CFI Checkride KESN Year Unknown

The examiner may do research on your instructor to make sure he/she is qualified, current, etc. This examiner’s exams are open book and that he wants you to focus on teaching skills at the student pilot level.

Be prepared to discuss the FAA’s new web interface ACRA and IACRA. Information is obtained on the FAA web site at: acra.faa.gov. This examiner is passionate about this new tool (his former colleges helped develop) so I would recommend becoming very familiar with not only the use of ACRA but the whole history behind it, why it came to be, who uses it, etc.

Oral Exam

Part 61 of the FAR inside and out. I used no other part of the FAR. He presented several unrealistic scenarios that required lots of research. Know that Advisory Circular 61-65D (instructor endorsements) is old (know date) and the FARS are more up to date and should be referenced. All requirements and endorsements for student and private pilot. Why a tail wheel AC requires shorter runway length. Why it is better to have your passenger in the back seat (aero dynamically). Record retention for a CFI. Teach how to scan to a new pilot including collision avoidance and how to know if you are on a collision course. Coriolis effect and its effect on AC and balloons. Have a weight and balance prepared- he looked at it and had no questions. Know everything about wind sheer, its effect on AC and how you would teach it to a student. Know how to do a performance chart for take off and why it is important to always know how much runway even if at Dulles (he presents an accident scenario for this).Teach a Chandelle. FOI- Frank was very opinionated and told me he had a problem with FOI so he only threw out the word Rote a few times. However, I used several of the Levels of Learning and Principles of Learning throughout my discussion. He did want to know about positive and negative transfer of learning and the difference between behavior and cognitive learning. Resources available to transition a Private Pilot to complex and HP (airplane flying handbook Chapter 13). Here are some topics that were not covered: ADIZ, FRZ, Intercept Procedures, Weather, Airport Markings, light guns, airspace, NTSB, lift, medical, systems, stalls, spins, VFR equipment

Flight:

Immediately prior to the Checkride, he told me what to expect. He described several scenarios all of which were repeated in the plane. Scenario 1- Teach a 1 hour student to start the airplane. Scenario 2- Teach a low time student a soft-field takeoff. Scenario 3- Teach a high time student pilot level turns. Scenario 4- Teach a private pilot a Chandelle. Scenario 5- Demonstrate a steep turn. Scenario 6- Teach a low time private straight and level under the hood (Frank wore the hood). Scenario 7- Teach the traffic pattern to a student pilot. Scenario 8- Demonstrate a short field landing (he picked the 50′ obstacle (FORD Dealer) and said to put it on the numbers) Scenario 9- Frank pulled the power and wanted me to demonstrate the emergency procedures. I picked a field and he pointed to a grass strip that his friend owns. He said he has permission to land so I was prepared to land. About 100′ above, he said to go-around. Scenario 10- Demonstrate a trim stall. Scenario 11- Demonstrate s-turns on a road. Scenario 12- Teach a private pilot 8’s on pylons. Scenario 13- Land with a slip and know the ailerons should be into the wind. He only checked the airworthiness certificate and registration. He gave me a 3 minute debrief and said I forgot to do a clearing turn prior to the first maneuver and my teaching was good however I made it too complicated for the beginner pilots. For the level turn scenario for the student pilot, he used a bicycle turning description as an analogy to an airplane.