My thoughts today are on being prepared for the all-important check ride and not letting you or the examiner get into your head.

Being a commercially rated pilot, I have been through many check rides over the years. I have never failed a check ride, but I sure have been close. Every time I prepare for the ride, I fly a couple of days before; I make sure my maneuvers are on point and I always do a practice oral exam with and instructor. Yet every time I get in front of the examiner, I find myself making stupid mistakes during the flight and drawing complete mind blanks during the oral.

What we need to remember is the FAA designated examiner is not there to fail us. The examiner is there to make sure that we meet the Practical Test Standards or PTS for short. I have found that reviewing the PTS helps. You should know what the standard is prior to going into the ride. Also keep in mind that the examiner is not typically going to fail you for making a mistake as long as they do not have to correct you.

The overall purpose of the check ride is to make sure you are going to be a safe pilot. I have made may mistakes during check rides and I will list a few here.

During my private pilot check ride, I completely forgot how to use the navigation system, however I admitted my issue and was able to use pilotage (Navigating by looking outside at the roads) to get back to the airport.

During my instrument check ride, I had loaded the entire flight plan into the GPS system to include the return trip. When I passed through the final approach fix at South Bend, prior to me hitting suspend and the GPS directing me to the hold it was directing me to return to our home airport. I was able to identify the issue, however I had a complete helmet fire and could not figure out how to program the hold, which was over the outer marker, back into the GPS. I was able to revert to the old school method and did a timed hold over the outer marker.

On my commercial check ride when doing a chandelle, the maneuver was just not going well and I told the examiner I was going to level off and restart.

While doing my multi engine check ride completely set up incorrectly for the VMC demo not once, but twice. I verbally identified to the examiner both times that I know I was making a mistake and was able to reset and restart the maneuver.

In aviation, like in life we need to be able to adapt to a situation and overcome. Own your mistakes, reset, and move on.

One of my favorite quotes is by Theodore Roosevelt

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”

As one of my favorite DPE’s says: “If you don’t scare me, I don’t have to take the airplane, and you meet the PTS today will be an easy day.”

The examiners are not here to fail you. It really messes up their already packed schedules.

Nick Sanderson is a commercially rated pilot and member of the FAA’s FAASTeam.

For more information on the FAASteam and the Wings Program please visit www.faasafety.gov

 The views and opinions in this article are those of the author and not of the FAA nor any other organization.