Private Pilot maneuvers

3 Answers

1. 
   

   
   

   Bryan on Dec 07, 2021

   Wow…that’s a lot of questions in one.

   I did all of my training in an Archer II, including the private checkride. On my actual checkride, I raised the flaps and then verbalized “simulated max braking.” A different instructor for my commercial single-engine recommended that I just verbalize both. So yes, it’s permissible to raise the flaps but I wouldn’t brake hard unless you actually have a short field due to the wear issue.

   On the stall horn…the ACS at PA.VII.A.S4 says that maneuvering during slow flight should be accomplished “without a stall warning” (buffet, horn, etc.). However, if go down to A-9, under the heading “Unsatisfactory Performance” is lists “Consistently exceeding tolerances stated in the skill elements of the Task” and “Failure to take prompt corrective action when tolerances are exceeded.” Thus, if the stall horn sounds briefly and you add power/drop the nose to correct the problem, you’re probably going to be fine. If it’s on the whole time you’re doing slow flight, you would not likely pass the checkride.

   Going below the VASI on a private checkride probably wouldn’t be a huge deal…but I did it on my commercial multi checkride and got quite the earful. Additionally, the ACS doesn’t care how long your landing roll is–it cares that you “Touch down at a proper pitch attitude within 200 feet beyond or on the specified point….with no side drift, minimum float, and with the airplane’s longitudinal axis aligned with and over the runway centerline.” Forget the length of the landing roll for the checkride–focus on energy management on the proper glideslope so that your airspeed is correct to control the touchdown point.

   As for GPS, remember, the ACS doesn’t care what tool you use–only that you are proficient in using the tools your aircraft has to accomplish the tasks required. Look at the ACS navigation section (VI A through D). Make sure you know how to accomplish all of those navigation related tasks with whatever equipment is installed in the aircraft in which you will do your checkride.

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2. 
   

   
   

   Randy Ducote on Dec 09, 2021

   Hi Bryan,

   Thanks for your detailed answers to my questions. Even though I’ve read the
   ACS several times, there are some grey areas that are not addressed & subject to the particular DPE’s preference in terms of technique. A technique that may be acceptable to one DPE might not be acceptable to another DPE. For example, when I asked an FAA examiner about raising the flaps on the runway to maximize braking for a short field landing, he indicated that was not acceptable due to the possibility of inadvertent gear retraction. During touch & go’s, we retract the flaps routinely during rollout…what’s the difference? Anyway, thanks again for your advice…Randy

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3. 
   

   
   

   Bryan on Dec 10, 2021

   The FAA examiner’s point might make sense if you were doing your training in an Arrow or a Mooney where there actually is a lever you could grab to retract the gear. But in an Archer, you can’t retract the gear.

   And no matter what you’re flying, if you look at PA.IV.F.S11 in the ACS, you are supposed to “use manufacturer’s recommended procedures for airplane configuration and braking.” That makes the POH the standard regardless of what the DPE prefers. As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t pound on the brakes on my checkride just to save the wear and tear but I talked about that with the DPE before doing the approach and he said that’s fine.

   Hopefully your checkride is coming soon and I wish you luck!

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