How to Pass Your Private Pilot Checkride
The checkride is the last step between student pilot and certificate holder. It is not a test you need to fear, it is one you need to prepare for. This guide covers exactly what happens, what the examiner is looking for, and how to walk in ready.
The day of your private pilot checkride is the day everything you have learned in training gets measured against a single standard: the FAA's Airman Certification Standards. Not a random exam, not an instructor's opinion, but a published document that tells you exactly what you need to know, what tolerances you need to hit, and what the examiner will ask.
That is actually good news. The checkride is not a surprise. If you know the ACS, prepare honestly, and fly the way your instructor has been teaching you, the outcome should not be in doubt. The goal of this guide is to get you to that point of quiet confidence, whether your checkride is weeks away or tomorrow morning.
What Is a Private Pilot Checkride?
The private pilot checkride — formally called the Private Pilot Practical Test — is the FAA's evaluation of whether you meet the standards required to hold a private pilot certificate. It is administered by an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) or, in some cases, an FAA inspector. The examiner is authorized to issue your certificate on the spot if you pass.
The checkride has two phases that happen on the same day:
Phase 1: The Oral Exam
A ground-based question-and-answer session covering aeronautical knowledge, regulations, weather, airspace, aircraft systems, and flight planning. Typically 1.5 to 3 hours depending on the examiner and your preparation level.
Phase 2: The Flight Test
An actual flight where the examiner evaluates your ability to perform required maneuvers to ACS standards. The examiner acts as a passenger and may also simulate emergencies or ask questions during the flight.
You must pass both phases. If you do not complete both on the same day due to weather or other factors, you may complete the remaining portion on a subsequent date within 60 days without re-taking the phase you already passed, provided the examiner issues a Letter of Discontinuance.
The examiner is not your adversary. Their job is to determine whether you meet the published standard, not to trick you. If you demonstrate ACS-level knowledge, risk management, skill, and judgment, you pass.
Understanding the Airman Certification Standards
The Airman Certification Standards (ACS) is the governing document for your checkride. It replaced the older Practical Test Standards (PTS) and adds a more structured framework around aeronautical knowledge, risk management, and skills. The current version for private pilot airplane is FAA-S-ACS-6C, effective May 31, 2024.
The ACS organizes every topic into three columns:
Knowledge
What you must be able to explain or describe. This is primarily tested in the oral exam.
Risk Management
The ability to identify, assess, and mitigate hazards. Examiners now explicitly test this element across many tasks.
Skills
The actual performance standards for each maneuver, including tolerances for altitude, heading, airspeed, and other parameters.
Every question an examiner asks on the oral exam, and every maneuver they observe in the flight test, maps to a specific ACS task. Reading the ACS before your checkride is not optional. It is the most direct path to understanding exactly what is expected of you.
Essential Resource
The official current ACS document used by every examiner for the private pilot checkride, bundled with the FAA-G-ACS-2 risk management companion. The examiner is using this book. You should be too.
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Documents and Eligibility Requirements
Before the examiner can begin the checkride, you need to demonstrate eligibility. Most checkrides do not start late because of nerves, they start late because a student forgot a document or their logbook endorsements are not in order. Eliminate that possibility entirely.
The IACRA Application
Your checkride application is submitted through the FAA's Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) system at iacra.faa.gov. Your flight instructor initiates this process, and you will need your FTN (FAA Tracking Number). Confirm with your instructor that the IACRA application is complete and submitted before your checkride date.
Required Documents Checklist
Bring to Your Checkride
- Government-issued photo ID (driver's license, passport)
- FAA student pilot certificate
- Current medical certificate, at least Third Class, or BasicMed documentation if you are eligible and operating under BasicMed
- Logbook with all required flight experience
- Logbook with all required instructor endorsements
- IACRA confirmation / application number
- Ground school completion certificate (if applicable)
- Written test results (Knowledge Test Report)
- Aircraft logbooks (airworthiness, annual, ADs)
- Aircraft documents: airworthiness certificate
- Aircraft registration
- Aircraft operating handbook / POH
- Weight and balance documentation
- Current charts, plates, and sectional
- Flight plan and cross-country planning materials
- Examiner fee (confirm amount in advance)
Note: Many private pilot applicants use a Third Class medical. Some applicants may be eligible to use BasicMed for the practical test if all BasicMed conditions and aircraft/operation limitations are met. Confirm your situation with your instructor and examiner before checkride day.
Required Logbook Endorsements
Your logbook needs the required instructor endorsements confirming that you meet the aeronautical experience requirements under FAR 61.109, received the required practical-test preparation within the required 2-calendar-month window, are prepared for the practical test, and have reviewed any deficient areas from your knowledge test. Common issues include missing solo endorsements, missing solo cross-country endorsements, missing practical-test preparation endorsements, or training that was completed outside the required recency window.
Required Flight Experience (FAR 61.109)
Total Flight Time
Minimum 40 hours total flight time, including at least 20 hours of flight instruction and 10 hours of solo flight time.
Cross-Country Training
At least 3 hours of cross-country flight training with an instructor, plus solo cross-country flight time as noted below.
Solo Cross-Country
At least 5 hours of solo cross-country time, including one solo cross-country of at least 150 nautical miles total distance with full-stop landings at three points, one segment of more than 50 nautical miles, and three takeoffs and landings to a full stop at an airport with an operating control tower.
Night Operations
At least 3 hours of night flight training, including 10 takeoffs and full-stop landings, and one cross-country of more than 100nm.
Instrument Training
At least 3 hours of flight training in a single-engine airplane on the control and maneuvering of the airplane solely by reference to instruments.
Checkride Prep Training
At least 3 hours of flight training with an authorized instructor in preparation for the practical test, completed within the preceding 2 calendar months from the month of the test.
The Oral Exam: What to Expect
For many candidates, the oral exam is the most anxiety-producing part of the checkride. That anxiety almost always comes from uncertainty about what will be asked. Here is the direct answer: the ACS tells you exactly what topics the examiner can ask about. Every task in the ACS is fair game. The examiner's questions should connect back to ACS tasks, standards, and real-world pilot decision-making.
How the Oral Is Structured
Most examiners begin by reviewing your documents and logbook endorsements, then move through the ACS task areas in a conversational format. They are not reading questions from a list. They are probing your understanding of concepts through open-ended questions and follow-ups.
Common starting points include:
- Pilot qualifications and currency requirements
- Aircraft airworthiness — the ARROW documents and required inspections
- Weather: METARs, TAFs, PIREPs, SIGMETs, AIRMETs
- Airspace: classes, requirements, special use airspace
- Cross-country flight planning: performance, weight and balance, fuel planning
- Aerodynamics and aircraft systems relevant to your training aircraft
- Emergency procedures specific to your aircraft type
- Human factors: IMSAFE, ADM, hazardous attitudes
The ARROW Documents
Examiners almost universally verify that you can locate and explain the required aircraft documents. ARROW is the standard mnemonic:
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Airworthiness certificate (must be displayed in the aircraft)
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Registration certificate (must be current and in the aircraft)
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Radio station license (required for international operations)
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Operating handbook / AFM (must be in or available for the aircraft)
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Weight and balance data (must be current and in the aircraft)
The Required Inspections
Know the inspection schedule for your aircraft and be able to identify the due dates from the aircraft logbooks:
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Annual inspection — every 12 calendar months (FAR 91.409)
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100-hour inspection — required if the aircraft is used for hire (FAR 91.409)
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ELT battery/inspection — every 12 calendar months or after cumulative use exceeds one hour (FAR 91.207)
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Altimeter, encoder, transponder — every 24 calendar months for IFR flight (FAR 91.411/413)
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VOR check — every 30 days for IFR flight (FAR 91.171)
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AD compliance — airworthiness directives must be current
Required Reference
Every regulation cited in the oral exam — FAR Part 61, Part 91, the AIM — is in this book. Bring it to your checkride. Examiners expect you to reference it, and being able to turn directly to the right section demonstrates exactly the kind of systematic airmanship they are looking for.
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Pairs with FAR/AIM
Pre-printed index tabs for the FAR/AIM that let you flip directly to any section in seconds rather than hunting through dense regulatory text under pressure. A small investment that pays off every time the examiner asks you to find something specific.
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Tips for the Oral Exam
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Say what you know, then look up what you don't. If you are not certain, say "I'd reference the POH" or "I'd check the AIM for that." Examiners respect systematic problem-solving over guessing.
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Bring your reference materials. Bring your sectional, charts, E6B, POH, and the ACS itself. Using references is not a weakness, it shows good airmanship.
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Think out loud. Walk the examiner through your reasoning. An examiner cannot evaluate your thought process if you only give them a one-word answer.
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Do not volunteer uncertainty about topics you know. Answer confidently what you know. If you are unsure, say so cleanly and offer to look it up.
Oral Exam Prep
The standard reference for private pilot oral exam prep, updated to align with the current ACS. Organized in question-and-answer format mirroring what examiners actually ask, with FAA references for every answer. One of the most efficient study tools available for checkride preparation.
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The Flight Test: Maneuvers and Tolerances
The flight test is the practical evaluation of your flying skills against the ACS performance standards. The examiner will brief you before departure on which tasks they plan to evaluate. Not every task in the ACS must be tested on every checkride, but you should be prepared to demonstrate all of them.
ACS Maneuver Categories
Preflight and Ground Operations
Preflight inspection, cockpit management, engine starting, taxiing, run-up, and departure briefing. The examiner is watching your systematic approach from the moment you approach the aircraft.
Takeoffs and Landings
Normal, crosswind, soft-field, and short-field takeoffs and landings. Forward slip to a landing. Go-arounds. Each has specific ACS tolerances you must meet.
Performance Maneuvers
Steep turns (45° bank, ±100 ft, ±10 kts), slow flight, power-on and power-off stalls, stall recognition and recovery. These test your handling at the edges of normal flight.
Ground Reference Maneuvers
Turns around a point, S-turns across a road, rectangular course. These test your ability to maintain a consistent track over the ground while dividing attention between the aircraft and outside references.
Navigation
Cross-country flight planning and pilotage. You will typically fly a portion of a pre-planned cross-country and may be asked to divert to an alternate airport. Demonstrates real-world navigation competency.
Emergency Operations
Emergency descent, simulated engine failure (off-airport landing), and emergency approach. The examiner will simulate a failure at altitude and evaluate your response, decision-making, and ability to land within a usable field.
Key ACS Tolerances to Know by Heart
These are the performance standards examiners apply during the flight test. Know them before your checkride, not after:
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Altitude: ±100 feet during cruise and most maneuvers; ±50 feet during some precision tasks
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Heading: ±10 degrees during straight and level and most tasks
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Airspeed: ±10 knots during normal operations; ±5 knots during approaches
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Bank angle in steep turns: ±5 degrees of 45°
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Altitude entry/exit on steep turns: ±100 feet
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Slow flight: Maintain assigned altitude ±100 feet, heading ±10°, airspeed +10/-0 knots
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Short field landing: Touch down within 200 feet beyond the designated point
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Soft field landing: Touch down at minimum controllable airspeed with no excessive drift
Fly to ACS standards every flight before your checkride. Do not fly to "good enough for training" and then try to tighten up for the practical test. If you have been holding altitude within ±50 feet consistently in training, the ±100-foot ACS standard feels relaxed on the day. If you have been sloppy, ±100 feet feels tight when it matters.
The Emergency Scenario
The examiner will simulate an engine failure, typically at altitude over a practice area or en route to the cross-country destination. They will pull the throttle to idle and say something like "your engine has failed." Your job is to respond immediately and correctly:
- Establish best glide speed (know this number for your aircraft)
- Select a suitable landing area within gliding distance
- Run the emergency checklist (attempt restart)
- Declare emergency / squawk 7700 if simulating a real emergency
- Brief passengers
- Fly the aircraft to your selected landing area
The examiner is not looking for a perfect field. They are looking for a systematic response, a reasonable choice, and a believable approach path. If you select a marginal field but can defend your decision-making, that is acceptable. If you panic and stop flying the aircraft, that is not.
What to Do the Day of Your Checkride
The Night Before
- Get your documents in order and in one place. Do not be hunting for your medical certificate in the morning.
- Review the weather forecast for the following day and think about how it might affect the flight.
- Do a mental walkthrough of the oral topics you feel least confident about. Brief review is fine. Cramming is not.
- Set an appropriate bedtime. Fatigue affects performance in ways you may not notice yourself but an examiner will.
The Morning Of
- Do a thorough weather briefing. Know the conditions, know the NOTAMs, know the forecast. This is legitimate checkride preparation and may come up in the oral.
- Complete a full, real cross-country flight plan to your designated destination even if you know you will only fly part of it.
- Arrive early. Rushing to a checkride is one of the fastest ways to start it badly.
- Eat a proper meal. Hunger is a human factors issue. IMSAFE applies to your checkride day too.
Self-Assessment with IMSAFE
The FAA expects pilots to evaluate their fitness for flight before every flight. Apply it honestly to your checkride day:
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Illness — any symptoms that could affect performance?
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Medication — anything that could impair judgment or reaction time?
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Stress — personal or professional stress that could divide your attention?
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Alcohol — nothing within 8 hours, ideally 24 hours before flight
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Fatigue — are you genuinely rested?
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Emotion — are you in an emotional state that could affect your decision-making?
If you are genuinely not ready due to any IMSAFE factor, it is better to reschedule than to take a checkride you are not fit to take. Examiners understand. It is better to delay than to take an incomplete or unsatisfactory.
During the Checkride
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Think out loud consistently. If you are doing a clearing turn before a maneuver, say it. If you are checking a reference point, say it. The examiner needs to see your thought process, not just your outputs.
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Admit what you don't know. "I don't recall that exactly, I'd reference the POH" is a correct answer. Guessing confidently and getting it wrong is far worse.
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Do not stop flying the aircraft. If something goes wrong during a maneuver, correct it and continue. Examiners evaluate your overall performance, not individual moments.
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You are the PIC. The examiner is a passenger. If they suggest something that concerns you as PIC, you have the authority and responsibility to say so. Examiners have tested this deliberately. Respond as a pilot, not as a student being tested.
Required Documentation
Your logbook is a required document at the checkride and the permanent record of your aeronautical experience. The ASA Standard is one of the most widely used pilot logbooks in general aviation, with 206 pages, FAA-compliant columns, and space for endorsements.
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Discontinuances and What Happens If You Don't Pass
Discontinuance
A discontinuance is not a failure. If weather, aircraft mechanical issues, or scheduling prevent completion of the checkride, the examiner can issue a Letter of Discontinuance. This letter allows you to complete the remaining portion within 60 calendar days without retaking the completed phase. Confirm with your examiner and your instructor exactly what was completed and what remains.
Notice of Disapproval
If you do not meet ACS standards on any task, the examiner will issue a Notice of Disapproval. This identifies the specific tasks you did not complete satisfactorily. Key points to understand:
- You do not need to retake the entire checkride, only the tasks on which you were disapproved, plus any tasks that logically follow from them.
- You must complete additional training with a flight instructor and receive a new endorsement before you can retest.
- There is no limit on how many times you can attempt the checkride, but each attempt after the first requires a new instructor endorsement.
- A Notice of Disapproval is not the same thing as an enforcement action, accident, or incident. However, it is an official FAA practical-test record, and future professional pilot applications may ask about checkride failures. Be honest, complete the required retraining, and be prepared to explain what you learned from the experience.
If you are not ready, say so. If your instructor has signed you off but you genuinely do not feel prepared, have a frank conversation before the checkride date rather than after. Most examiners allow reasonable rescheduling. Taking a checkride you know you are not ready for is rarely worth the result.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current private pilot ACS version?
The current version is FAA-S-ACS-6C, effective May 31, 2024. It superseded FAA-S-ACS-6B and all earlier Practical Test Standards for the private pilot airplane certificate. If you are using a study guide or oral exam prep book, verify it references ACS standards and not the older PTS format.
How long does the checkride take?
Plan for a full day. The oral exam typically runs 1.5 to 3 hours depending on examiner style and your preparation. The flight test is usually 1.5 to 2 hours including preflight. Some examiners complete everything in under 4 hours total. Others may take longer. Do not schedule anything important after your checkride.
Can I use my phone or iPad during the oral exam?
Most DPEs allow reference to materials you would normally use in flight, including electronic devices for charts and weather services. Some prefer you demonstrate knowledge from memory first, then confirm with references. Ask your DPE in advance what their preference is regarding electronic references during the oral.
What happens if the weather is bad on my checkride day?
You and the examiner will assess the weather together. If conditions are VFR marginal or worse, most examiners will reschedule or offer to complete the oral portion and return for the flight test when weather improves. If you complete the oral and receive a Letter of Discontinuance, you have 60 days to complete the flight test without redoing the oral.
Should I tell the examiner if I make a mistake during the flight?
You do not need to narrate your own mistakes, but you should correct them immediately and continue flying. Examiners are evaluating your overall performance and your response to situations. A deviation that you recognize and correct demonstrates good airmanship. A deviation you do not notice and do not correct is more concerning than the deviation itself.
What if the examiner asks something I genuinely don't know?
Say so clearly and offer to look it up in the appropriate reference. "I don't recall the exact regulation for that, but I would reference FAR 91.409 in the AIM" is a competent answer. Pilots who are safe are the ones who know what they know, know what they don't know, and know where to find what they need.
What is a "3-hour rule" and does it apply to my checkride?
FAR 61.109 requires at least 3 hours of flight training in preparation for the practical test within 2 calendar months before the test date. This means your final solo or dual instruction leading up to the checkride must have occurred within 2 calendar months. Verify this with your instructor before your checkride date, as a gap in recent training can create an eligibility issue.
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Frequently Asked Questions
