Private Pilot Check ride Study Guide

REGULATIONS
1. What class of medical certificate is
required for your license?
1. At least a 3rd class medical certificate which
lasts 5 years (under 40) or 2 years (over
40)
2. 2nd class medical certificate lasts 1 year (for
all ages)
3. 1st class medical certificate lasts 1 year
(under 40) or 6 months (over 40)
2. What is the duration of that class of
medical certificate?
1. *stated above*
3. Are you required to have a periodic flight
review? What kind? How often?
1. Once every two years.
o At least 1 hr of flight and 1 hr of
ground
o review of the current general
operating and flight rules in FAR Part
91
o combination of flight maneuvers
that the reviewer feels is
appropriate
4. What are the recency of flight experience
requirements to carry passengers?
1. For day flights
o Within the past 90 days (3 months),
the pilot must have completed 3
take-offs and landings (touch-andgoes are acceptable)
2. For night flights
o Within the past 90 days (3 months),
the pilot must have completed 3
take-offs and full stop landings
(NO TOUCH-AND-GOES)
5. How long after a change of address do
you have to notify the FAA?
1. 30 days to notify the FAA or the pilot
cannot exercise private pilot privileges
6. When may a private pilot accept money
for flying an aircraft?
1. NEVER can a private pilot fly for hire
o A Private Pilot cannot pay less than
an equal share of the operating
expenses of a flight with passengers
7. What fuel reserves are required (VFR)?
1. For day flight
o
At least enough to go for 30 minutes
2. For night flight
o
At least enough to go for 45 minutes
8. What documents are required to be on
your person?
1. Valid government issued photo ID
2. Private Pilots License
3. Valid (at least 3rd class) Medical Certificate
9. When is supplemental oxygen required
for the flight crew? Passengers?
1. Flight Crew
o
May not operate an airplane without
supplemental oxygen above 12,500

ft MSL up to and including 14,000 ft

MSL for more than 30 min
MUST use supplemental oxygen
above 14,000 ft MSL

2.

Passengers
o
MUST be provided with
supplemental oxygen above 15,000
ft MSL
10.What equipment is required to be
installed in the aircraft for flight, VFR
day? VFR night?
1. Day

Gas gauges
Oil temperature
Oil pressure
Seatbelts
ELT

Altimeter

Compass
Airspeed Indicator
Tachometer

o
o
o
o

o
o
2.

Night
o
o
o
o

Fuses/Circuit breakers
Landing Light
Anti-collision light (beacon)
Positioning Light
Source of electricity

o
11.Can you operate an aircraft with
inoperative equipment not listed in the
previous question?
1. Only if it is not listed as required or
standard equipment items in the POH
12.What is a MEL?
1. Minimum Equipment List
o
FAA issued list of instruments and
equipment that may be inoperative
without jeopardizing safety
13.If the equipment is not required what
must be done to fly?
1. If the equipment is inoperative, an
inoperative sticker must be placed over
the inoperative equipment
2. Or the inoperative equipment must be
removed
14.What is a special flight permit?
1. It is a permit to fly an aircraft that does not
meet FAA minimum safe flight
requirements, but is capable of safe flight
o
Flying aircraft to location of repair
o
Delivering aircraft to storage or
purchaser
o
Conducting production flight tests

Moving an aircraft from impending

danger
o
Conducting customer demonstration
flights
o
Excess weight operations
15.What inspections are required on your
aircraft?
1. Annual (12 months); IA rating
2. V
3. 100 hr; A&P rating
4. Altimeter
5. Transponder (24 months)
6. ELT (12 months)
o
Replace if in use for more than one
cumulative hour or battery life has
50% or less remaining
16.Can you locate these in the aircraft
logbooks?
1. Yes. All maintenance should be logged in
aircraft logbooks
o

17.What is preventative maintenance?

1. Minor maintenance that only someone
who is a private pilot and higher can do
o
E.X. tire pressure, oil level etc.
18.When must the position lights be on?
The anticollision lights?
1. Lights must be on between sunset and
sunrise
19.Describe the rules regarding the
minimum altitude at which you may fly.
1. At least 1,000 ft above the highest
obstacle in a congested area within a
horizontal radius of 2,000 ft from the
airplane
2. At least 500 ft AGL everywhere else
3. Altitude must always be sufficient to
permit an emergency landing without
undue hazard to persons or property on
the surface if a the power dies
20.What constitutes an accident, and who
has to be notified?
1. Accident
o
Occurrence associated with the
operation of an aircraft which takes
place between the time any person
boards the aircraft with the intention
of flight and all persons who
disembark, and in which any person
suffers death or serious injury, or if
the aircraft receives severe damage
o
Must be filed within 10 days of the
accident
2. Incident
o
An occurrence other than an accident,
associated with the operations of an
aircraft, which could affect or affects
the safety of operations
3. The National Transportation Safety Board
21.What is the NASA form, and when is it
used?
1. Aviation Safety Reporting Program (ASRP)

Collects voluntarily submitted

incident/situation reports from pilots,
controllers, and other people in
aviation
22.Are there any endorsements you need to
fly other aircraft?
1. Yes
o
Tail wheel
o
Complex (over 200 rpm)
o
Mutli-Engine
o

WEATHER
1. How do you get a preflight weather
briefing?
1. Contact a FSS
2. Duats
3. ADDS

2. Basic weather patterns.

1. Low pressure: inward, upward, counterclockwise
2. high pressure: outward, downward,
clockwise
3. What is an area forecast? Winds aloft
forecast?
1. Forecasts of general visual meteorological
conditions, clouds, and general weather
conditions
o Issued 3 times/day
12 hr forecast
6-hr categorical outlook
2. Forecast winds at specific altitudes for
specific locations

3. What is a TAF? What is a METAR?

1. Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
o Weather forecasts for specific airports
o 24 hrs, 4 times/day
o Winds/clouds
o TAF=routine forecast
o TAF AMD=amended forecast
2. Aviation Routine Weather Reports
o Actual weather observations at the time
indicated on the report
o For specific airport
o METAR=routine weather report
o SPECI=non-routine weather report
2. The recording says "...temperature 16,
dewpoint 15..." What does this mean to
you?
1. Fog is imminent if not already there
3. Explain an area forecast?
1. **Described in question 2 of this section**
4. Describe the following, including
implications for

the private pilot: wind shear / airframe

icing / carburetor icing / induction icing /
clear air turbulence / convective activity /
towering cumulus / microbursts / hail /
temperature inversion / marine layer /
wake turbulence / advection fog
1. Wind Shear
o Difference in wind speed and direction
over a relatively short distance in the
atmosphere
o
Expectedly in a temperature inversion
o
Caused near weather fronts and
thunderstorms
2. Airframe Icing
o
Icing that occurs over the surface of the
plane, esp. the wing
o
Disrupts the smooth airflow over the
wing
3. Carburetor Icing
o
Humid air and the temperature drop in
the venture causes the water vapor to
freeze
4. Induction Icing
o
Engines can lose power if the air filter
and intake passages are blocked by ice
5. Clear Air Turbulence
o
caused when bodies of air moving at
widely different speeds meet
o
Impossible to see with the naked eye
and only w/ instruments
o
Wingtip Vortices
6. Convective Activity
o
Rising air
7. Towering Cumulus
o
A cloud that rises vertically and clearly
defined edges
o
Precursor for
other types
of clouds
8. Microbursts
----
o
Localized
column of air
9. Hail
o
Produced by
cumulonimbi
(thunderstorms)
10. Temperature Inversion
o
Temperature increases as altitude
increases
o
Result of a stable layer of air
o
Often develops on cool nights, near the
ground, with light wind
o
Causes by terrestrial radiation
11. Marine Layer
o
Air mass which develops over the
surface of a large body of water w/
temperature inversion
12. Wake Turbulence

Turbulence that forms behind an aircraft

as it is moving through air
o
BEWARE of jet wash
13. Advection Fog
o
Occurs when moist air passes over a
cool surface by advection(wind) and is
cooled
o
Common at sea when tropical air
encounters cooler waters
o
Causes marine layer
5. The best course of action to take if you
accidentally fly into a cloud is?
1. To make a standard rate turn 180 back in
the direction that one flew from
6. The average life span of a VFR pilot in the
clouds is what?
1.
30 sec.
7. What is the difference between a SIGMET
and an AIRMET? CONVECTIVE SIGMET?
1. SIGMET(WS)
o Advises of non-convective weather that is
potentially hazardous to all aircraft

Severe icing not associated with a

thunderstorm

Severe or extreme turbulence or

clear air turbulence not associated
with thunderstorms

Duststorms or sandstorms lowering

surface or in-flight visibilities to
below 3 miles

Volcanic Ash
2. AIRMET(WA)
o Advisories of significant weather
phenomena that describe conditions at
intensities lower than that of the WS
Bulletins every 6 hours
Outlook for conditions expected after
the WA valid period
o

3. Convective SIGMET(WST)
o Implies severe or greater turbulence,
severe icing and low-level wind shear
o Issued hourly
Severe thunderstorms due to:
Surface winds greater than or equal
to 50 knots
Hail at the surface greater than or
equal to inches in diameter
Tornadoes
Embedded thunderstorms

Line of thunderstorms

Thunderstorms greater than or equal

to heavy rain that affects 40% or
more of an area at least 3,000
square miles
AIRSPACE / AIRPORTS / CHARTS
1. What is Mode C? When must you have it?
1. A mode in the transponder that indicates
altitude

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

In Class A Airspace
Within class B Airspace
Within 30 nm of primary Class B Airport
Within and above class C airspace
Above 10,000 ft. except at and below 2,500
ft. AGL
2. Define the following types of airspace;
locate each on a sectional chart; describe
the VFR weather minimums for operating
in each; describe the equipment
requirements for operating in each;
describe the communications/clearances
required to operate in each: Class A /
Class B / Class C / Class D / Class E / Class
G / Warning Area / Restricted Area /
Prohibited Area / MOA / Special Flight
Rules Area / TRSA / and everything else
on the chart
1. Class A
1. Above 18,000 ft MSL
2. IFR Flights Only
3. Transponder w/ mode C
4. Not shown on maps
2. Class B
o Surface to 10,000 ft MSL
o Busy Airspace
o 3 SM Clear of Clouds
o Transponder w/ mode C
o Shown by a solid blue line
o Two way communication and must be
cleared into airspace by control tower
aircraft call sign clear to enter class
Bravo airspace
3. Class C
o Crowded Airspace
o Surface to 4,000 ft MSL
o Two way communication
o Transponder w/ mode C
o 5 nm radius is surface to 4,000 ft AGL
o 10 nm radius shelf is 1,200 ft AGL to
4,000 ft AGL
o Solid magenta line
o 3 SM; 1,000 ft above, 500 ft below, and
2,000 ft horizontally
4. Class D
o Surface to 2,500 ft AGL
o Two-way radio communication
o Dashed blue line
o 3 SM; 1,000 ft above, 500 ft below, and
2,000 ft horizontally
5. Class E
o Surface, or designated altitude, to but
not including 18,000 ft MSL
Less than 10,000 ft MSL
o 3 SM; 1,000 ft above, 500 ft
below, and 2,000 ft horizontally
Above 10,000 ft MSL
5 SM; 1,000 ft above, 1,000 ft
below, and 1SM horizontally
o Dashed magenta line

700 ft AGL on the fuzzy side of thick

magenta line
o 1,200 ft AGL on the solid side of thick
magenta line
o Staggered Blue Line indicated floor
6. Class G
o Surface up to Class E airspace but no
more than 14,500 ft MSL
o Day
o Below 1,200 ft AGL
1 SM; Clear of Clouds
o Above 1,200 ft AGL but lower than
10,000 ft MSL
1 SM; 1,000 ft above, 500 ft
below, 2,000 ft horizontally
o Night
o Below 1,200 ft AGL
3 SM; 1,000 ft above, 500 ft
below, and 2,000 ft horizontally
o Above 1,200 ft AGL but lower than
10,000 ft MSL
3 SM; 1,000 ft above, 500 ft
below, and 2,000 ft horizontally
o More than 1,200 ft AGL and at or
above 10,000 ft MSL
5 SM; 1,000 ft above, 1,000 ft
below, and 1 SM horizontally
7. Warning Area
o Dimensions extending from 3 NM from
the coast of the US, containing activity
that could be hazardous to
nonparticipating aircrafts
8. Restricted Area
o Flight of an aircraft is not prohibited but
is subject to restrictions
o Attain authorization from the controlling
agency
9. Prohibited Area
o Airspace in which aircraft flight is not
allowed whatsoever
10. MOA
o Military Operating Area
o Defined vertical and lateral limits
established to separate military training
activated from IFR traffic
o

11. Special Flight Rules Area

o A region in which the normal
regulations of flight do not apply in
whole or in par
12. TRSA
o Location where participating pilots can
receive additional radar services
3. What is an FSS? Where can you find one
on the sectional chart?
1. Flight Service Station
2. It has a blue box around the name of
the FSS and frequency(s) above it
4. What is Flight Watch? On what
frequency?
1. En Route Flight Advisory Service (EFAS)

Information about actual weather

and thunderstorm activities
2. 122.0 MHz below FL180
5. What is an RCO?
1. Remote Communications Outlet
2. Allows for the contact of the FSS on the
ground
6. When is a flight plan required (VFR)?
1. Flight plans are not required for VFR
flights
2. However, are required for DVFR flights
across ADIZ
7. What is special VFR? When would you
use it?
1. meteorological conditions that are less
than those required for basic VFR flight,
but not IFR ,in controlled airspace and
in which some aircraft are permitted
flight under visual flight rules
2. I would use it when clouds are just
above traffic pattern altitude and I
wanted to remain in the traffic pattern
8. How do you get it? What hazards are
associated with
it (day, night)?
1. Day- Contact ATC
2. Night- Contact ATC only if you have an
instrument rating and the plane
contains IFR instruments
9. Are you comfortable with light gun
signals?
1. On Ground
o Steady Green- Takeoff
o Flashing Green- Taxi
o Steady Red- Stop
o Flashing Red- Clear Runway
o Flashing white- Return to Ramp
o Red/Green alternating- Warning: Use
Caution
2. In Flight
o Steady Green- Land
o Flashing Green- Return to Land
o Steady Red- Give Way
o Flashing Red- Do Not Land
o Red/Green alternating- Warning: Use
Caution
10.When might you transmit to the FSS on
one frequency and receive on another?
1. When the FSS frequencies contain R
and T in it.
o For Example: the Oceanside
FSS freq says 122.1R
Meaning we transmit
on 122.1 and receive
on 115.3
11.What is a Transcribed Weather
Broadcast? Where can you listen to one?
12.Describe VFR Flight Following: what it is,
who does it, what its limitations are, how
to get it.
1. Radar tracking service provided by SoCal
Appch
o

2. Separation of all aircraft participating

3. Contact SoCal Appch which varies at
different locations
4. For VFR flights, flight following is permitted
only on a work-load basis
13.What does it mean if the rotating beacon
is on during the day? night?
1. Day: The weather has deteriorated to IFR
status
2. Night: The airport is open and the type of
airport (military or civilian)
14.What is a Military Training Route? Find
one on the sectional.
15.What is the emergency frequency?
When/how do you use it?
1. 121.5 MHz
2. Only use in emergency
3. Say Mayday, mayday, mayday
16.How do you know the traffic pattern
altitude at an unfamiliar airport? Runway
lengths/widths? Location of hazards?
Availability of services? ATIS, tower and
ground frequencies? FSS telephone
numbers?
1. All information can be found in the
Airport/Facility Directory
17.Compare the communications
requirements at tower vs. non-tower
airports
1.
18.What is a position report? Is it required?
Why do them? How do you do one?
1.
19.If the altimeter is unavailable, what can
you do?
1. Set the altimeter to an approx. field
elevation
2. Use the closest airports altimeter settings
20.How do you change a flight plan in flight?
21.What is a NOTAM?
1. Notice to Airmen
2. Gives information such as
o Hazards
o Obstacles
o Runway and taxiway usages
22.What actions can you take to get help in
an emergency?
1. Squawk 121.5
23.The following are codes for use in your
transponder. When would you use each?
1200, 1201, 7500, 7600, 7700
1. 1200- VFR Flight
2. 12013. 7500- Hijack
4. 7600- Communications
5. 7700- General Emergency

AEROMEDICAL FACTORS
1. Describe the symptoms and corrective
actions for hypoxia / hyperventilation /

motion sickness / carbon monoxide

poisoning / decompression sickness
1. Hypoxia
o Oxygen deficiency in the blood stream
Lack of clear thinking
Fatigue
Euphoria
Unconsciousness
o Breathe in more oxygen
2. Hyperventilation
o Excessive amount of air is breathed out
Tension
Fear
Anxiety
Dizziness
Hot and cold sensations
Nausea
o Slow Breathing Rate
3. Motion Sickness
o Nausea from movement in air
Take motion sickness pill
Star at non-moving object outside of
plane
Dizziness
Fatigue
Nausea
4. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
o Lack of oxygen due to increase in
altitude and produced from the engine
Blurred thinking
Uneasiness
Dizziness
Tightness across the forehead
Headache
Loss of muscle power
5. Decompression Sickness
o Decrease in the pressure around the
body
Headache
Nausea
Vomiting
Recompression
AIRCRAFT / PERFORMANCE
1. State and define all the airspeeds for
your aircraft
1. Vr: (Rotate) 55 KIAS
2. Vx: (Max Angle Climb) 60 KIAS
3. Vy: (Max Rate Climb) 76 KIAS
4. Va: (Maneuvering Speed) 82-99 KIAS
5. Vfe: (Max Flaps Extended) 85 KIAS
6. Vno: (Max cruise speed) 128 KIAS
7. Vne: (Never Exceed)160 KIAS
8. Vs: (Stall Clean) 44 KIAS
9. Vso: (Stall Dirty) 33 KIAS
White Arc: 41-85
Green Arc: 47-128
Yellow Arc: 128-160
Red Line: 160

2. What are the different types of altitudes?

1. True Altitude
o Height above Sea Level
2. Absolute Altitude
o Height above Ground Level
3. Indicated Altitude
o Altimeter indicated
4. Pressure Altitude
o Elevation above the standard datum
plane
29.92 mm Hg
100 ft/.01 mm Hg
5. Density Altitude
o Altitude corrected for non-International
Standard Atmosphere
3. What are g-forces? How are they
created? How much can your aircraft
take?
1. Measurement of acceleration
2.
4. What is the relationship between angle of
bank, load factor, and stall speed?
1. An increased angle of bank increases the
load factor on an airplane which is located
on the Load Factor Chart
2. An increased load factor results in an
increased stall speed
o Load Factor
Additional weight carried by the
wings due to the airplanes weight
plus centrifugal force
Varies with speed and excess lift
available
5. What is an accelerated stall?
1. Increase in Angle of Bank and no increase
in speed causes the plane to stall
6. How would you recover from a stall?
1. Pitch down
2. Gain airspeed
3. Return back to straight-level-flight
7. Discuss torque, slipstream effect, pfactor, and ground effect.
1. Torque
o Torque of an engine causes a left rolling
tendency
o According to Newtons Third Law
For every action, there is an equal
and opposite reaction
The rest of the plane wants to turn
the other direction
2. Slipstream Effect
o The propellers spinning causes the air
the circle around the plane all the way
back until it hits the vertical stabilizer
pushing the planes nose to the left
3. P-Factor
o High power and low speed
o The upwards angle of the airflow causes
the downward (right) side of the prop to
have a greater airspeed and angle of
attack than the upward (left) side. So

the downward (right) side of the prop

generates more thrust. Pull harder on
the right side of the plane than on the
left and the plane will yaw to the left.
4. Gyroscopic Precession
o Tendency of the propeller to
move about its axis
8. Discuss density altitude
9. What would you expect of an aircraft
loaded beyond its CG limits?
1. Increased stall speed
2. An increase in takeoff and landing
distance and speed
10.Explain maneuvering speed?
11.What is the max payload with full tanks?
1. Carrying capacity
2. 2300 lbs
12.What are the effects of an aft and
forward CG?
13.Which direction does the CG move as fuel
is burned off?
14.What is the rate of climb at 8000 feet
pressure altitude, 90 degrees F?
15.What are some things that could cause a
longer takeoff roll?

SYSTEMS
Thoroughly describe the operation of
each of the following; airspeed indicator,
attitude indicator, altimeter, turn
coordinator, heading indicator, vertical
speed indicator, fuel system, engine,
electrical, and vacuum system
If you lose total vacuum (pressure) what
flight instruments do you lose?
What flight instruments would you lose
with a total electrical failure?
What does detonation and preignition
mean to you? How is this caused and how
can you prevent it?
Whats the purpose for carburetor heat?
What pilot actions are required for an
overcharge or undercharge ammeter
indication?
What would be the cause of a high oil
temp and low oil pressure, high oil temp
and high oil pressure, and high oil temp
and normal oil pressure?
What are the corrective actions?
What are the procedures for an engine
fire in-flight?