Checkride Debrief

Here are some notes I took after my checkride at KPWG. Hopefully this will come in handy for you folks getting ready to take your checkride.

Flight Examiner Brief:

-Plan a VFR cross-country as follows: KPWG-KDWH-KPSN.
-Have your cross-country navigation logs (winds, estimated times en-route,  etc.) and flight plan forms completed prior to your arrival for the practical.
 Also bring with you a weather briefing packet for the trip. You can either call the F.S.S. or use FAA approved on-line resources.  Be prepared to discuss your findings.
-Plan the second leg (KDWH-KPSN) as if you would fly it at night (i.e. pick check points that you would easily identify at night, and make appropriate FAR compliance considerations, forced landing options, fuel requirements etc.). When you select check points for the first leg (KPWG-KDWH) try to find points that are not too far apart, preferably no more than 10-15nm(ideally) apart, as the landmarks/checkpoints allow, (only for the first leg). Doing so will shorten the cross-country portion of the flight. The navigation portion of the flight will NOT include the use of GPS, so pick your checkpoints wisely!
-Examiner weighs 190 lbs. We will take 20 lbs. of luggage as well. Please compute weight and balance, take-off and landing distance data for the flight. Be familiar with the rest of the Performance and Limitations Area of Operation.
-Please review the current Private Pilot Practical Test Standards (PTS), (available at faa.gov), in its entirety. Do not leave any stone unturned! Don't forget to review the Areas of Special Emphasis, including, Stall/Spin Awareness, Wind-shear/Wake Turbulence Avoidance, Runway Incursion Awareness/Avoidance (under Pre-flight Procedures, Task F, in the PTS) and Night Operations (Area Of Operation XI).
-Be able to locate the AROW (including the equipment list) for your airplane

Checkride day:

Theoretical
-Reviewed Aircraft logbooks
-Reviewed Pilot logbook
-Aircraft systems (how many vacuum pumps, what are electrically operated systems, etc)
-How to get weather for a larger area than a TAF (Answer: Area Forecast)
-What is wind shear and why is it dangerous
-Couple of questions on weather and visibility
-Identify a couple of air space categories on a sectional chart
-How does a spin occur, how do you fix it?
-Expiration dates of medical certificates, other currency questions
-Where to find info on how high to fly over restricted airspace (It's on the sectional)
-Lots of questions on aircraft limitations (Section 2 of the POH for the Cessna 172)
-Reviewed flight plan to Houston Hooks, also checked W&B calculations, takeoff and landing distances
-Did NOT review plan from Hooks to Palestine
-Runway/taxiway lights/markings, some general questions on Hooks as the destination airport

Practical
-Normal take-off from McGregor, no GPS, TOC was 3500
-Just past town of Chilton diverted to Marlin
-Short field landing in Marlin within 200 feet of the second center stripe
-Used traffic pattern at Marlin in lieu of ground reference maneuvers
-Soft field/short field take-offs and landings in Marlin
-Examiner pulled power at 1600 after take-off from Marlin, wanted to see if I was going to waste time with transponder and radio calls
-Ended up simulated emergency landing straight ahead into a field
-After that back towards McGregor
-Tracking to Waco VOR
-On the way: Unusual attitudes, steep turns, hood work, slow flight, power on/power off stalls, emergency descent
-Landing at McGregor simulated deer on the runway, performed go-around