7 Ways to Control Your Check Ride Destiny

If it feels like the many requirements for your check ride aren't lining up, you are not alone.

Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 11:29 AM ET

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Learners who get very attached to their instructors might be willing to wait for that CFI to become more available. In doing so, however, they risk putting their training on hold. [Credit: Daryl LaBello/Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University]

Key Takeaways:

Scheduling a pilot check ride is inherently challenging, requiring numerous factors—applicant readiness, aircraft availability, CFI/DPE scheduling, and suitable weather—to align perfectly.
To overcome these logistical hurdles, pilots should be proactive and flexible by not waiting for specific instructors or aircraft, insisting on syllabi, being prepared to travel for training, and meticulously ensuring all personal and aircraft documentation is ready.
Anticipate and push through common frustrations, such as CFIs moving on or encountering unhelpful flight school practices, to avoid giving up on their certification goals.

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Are you familiar with the Swiss cheese model for accidents? It teaches us that when all the risk factors—the holes—line up, accidents happen.

The model can also be applied to check rides, except instead of the holes being risks, they are requirements for the check ride to happen. Sometimes it can feel like the holes will never line up, and you may feel like you’ve wasted hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars. If you have ever felt this way, you are not alone.