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2 Answers

Cross-country to the Private Pilot practical exam

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FAA Regulations, Private Pilot, Student Pilot

Hello, I'm currently a student pilot with 19.2 hours working towards my PPL. The nearest Designated Pilot Examiner is about 120 miles from my base airport. To take my practical test I will need to be signed off for a cross country to the airport with the DPE. What happens if I don't pass the practical? Does the DPE sign me off for my cross country back to my base airport? Would it be prudent to bring my instructor along in the event I don't pass? Thanks!

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2 Answers



  1. Russ Roslewski on Jan 25, 2016

    Your instructor endorses you to fly to the other airport for the checkride and return, just like on all your other solo XC flights. If you pass, then the “return” part of that endorsement is irrelevant.

    But don’t worry about that! You’re still early in the training program. Focus on what you’re doing here and now and the checkride will take care of itself.

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  2. Christopher Ian on Aug 05, 2017

    Remember, the Designated Pilot Examiner or FAA Flight Inspector is signing you for a Pilot certificate, likely Private rating, Single Engine Land. You must pass an oral exam, and practical flight test. If you fail part of it, you only need to pass the parts you did not complete satisfactorily. A 30-day time period -don’t think it is 90 days, w additional instruction loggeg is required.
    You are PIC during your flight test. If asked to do something you feel is unsafe, or not required, you may refuse. One of my friends was asked to land in a field. Hecsaid, I can get you kn, not sure I can get youmout, and was sure the grass was tall enough to leave grass stains on the prop.
    My glider flight test, he covered altimeter and told me to break tow at 2500 agl.
    I believe they can give you only one equipment failure at a time, not two. Altimeter, ir airspeed, then I had to land w no spoilers, downwind. I asked if I had a chouce on landing direction, he said, I don’t think so. I did, but he did not require it.

    This has no effect at all on your solo endorsement.
    It is also up to the examiner, and you in agreement, if you fail a maneuver, the examiner can end the flight test. Or they can continue w everything else and you fail and must reowat only that part. You can also end the test at any time if you don’t feel up to the task, it us not a failure but incomplete test.

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