Check Ride

A CFI recalls the time she had to provide an emergency flight review for the most famous of pilots in order to save Christmas.

An instructor reminds us to respect the testing process while pointing out its limitations.

Endorsements are not guaranteed for the private pilot check ride applicants showing up unprepared and under-experienced.

If the applicant isn’t qualified, both the potential pilot and the examiner lose out.

As a child, I thought Christmas Eve was hands-down the most magical time of the year, but December 24, 2021, was over the top. That morning I became a “real” private pilot…nine months since the revocation of all my certificates and ratings. Though I could pursue getting all of them back, at this time in […]

A practice check ride before you meet your examiner could help you pass.

Doing something people aren’t used to seeing sometimes forces you to explain yourself.

Once you have determined what kind of pilot you want to be, you can follow our step-by-step path toward achieving your aviation goals. No matter what type of flying you choose, the basics stay pretty much the same. As you move through these steps, however, keep in mind that your experience is the most important […]

Ten years ago, the aviation industry was fed up, and the FAA needed help to fix the problems that had developed within the process of testing applicants for pilot certificates and ratings. So, what was the issue? Essentially, instructors and prospective pilots had two separate tests (the written exam and the practical test) to prepare […]

On the day you earn your private pilot certificate, a transformation takes place. You became a pilot when you soloed the airplane for the first time, but now you are a pilot recognized by the greater world. You’re able to do a lot with your new privileges. Maybe you have a few in mind, such […]