Perfection is not the standard — the ACS requires safe, consistent performance and sound judgment.
Complete before you arrive
PLEASE CLICK THE LINKS, COMPLETE, AND PRINT THE DOWNLOADS BELOW BEFORE YOU ARRIVE AT YOUR CHECKRIDE AND GIVE TO YOUR DPE:
Please put make sure you physically see your Instructor’s signature on the IACRA Form, as a way to overcome an IACRA glitch. It will let you put the form through without the Instructor signature on it, which shouldn’t happen. Also, if you don’t hit submit button, your signature will not show up. So please make sure you actually see it before submitting.
Order of operation:
- Introductions and make yourself comfortable in the facility.
- Qualification: We will start by qualifying yourself (the applicant) and the aircraft. I will collect my Practical Test Checklist that you downloaded and completed and use it to verify that you meet the requirements and are eligible to take the exam.
- I will also have you show me that your aircraft has its required inspections in the Airframe and Engine Logbook. Do not bring the AROW documents into the classroom. They should always stay in the aircraft. Completing the Practical Test Checklist will make this process go smoothly.
- Please ensure all experience requirements are met and properly logged, as missing aeronautical experience prevents administration of the test.
To verify eligibility, please prepare and bring with you to your checkride:
- Completed Practical Test Checklist
- Pilot Certificate
- Medical Certificate
- Government Issued photo ID
- Knowledge Test Results
- Pilot Logbook
- Aircraft’s Airframe and Engine Logbooks
Please be prepared in the event that your iPad goes out, you still know your location and airspace.
Before you Arrive
Make sure you have all your required endorsements.
BEGINNING OF CHECKRIDE
- COMPLETE YOUR MANIFEST AND THE RISK ANALYSIS
- MAKE SURE THE PLANE IS FUELED THE NIGHT BEFORE
- IF TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 50 MAKE SURE THE AIRPLANE IS HANGARED
- BEFORE YOU ARRIVE, HAVE YOUR INSTRUCTOR DOUBLE-CHECK EACH LINE ON IACRA.
- IACRA IS A GOVERNING LEGAL DOCUMENT.
IACRA MOST LIKELY MISSED ITEMS
- PLEASE HAVE YOUR INSTRUCTOR VERIFY THAT EACH LINE IS COMPLETED BY INITIALING EACH BOX (SEE DOWNLOADS ABOVE)
- PLEASE VERIFY YOUR IACRA & GRADUATION DATE ARE SIGNED
- PLEASE VERIFY YOUR ENDORSEMENTS ARE SIGNED
- PLEASE VERIFY YOUR ADDRESS IS CORRECT ON YOUR IACRA INCLUDING THE STATE
- PLEASE VERIFY THE NAME IS THE SAME ON THE WRITTEN TEST RESULTS/ID & IACRA
- PLEASE VERIFY & INITIAL THESE IACRA BOX AREAS ARE CORRECT IN THE BOXES BELOW
- VERIFY THE NAME AND SPELLING ARE THE SAME ON THE IACRA, ON THE ID, & ON THE PILOT CERTIFICATE
- I.A. D. CHECK CITY STATE/COUNTRY IS CORRECT
- I.M. USE CURRENT & LATEST CERTIFICATE
- I.N. & MOST RECENT MEDICAL DATE ISSUED AND DOCTOR WHO ISSUED IT
- I.O. NO OR EXPLAIN
- IF YOUR AIRPORT ISN’T LISTED: MAKE A FLIGHT PLAN THAT IS FARTHER THAN 200 for PRIVATE; FARTHER THAN 250 for INSTRUMENT; AND FARTHER THAN 300 for COMMERCIAL CROSS-COUNTRY CHECKRIDES
- IF DOING A COMMERCIAL CHECKRIDE, VERIFY THAT YOUR NIGHTTIME AND INSTRUMENT TIME ARE LOGGED AS 61.129 ONLY
- II.2B MAKE SURE ALL 4 PIC TIME ENTRIES ARE CORRECT AND LINE III AND IN II.2B TOTAL TIME IS NOT MORE THAN YOUR TOTAL AIRCRAFT TIME.
- II. C. NO IS CORRECT IF 141 GRADUATE
- II.C.3 VERIFY GRADUATION DATE IS CORRECT IF 141 GRADUATE
- III. CHECK THAT CLASS TOTALS ARE CORRECT & ALL BOXES CHECKED
- III. NOTIFY DPE IF YOU HAVE A DUAL CITIZENSHIP
- III. VERIFY ATD/FTD INSTRUCTION RECEIVED _
- III. VERIFY ATD/FTD INSTRUMENT INSTRUCTION RECEIVED _
- III. MAKE SURE INSTRUMENT TIME IN THE SIMULATOR IS FILLED IN UNDER ATD
- III. AIRPLANE INSTRUCTION TIME DOES NOT INCLUDE ATD TIME
- III. IF YOU ARE A PRIVATE PILOT APPLICANT WITH AN INITIAL CHECK-RIDE YOUR PIC/SOLO TIME PLUS YOUR INSTRUCTION TIME WILL ADD UP TO YOUR TOTAL TIME
- III. IF YOUR PRIVATE PILOT RETESTS, ONLY YOUR PIC TIME PLUS YOUR INSTRUCTION TIME WILL ADD UP TO YOUR TOTAL TIME.
- III. IF YOU ARE A COMMERCIAL OR INSTRUMENT OR CFII APPLICANT YOUR PIC TIME PLUS YOUR INSTRUCTION TIME WILL BE MORE THAN YOUR TOTAL TIME.
- IV. NO INITIAL OR YES IF A RETEST IS CHECKED CORRECTLY
- VERIFY ADDRESS STATE & ZIP CODE COMPLETE AND CORRECT ON PAGE 1 PAGE 3.
- ALSO USE CHECKLIST IN THE BACK OF THE ACS OF WHAT TO BRING
- MAKE SURE YOU BRING YOUR PASSWORD AND USERNAME FOR IACRA WITH YOU
THANK YOU!
If you are paying by check or cash, please bring it in an envelope or inside a folded paper stating the following:
- Your name
- The payment amount
- The FTN number
- Your application number
- The school you’re flying with
- The city you’re flying out of with the airport identifier
- Whether it’s Private/Commercial/Instrument/ CFI
- Whether it’s your 1st/2nd/3rd Attempt
Also, on a piece of paper, either print or write ALL the dates and times of ALL your COMMERCIAL INSTRUMENT TIME, the dates, and all other commercial requirements according to 61.129.
And dates & times of ALL your solo & solo night times. (E.g. 8/5/23 1.3 Instrument.)
And of course your long solo cross country.
And your complex time and tail number.
Each requirement should be in a separate section per 61.129 requirements.
Each requirement section should include the dates they were completed. Which aircraft or ATD they were completed in. And the amount of time logged.
Most importantly, is the instrument time completed during commercial training.
Second, most important is the solo time during commercial training.
Third most important would be your solo nighttime completed during commercial training.
Writing them out and separate areas of the requirements works well.
PLEASE view and emulate the sample below.
For information about the different checkrides. please see the corresponding Before You Arrive page:
Before you Arrive Private Pilot
Before You Arrive – Instrument Pilot
For all test scenarios, please see the corresponding Practical Test Scenario page:
Commercial Practical Test Scenarios
Instrument Pilot Practical Test Scenarios
Private Pilot Practical Test Scenarios
Certified Flight Instructor Practical Test Scenarios