PIREP requested: ASA Oral Prep Guide for Private Pilot

AggieMike88

AggieMike88

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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
Now that Instructor Dan and I are moving right along with the training (3 flights per week really does help!), he is predicting that I might be ready for the checkride by the early to middle of next month.

The past flights, he's been encouraging me to purchase the Oral Prep Guide available in the Academy's pilot shop. It's the ASA branded book.

I do agree that obtaining the materials now is a good idea so I can spend a modest amount of time each evening studying versus a massive cram session.

I would like to know if this is a good book or guide to use. If you have other suggestions, I'd like to hear them.

For the moment, I'm not interested in the King or Sporty's videos. I'd like to keep it to printed matter because of 1) cost, and 2) future reference value. I'm more likely to pick up the book and review than cue up a DVD.

I also have numerous threads bookmarked about oral and practical prep. And plan on reviewing them.

Thanks for your input.
 
Unless ASA has updated that book to the situationally-based testing style the FAA now has its examiners using (or your DPE is a stick-in-the mud refusing to do it the way the FAA now wants it done), its utility will be minimal. The old oral exam books were useful back when the oral was a simple Q&A session with specific objective questions that have clear answers. Unfortunately, the FAA has changed the way orals are supposed to be done to the "situationally-based" test. That is, instead of handing you a weather printout and asking you to read a METAR, the examiner will assign a flight to plan, and then ask you if the flight can be conducted safely -- and how you came to that conclusion. That will require you to identify and pull up all the weather data relevant to the flight, interpret it correctly, and make a sound decision based on your analysis. You'll also have to compute your aircraft's performance from the POH and compare it to airport data for runway length and obstructions to departure, as well as figuring fuel burn and fuel available, W&B, etc. IOW, no spoon-feeding of what to check -- you have to cover all the bases on your own initiative, just like you would in the real world. Likewise, the examiner will ask you if you and your plane are legal for the planned flight, not "What documents must you have with you, how long is an annual inspection good for, etc." The oral exam books often don't help much in this area.

The best way to practice for a properly-administered situationally-based oral exam is for your instructor (and maybe another instructor, just to be sure yours doesn't miss anything) to administer a few practice oral exams over a few days so you get to look at a wider range of environmental conditions. This will take a couple of hours for the first one, and up to an hour for succeeding ones, but you'll be better prepared for the oral exam. It also requires that your instructor be familiar with the way orals are administered these days, which is best learned by sitting in on the orals for some of his/her students.
 
Thanks Cap'n Ron.

We're doing some of the situational stuff now as we plan and execute the cross countries. We do work the problem with existing weather, including runway selection and what crosswinds to expect. The instructor does occasionally ask, "if you had to divert to this aiport (points to sectional) and the conditions there were _____, could your aircraft make it?" And he has picked some fields where either the crosswinds would be out of my comfort zone or the runway might be too short for conditions and weight plus a small safety factor.

We are grounded until Friday while we wait out the effects of the tropical storm that crossed the Texas (but we do need the rain!). When I fly with him again, I will for sure ask about 1) the value of the book's Q&A style versus the current situationally-based method, and 2) if it would be permitted to sit in on another pilot's oral exam with that DPE.

I hadn't through about asking a senior instructor to administer a mock oral. I'll be sure to ask about that too.
 
AggieMike88 said:
...if it would be permitted to sit in on another pilot's oral exam with that DPE.
Click to expand...
From the DPE's Handbook (FAA Order 8900.2):
c. Test Environment. The examiner must conduct the oral portion of the practical test in a private area free from distractions. The examiner must give the applicant his/her undivided attention during the test and ensure that any discussion of test results with the applicant is in private. However, by mutual agreement from both the applicant and the examiner [emphasis added: both the applicant and the examiner must agree], the applicant's flight instructor or the school's chief instructor or assistant chief may be allowed to be present during the practical test.
Click to expand...
Regrettably, no allowance for trainees during the ground portion, although "Persons preparing for a similar practical test" may be carried during the flight portion, subject to "the consent of the applicant, the examiner, and the owner/operator."
 
Just FYI, if you purchase the King online test prep (not CDs/DVDs), there is lifetime access to the course including updates as they happened. Part of the reason I went with the online course.
 
Mike,
I have the ASA book if you want to borrow it. There's also an iPhone app for the same book. It's not my favorite though. Really, I found that studying the knowledge test and practicing flight planning were the best things for me.

Also, walking yourself through the PTS is helpful, to make sure you're not caught off guard by anything.
 
Ron,

I purchased this book without delay at the recommendation of my CFI. I'm going through it and it seems like its helpful to remind me of some of the things I had forgotten from my ground school. Yes, I agree that it's not scenario based, but I think it can help fill in the gaps. I am however considering your words about the limitations of the book.

There is one question in the book that I'm feeling I'm on a wild goose chase with:
It asks how a pilot can determine if all required placards are aboard the aircraft and cites 14 CFR Part 43, but I'm unable to determine the answer.
 
Jaybird180 said:
There is one question in the book that I'm feeling I'm on a wild goose chase with:
It asks how a pilot can determine if all required placards are aboard the aircraft and cites 14 CFR Part 43, but I'm unable to determine the answer.
Click to expand...

Get either the AFM or the POH for that specific airplane and the TCDS. Both have the list of required placards. The TCDS has the initial set of placards and the POH will have the placards for any additional equipment installed with STC/337/etc.

For example, TCDS 2A13 (Piper PA28) has the note

The following placards must be displayed in clear view of the pilot:
In Normal Category Aircraft

"THIS AIRPLANE MUST BE OPERATED AS A NORMAL CATEGORY AIRPLANE IN
COMPLIANCE WITH OPERATING LIMITATIONS STATED IN THE FORM OF PLACARDS,
MARKINGS, AND MANUAL."

In aircraft certificated in both Normal and Utility Categories
"THIS AIRPLANE MUST BE OPERATED AS A NORMAL OR UTILITY CATEGORY AIRPLANE IN
COMPLIANCE WITH OPERATING LIMITATIONS STATED IN THE FORM OF PLACARDS,
MARKINGS, AND MANUALS."

Reference AFM for additional required placards.
 
I like the ASA oral books and have used them for all of my checkrides - they more or less just step through the practical test standards. They really help get your brain thinking about what you should know - dont try and memorize their answers word for word - just try and make sure you have an understanding of what is in it.
 
murphey said:
Get either the AFM or the POH for that specific airplane and the TCDS. Both have the list of required placards. The TCDS has the initial set of placards and the POH will have the placards for any additional equipment installed with STC/337/etc.

For example, TCDS 2A13 (Piper PA28) has the note

The following placards must be displayed in clear view of the pilot:
In Normal Category Aircraft

"THIS AIRPLANE MUST BE OPERATED AS A NORMAL CATEGORY AIRPLANE IN
COMPLIANCE WITH OPERATING LIMITATIONS STATED IN THE FORM OF PLACARDS,
MARKINGS, AND MANUAL."

In aircraft certificated in both Normal and Utility Categories
"THIS AIRPLANE MUST BE OPERATED AS A NORMAL OR UTILITY CATEGORY AIRPLANE IN
COMPLIANCE WITH OPERATING LIMITATIONS STATED IN THE FORM OF PLACARDS,
MARKINGS, AND MANUALS."

Reference AFM for additional required placards.
Click to expand...
Just remember that not all planes manufactured before 1977 have AFM's, and there the only reliable source is the TCDS -- which is what the Feds seem to use in that situation. Also, don't forget AD's and STC's, especially on planes without AFM's.
 
I'll report that my examiner went straight out of the ASA PTS guide when conducting the oral exam. Literally using that as one of his checklists when asking questions (he had another larger one that was also used as a comments and score sheet).

Some of it was scenario based questions, but others were straight, "Tell me about..." and was an item, system, or other needed knowledge bit straight from the PTS.

My advice to other candidates who use him is to know the oral exam portion of the PTS guide completely. If you can be thoroughly quizzed from it and provide concise and correct answers, then you will do well.

I believe this likely applies to most of the examiners out there.

Jay, if you can use the ASA oral guide, and the PTS guide to this end, you should do just fine.
 
I'm finding the ASA guide a good reminder of what I'd forgotten (or didn't learn) from my groundschool.

Can I take with me a laptop and/or other electronic aids to use during my oral (ie electronic FAR/AIM, websites, etc)?
 
Jaybird180 said:
I'm finding the ASA guide a good reminder of what I'd forgotten (or didn't learn) from my groundschool.

Can I take with me a laptop and/or other electronic aids to use during my oral (ie electronic FAR/AIM, websites, etc)?
Click to expand...

Generally yes. You can have whatever you would typically have while preparing for a flight. I showed the examiner some of the online weather sources I use.
 
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