studying for the oral.

MDeitch1976

MDeitch1976

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Apr 10, 2012
Messages
575
Location
Maryland
Display Name
Display name:
MattCanFly
I am wondering if anyone has tips in having confidence that you are ready for the oral exam? I am reading through the ASA Private Oral Exam Guide, I am staying current on all my notes, and I have watched a video on you tube that was old, but a complete oral exam. Watching the video, I would say almost all of it I knew the answers. A few of them, I would have had to look up. But, I feel like the Examiner corrected the guy in a couple instances, or guided him to what he was really asking. That was kind of a relief. I did get a $97% on the written a few weeks ago. The oral exam is a new territory for me, and I think more than anything it is confidence that I need to build. Not so much the material. Advice? Suggestions? Tell me about yours?
 
Most DPEs will ask you questions until the point of failure (something you obviously don't know), and walk you through it, they all want to teach you something.

Best way to study is to do what you are doing and to do mock orals with an instructor that knows that DPE.
 
NineThreeKilo said:
Most DPEs will ask you questions until the point of failure (something you obviously don't know), and walk you through it, they all want to teach you something.

Best way to study is to do what you are doing and to do mock orals with an instructor that knows that DPE.
Click to expand...

What would be even better is mock orals with the DPE.
Any DPE's on here?
 
Something that works for me is to use the PTS and the exam guide to make up "Quiz Cards" for the areas that I'm not doing so well with remembering the right answer (VFR visability requirements for different air spaces for example). Get a deck of 3x5 index cards and write out the question on the front, and the answer on the back.

Keep them with you to study as you have free moments like standing in line for coffee, riding the elevator, stuck in traffic, etc.

Occasionally hold a "Stump the Pilot" game night by handing the deck to the kids or spouse and have them quiz you.

The point is to know the material well enough to both explain it back to one of the kids (and the DPE) such that they understand it. But not rote memorization of the exact answer. The DPE is going to use scenario questions such as "Say you were going to the airport I'm pointing at on the sectional, and the weather is ______. Can we legally go there? Are we going to do a left or right pattern by default? Since it's such a hot day, do we have enough runway?" etc.

He is trying to get you to use your knoggin to pull together all that you have learned and demonstrate applying the knowledge to decision making.

One bit of caution is to be careful about showboating with a particular string of knowledge. He will continue to feed you rope until you completely hang yourself.

Other than that, relax and have fun. And enjoy playing "Stump the Pilot" with your kids.
 
Something for the check ride.

If you're DPE is a sneaky guy like mine was, and does the simulated engine out after all of the disorienting unusual attitude maneuvers, remember to look straight down to see if he put you on top of a private airport.

Sure, all of those farm fields ahead look like a possible landing spot, but the grass runway immediately below you is a much better place.
 
NineThreeKilo said:
Most DPEs will ask you questions until the point of failure (something you obviously don't know), and walk you through it, they all want to teach you something.
Click to expand...

I think that's pretty accurate. Expect them to find something you don't know, but that's usually not necessarily a basis for failure....unless it happens a lot in the first 20 minutes!
 
Last edited:
I like the note card ideas. For example, I know how to use the Weather Maps and charts. However, when the question comes up about them, I can never remember the specific information.

I currently am without a spouse or a kid. I'm screwed! Frankly, my friends don't want to hear another word about flying. They just want me to take them flying.
 
MDeitch1976 said:
I currently am without a spouse or a kid. I'm screwed! Frankly, my friends don't want to hear another word about flying.
Click to expand...

Do like Cuba Gooding Jr. and find a cute librarian to help you learn how to become a navy diver... errr... pilot.
 
Although I know you know it, definitely relax! The way I went in to my orals was as an opportunity for me to talk about flying for a few hours. What more fun could there be? Except actually flying, of course...but that happens right after you're done talking about it :)
 
jpower said:
Although I know you know it, definitely relax! The way I went in to my orals was as an opportunity for me to talk about flying for a few hours. What more fun could there be? Except actually flying, of course...but that happens right after you're done talking about it :)
Click to expand...


This I will try.
 
Don't be too confident. It's good to be proud of all you have learned, but only to a point. The last thing you want to do during the oral is to show off all the stuff you've memorized. Remember, the DPE already knows this stuff, and it's been hammered in firmly if they've been giving oral exams for a while. They know it all better than you, and the details will not impress them. They're looking for an aircraft commander, not a computer. They just want to see that you understand all this stuff, and how you came to understand it. You have to show that you are good at learning, not just memorizing.

So be prepared to say no more than necessary, starting with only "yes", "no" and "I don't know", lest you start digging yourself a hole. Committing yourself to that policy puts you at an advantage, which should give you the right kind of confidence.

There's a good chance the DPE will stump you, or have to steer you in the right direction, on a few things... don't worry about that possibility, because it'll be a learning experience, it happens to most applicants, and we are all better off for it.
It sounds like you have a good grip on the material; there's no trick to help with that- you're either prepared or you aren't.

And last, remember that it's virtually impossible to "fail" the oral... you'd have to be completely at a loss for the DPE to just give up. The worst that can happen is that it will take longer than you'd like.

Good luck!!
 
Last edited:
MDeitch1976 said:
I am reading through the ASA Private Oral Exam Guide...
Click to expand...
While there's a lot of good material in those "Oral Prep" books, the FAA guidance on practical tests no longer calls for those simple Q&A methods, but rather goes for "situationally based testing." For example, instead of asking you what the VFR weather mins are in Class E airspace, the examiner may ask you whether or not today's weather is good enough to make your planned XC flight under VFR, and how you came to that determination. This will test, in a more realistic manner, not only your rote knowledge of 91.155, but also your ability to apply that knowledge to a practical situation, not to mention your ability to read and interpret all the available weather data, as well as determining from the sectional what airspace you'll be in so you know which paragraph of 91.155 applies along each part of your route. Those old-style Q&A books can't prepare you for that -- only a good instructor familiar with the concept of situationally based testing can.

So, for an IR test, the examiner may look at your flight plan, and ask you why the Alternate block is blank -- and have you justify that answer based on the regs and the weather. Or, if there is an airport there, ask you why you needed to put it there, and how you know it qualifies as a legal alternate today, which requires reference to weather, regs, NOTAMs, and the Terminal Procedures book. This is very different from the old days where an examiner would simply ask you "What's the required weather at your destination to not file an alternate? Can you use this approach as an alternate? What are the standard alternate minimums? Are the alternate minimums at this airport nonstandard?" and makes you think and analyze, not just parrot.

Now, there are still a few old-school examiners who pull out the Oral Test Prep book and start asking questions from it, but they are getting much fewer and farther between. Your instructor should be familiar with the testing styles of the local examiners, so s/he should be able to help you prepare, and give you a practice oral that reasonably accurately reflects that style.
 
rottydaddy said:
Don't be too confident. It's good to be proud of all you have learned, but only to a point. The last thing you want to do during the oral is to show off all the stuff you've memorized. Remember, the DPE already knows this stuff, and it's been hammered in firmly if they've been giving oral exams for a while. They know it all better than you, and the details will not impress them. They're looking for an aircraft commander, not a computer. They just want to see that you understand all this stuff, and how you came to understand it. You have to show that you are good at learning, not just memorizing.

So be prepared to say no more than necessary, starting with only "yes", "no" and "I don't know", lest you start digging yourself a hole. Committing yourself to that policy puts you at an advantage, which should give you the right kind of confidence.

There's a good chance the DPE will stump you, or have to steer you in the right direction, on a few things... don't worry about that possibility, because it'll be a learning experience, it happens to most applicants, and we are all better off for it.
It sounds like you have a good grip on the material; there's no trick to help with that- you're either prepared or you aren't.

And last, remember that it's virtually impossible to "fail" the oral... you'd have to be completely at a loss for the DPE to just give up. The worst that can happen is that it will take longer than you'd like.

Good luck!!
Click to expand...


Thank you Rotty. That makes me feel better. The worst issue I could really have is myself psyching myself out. My thought is, if I get through the oral portion, I am competent enough at piloting to move on to the next stage.
 
The newer guys definitely go with scenario-based orals. My son went through his private oral with a guy that really impressed me. He wove the entire process into a well-crafted scenario, then asked "What if" type questions based on the facts of the scenario that required him to come up with a response consistent with good piloting practices and in accordance with the regulations. Then he'd relate a real-life story of someone who deviated from the reg and came to grief as a result, which drove home the fact there IS some basis for just about every regulation they've created. It was very interesting to observe.

On the other hand, I just had a ride with an "old school" examiner (45 years giving checkrides) who was much more question/answer oriented. Still very educational (who can't learn a LOT from someone with that much experience?!!), but different.
 
ASA's Oral Exam Guides are good but they're not great. If you're a good book learner then nothing compares to June Bonesteel's line of Oral Exam Prep Books. They leave no stone unturned and I highly recommend them.
 
I just completed mine a few weeks ago.
It was mostly based around a scenario - cross country flight. Questions about every phase; planning, preparation, pre-flight, flight, navigation, communication, emergencies, lost comms, etc.
Oral study guide is very good for knowledge. Scenario requires practical application of acquired knowledge.
Know the usual items: pilot qualifications, currency requirements, part 61 & 91, speeds, altitudes, airspace, VFR rules, equipment, systems, inspections, etc.
All special emphasis areas but especially ADM, collision avoidance, runway incursions, wake turbulence, and CFIT.
What considerations & information are relevant to plan a flight.
Know what info is in the POH, limitations, w&b charts, performance charts.
What steps are required for inop equipment?
Know how to read and explain metars & tafs, notams, winds aloft, weather charts. Be able to identify weather symbols on the charts.
Icing.
Inadvertent entry into IMC.
Be able to explain most/all chart symbols, airfield info, frequencies, origination & destination airports, route, checkpoints, etc. as you discuss your cross country plan.
Be ready for questions about range, do you have enough fuel, where would you stop along route if you needed fuel? I was given a weather diversion in mountainous area. Required going back to closest airport and staying overnight. Then did not have enough fuel for remainder of flight so had to refuel.
Be able to identify airspace and airspace layers on charts. What is restricted and prohibited airspace? How do you find out who controls it and when it is active? TFRs?
Runway/taxiway signs and markings, runway lighting, light signals.
Night operations.
Hypoxia and CO2 symptoms and remedies.
My understanding is each examiner is different and each exam is different. They try to determine if you have basic knowledge necessary and then explore your limits. I also learned a few things from the examiner during our discussion.
You should be able to have reference materials to look things up. I took every manual I own but only needed to look a few things up in the FAR and AIM, and the POH. However, it was comforting to know the other books were available.
I saw a reference once about preparing for oral exams that stated: memorize the information you would not have time to research when flying, and be familiar with the what you don't need to memorize and where it is located.
Offer to look up info you dont know or are unsure of - dont leave it at "i dont know". If you give an answer and the examiner asks if you are sure or if you would like to look it up, take the offer.
Relax a little. One thing I can say is that it was very thorough but not as bad as I anticipated.
Good luck!
 
Last edited:
Jim and Ron have it right.

Quiz: Plan me a trip from 3MY to sunken Lunken, with three up in your 172. (W&B, reduced fuel, discussion of how you really now how much remains in the tanks....)
15 minutes later....
So you're flying to your third waypoint- I see it's BMI VOR, but you can't seem to recieve it. What do you do?

So now you're in the neighborhood of DNV and you notice the weather is starting to look not quite as good as predicted. What can you do to find out what's happening? Who can you call?

The overcast keeps coming down. So now you're down to 2500 feet to stay clear, and you're getting uncomfortable. what are you going to do..?

Let's say you call to find out if going back to Danville is reasonable. Who do you call to find out?

Now you find that Danville is 800-2, what're you going to do? Who do you talk to?

Let's say you have decided to land. Are you going to be legal to land at....say, Crawfordsville? Say, what sort of airspace is that? How do determine what the weather is, there?

So let's say Crawfordsville is 900-3, what are you going to do now? Is there any way you can legally get in there? Who do you call to get in there legally? (Hint, it's SPECIAL)

Etc, etc, etc.
 
Last edited:
rottydaddy said:
Don't be too confident. It's good to be proud of all you have learned, but only to a point. The last thing you want to do during the oral is to show off all the stuff you've memorized. Remember, the DPE already knows this stuff, and it's been hammered in firmly if they've been giving oral exams for a while. They know it all better than you, and the details will not impress them. They're looking for an aircraft commander, not a computer. They just want to see that you understand all this stuff, and how you came to understand it. You have to show that you are good at learning, not just memorizing.

So be prepared to say no more than necessary, starting with only "yes", "no" and "I don't know", lest you start digging yourself a hole. Committing yourself to that policy puts you at an advantage, which should give you the right kind of confidence.

There's a good chance the DPE will stump you, or have to steer you in the right direction, on a few things... don't worry about that possibility, because it'll be a learning experience, it happens to most applicants, and we are all better off for it.
It sounds like you have a good grip on the material; there's no trick to help with that- you're either prepared or you aren't.

And last, remember that it's virtually impossible to "fail" the oral... you'd have to be completely at a loss for the DPE to just give up. The worst that can happen is that it will take longer than you'd like.

Good luck!!
Click to expand...

Disagree...depending on agenda of the DPE. Some of them want some easy cash in their pocket!

http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52746&page=2


OP, checkride yet?
 
jpower said:
My DPE failed a guy a couple weeks before I took my ride for bringing in weather from three days prior. Oops.
Click to expand...

That's a mistake that could have cost him his life IRL.

Take the scenarios seriously. Use real, actual conditions and make decisions as though you really were about to fly that cross-country. Or if your decisions differ, say so explicitly. E.g., the go-no/go decision may be different for a local checkride vs. the planned destination (as it was for my checkride -- Fresno was LIFR, an obvious no-go, but local conditions were clear but with an AIRMET for moderate turbulence, a much less obvious no-go).
 
denverpilot said:
And why shouldn't he? We're his winds on his XC planned from that weather too?
Click to expand...

My DPE doesn't charge for retakes, so there was no financial incentive for him, but he still failed the guy. That was my point, but I completely forgot the whole bit about no financial incentive :). But you bet if I were the DPE I'd have failed him too. From what I understand, everything was planned out based on the old winds, and that's not okay...not even close.
 
Confidence:
Knowing that you have 6+ months and 313 posts on PoA!
 
Jaybird180 said:
Confidence:
Knowing that you have 6+ months and 313 posts on PoA!
Click to expand...

The confidence is there. I am glad 10% of your posts equals confidence. I will say this is the longest I have actually stuck around a forum. I am afraid I am going to slip up by squeezing in "I think" when I actually know. What I will need to work on is preventing my lips from leading my cranium.
 
And, read the sticky post "Captain Levy's Checkride Advice". Much wisdom, there is.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top