examiner ahead of time so there's no problem when you show up with a handheld or other non-installed GPS (with the AirGizmo, only the docking station is actually "installed").
 
You can, at least where I'm at, take a PP Checkride in a LSA with a non TSO'd Glass Panel (Dynon, etc..) and a 296 / 396 handheld GPS.
 
Geico266 said:
The reason I ask is a buddy just told me his CFI said he needs a VOR for the PPL checkride. :mad2:
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Isn't that one of those white sombrero shaped gizmos that usually are rooted to the ground?
 
AuntPeggy said:
Isn't that one of those white sombrero shaped gizmos that usually are rooted to the ground?
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Is that what those are? I always wondered why someone would put a taco stand out in the middle of nowhere.
 
MikePapa said:
Is that what those are? I always wondered why someone would put a taco stand out in the middle of nowhere.
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That's it! When the FAA decommisions the VOR's, we can turn the ones on airports into a new fly-in Mexican restaurant chain.
 
Ron Levy said:
That's it! When the FAA decommisions the VOR's, we can turn the ones on airports into a new fly-in Mexican restaurant chain.
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You just might have something there! :yesnod:


Thanks for the responses to my post. We will "push" the issue with the CFI and get a clairification with the check ride examiner.
 
Anyone have the FAR's handy that cover this? It is coming to a head and we need some info to make our case. The installed 296 has the capability in the panel page to act like a VOR reciever. That should be good enough for a check ride right? I mean this is a check ride for a PPL, not flying the Space Shuttle.
 
Geico266 said:
Anyone have the FAR's handy that cover this? It is coming to a head and we need some info to make our case. The installed 296 has the capability in the panel page to act like a VOR reciever. That should be good enough for a check ride right? I mean this is a check ride for a PPL, not flying the Space Shuttle.
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This is a PTS and FAA Order issue, not an FAR issue. FAA Order 8900.1 says the following about the matter:
2) Except as provided in § 61.45, an aircraft used on a practical test must be equipped for each area of operation and task required by the appropriate PTS. The equipment shall have no operating limitations that would prohibit the aircraft’s use in any of the required areas of operation and tasks. The aircraft must have at least two pilot stations with adequate visibility for safe operation and, when the examiner is in a jump seat, the aircraft’s flight deck and outside visibility must be adequate to permit the examiner to evaluate the applicant’s performance.
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The FAA is on record as saying "equipped" in this context means legally installed, not just carried by the pilots, and the NTSB supports that position. The only written exception for handheld nav devices is specifically for helos. Unless you obtain prior approval from the examiner (which for a DPE may involve contact with the DPE's supervising POI), you should expect to be turned away if you show up for a PP-Airplane practical test without an installed nav receiver of some type (ADF, VOR, or GPS). Is the 296 legally "installed" or is it just plugged into an installed docking station? Is it an approved nav system? What does the installation paperwork say?

And there's no provision in FAA Order 8900.1 or Part 61 for the issuance of a PP-Airplane certificate without completing Area IX, Task F, even with a limitation, so the "except as provided in §61.45" line doesn't provide anything in this case.
 
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Well, long story short, the CFI won't sign off the student to go for his check ride unless there is a VOR installed in his plane. He bought one on e-Bay and installed it over the weekend. Hopefully it works!

Even though the FSDO said the GPS is fine, the CFI does not agree and made him install the VOR.
 
Geico266 said:
Well, long story short, the CFI won't sign off the student to go for his check ride unless there is a VOR installed in his plane. He bought one on e-Bay and installed it over the weekend. Hopefully it works!

Even though the FSDO said the GPS is fine, the CFI does not agree and made him install the VOR.
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W T F

does the CFI have an interest in the avionics shop or something? or had a VOR setup that he needed to sell?
 
It's one thing to not sign off a student (because the student is lacking), but I don't think the CFI is signing off on the airplane when he gives the endorsement for the checkride and signs the 8710. Seems like excessive butt-covering to me if the FSDO said "OK" in writing. Otherwise, then the CFI is reading the regs properly, but it's still not his problem.
 
Geico266 said:
Well, long story short, the CFI won't sign off the student to go for his check ride unless there is a VOR installed in his plane. He bought one on e-Bay and installed it over the weekend. Hopefully it works!

Even though the FSDO said the GPS is fine, the CFI does not agree and made him install the VOR.
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Inappropriate behavior for the CFI. I'd avoid this instructor in the future.
 
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