I'm preparing for my commercial check ride and looking to get some insight on the oral. I've got the ASA oral exam guide buy my CFi said that's probably not enough. Anyone have any recommendations on what to use? I'm doing a full ground school with my CFi also, but I'm on a short course so its abbreviated a bit.
Commercial oral prep
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GCA319
Cleared for Takeoff
A good book to have is "Everything Explained to the Professional Pilot" . Alot of the book covers IFR and 135 stuff, but it does help put alot of the FARs that pertain to commercial pilots into plain english. Plus, you'll have a reference for the rest of your career-I use it to keep IFR regs fresh in my head all the time.
The Comm oral is really just a glorified Private oral, so you should be able to pull out a Comm PTS and look up what you need to in the FAA books (phak, afh, far/aim) plus make it a point to look up anything from the FAR/AIM in Everything Explained...Everything he writes includes an FAA reference.
The Comm oral is really just a glorified Private oral, so you should be able to pull out a Comm PTS and look up what you need to in the FAA books (phak, afh, far/aim) plus make it a point to look up anything from the FAR/AIM in Everything Explained...Everything he writes includes an FAA reference.
GCA319
Cleared for Takeoff
Also know the systems of your airplane (Afm/Poh should serve as a good reference). My Comm oral wasn't heavy on systems, but from what I have observed, the norm is to go fairly deep on systems.
Thanks. I'll grab that book then! I love Amazon Prime 
Also, I'm told it will be fairly heavy on systems, especially considering I'm using my airplane instead of the schools airplane. Mine is a 182RG and most of the books are written for a 172RG. Although many of the systems are different, some parallel each other which helps. One thing I'm really struggling with is understanding what happens in regards to the prop. Where the counterweights go when the prop is pushed forward and stuff like that. I just don't quite have that 'technical' mindset so I am trying to get better at explaining how stuff works rather than just saying "It has a constant speed prop."
Also, I'm told it will be fairly heavy on systems, especially considering I'm using my airplane instead of the schools airplane. Mine is a 182RG and most of the books are written for a 172RG. Although many of the systems are different, some parallel each other which helps. One thing I'm really struggling with is understanding what happens in regards to the prop. Where the counterweights go when the prop is pushed forward and stuff like that. I just don't quite have that 'technical' mindset so I am trying to get better at explaining how stuff works rather than just saying "It has a constant speed prop."
dmspilot
Final Approach
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The DPE for my commercial gave me a list of questions before my checkride. The oral didn't necessarily come from the list but it did help fill in gaps in my knowledge.
Other than that, I recommend (and this works for any oral) simply going through the PTS task by task and making sure you know what it says you're supposed to.
1. Applicant must thoroughly know the aircraft, including electrical system, landing gear system, principle of operation of a constant speed prop, and all performance charts.
2. Weight and balance - longhand method. Work one problem where applicant has to offload baggage or fuel to get the CG within limits.
3. Applicant must know all V speeds.
4. Know the difference between anual, 100-hour, and progressive inspections.
5. What are airworthiness directives? Where are they found? How can you determine if an aircraft has all applicable ADs complied with?
6. What is a service bulletin?
7. What is a Form 337?
8. What preventative maintenance can a pilot do?
9. What are the effects of excessive aft or excessive forward CG?
10. Know aviation weather reports including symbols, area, terminal, and winds aloft forecasts.
11. Pre-flight inspections
12. Aircraft documents (ARROW), including knowing which are permanent and which must be renewed.
13. Know NTSB 830.
14. Medical certificates, including duration for commercial pilot operations.
15. Know limitations and privileges of a commercial pilot (FAR 61.139, 135.1).
16. Know equipment requirements - VOR, transponder, oxygen, etc.
17. Know minimum altitude rules in Part 91.
18. What is hydroplaning? (9 times square root of tire pressure)
19. What is a ground loop? Wheelbarrowing?
20. What is a High Density Traffic airport? What are the procedures to fly into one VFR?
21. What is category? Class? Give examples.
22. What is an ELT? Can an aircraft still be flown with an inoperative ELT? Or an outdated ELT battery?
23. What is wake turbulence? How, where, and when is it generated?
24. Who may act as PIC under Part 135?
25. What are Unicom and Multicom?
26. Know required instruments for VFR flight.
27. Know VASI systems.
Other than that, I recommend (and this works for any oral) simply going through the PTS task by task and making sure you know what it says you're supposed to.
1. Applicant must thoroughly know the aircraft, including electrical system, landing gear system, principle of operation of a constant speed prop, and all performance charts.
2. Weight and balance - longhand method. Work one problem where applicant has to offload baggage or fuel to get the CG within limits.
3. Applicant must know all V speeds.
4. Know the difference between anual, 100-hour, and progressive inspections.
5. What are airworthiness directives? Where are they found? How can you determine if an aircraft has all applicable ADs complied with?
6. What is a service bulletin?
7. What is a Form 337?
8. What preventative maintenance can a pilot do?
9. What are the effects of excessive aft or excessive forward CG?
10. Know aviation weather reports including symbols, area, terminal, and winds aloft forecasts.
11. Pre-flight inspections
12. Aircraft documents (ARROW), including knowing which are permanent and which must be renewed.
13. Know NTSB 830.
14. Medical certificates, including duration for commercial pilot operations.
15. Know limitations and privileges of a commercial pilot (FAR 61.139, 135.1).
16. Know equipment requirements - VOR, transponder, oxygen, etc.
17. Know minimum altitude rules in Part 91.
18. What is hydroplaning? (9 times square root of tire pressure)
19. What is a ground loop? Wheelbarrowing?
20. What is a High Density Traffic airport? What are the procedures to fly into one VFR?
21. What is category? Class? Give examples.
22. What is an ELT? Can an aircraft still be flown with an inoperative ELT? Or an outdated ELT battery?
23. What is wake turbulence? How, where, and when is it generated?
24. Who may act as PIC under Part 135?
25. What are Unicom and Multicom?
26. Know required instruments for VFR flight.
27. Know VASI systems.
goldennixter
Pre-Flight
One question I didn't read about in my prep book that I was ready for courtesy of my CFI was a question about the type data certificate, and how it applies to minimum equipment required if there's no minimum equipment list or equipment list for old planes. And you should be able to explain each maneuver for the checkride and its purpose. Hope that helps! good luck