Your private pilot checkride has two parts, an oral exam and a flight, and both are graded against the same document: the Private Pilot Airman Certification Standards (ACS). Expect about four hours total: roughly two on the ground, two in the air. This course follows the ACS in the same order the examiner tests you.
2
parts: oral + flight
~4
hours start to finish
12
ACS areas of operation
1
examiner who wants you to pass
What is the ACS?
The ACS is the FAA document that defines, for every task on the practical test, three things:
- Knowledge (K): what you need to know
- Risk management (R): hazards you must identify and mitigate
- Skills (S): what you must demonstrate in the airplane
If it’s in the ACS, it’s fair game. If it isn’t, the examiner shouldn’t be testing it.
The first 20 minutes decide the mood
That’s exactly why the next two lessons in this course cover those questions. Get them perfect before you move on.
Your DPE really wants you to pass
A Designated Pilot Examiner is not an FAA employee looking for a reason to fail you. Most are genuinely nice people, and failing you is a pain: more paperwork, a notice of disapproval, and a re-test they have to schedule. (They’d much rather be home for dinner.) Show up prepared, organized and honest, and you’ve made their day easy.
Tips for standing out
Quiz
Checkride basics
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What document is your private pilot practical test graded against?
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