Oral Exam Scenario: We will be attempting to make a cross country flight in pursuit of the SSA Silver Badge.  The flight is hoped to be an out-and-back flight to a nearby airport. Please plan to discuss weather forecasts and other information pertinent to the intended route of flight.  Your route will be assigned when your checkride is scheduled.

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Examiner Weight: 165 Pounds

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Baggage Weight: Whatever you normally keep in the glider.

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Test Fee: Please refer to the Rates page for current test fee information.

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Scheduling and Weather Policy: Please refer to the Scheduling page for details.

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Required Endorsements:

Please refer to the current edition of advisory circular 61-65.  At the time of writing, 61-65H is current.  You will need the following endorsements in order to take your Commercial Pilot practical test.  Please have your instructor review your logbook to ensure that these endorsements are complete and current.  Missing endorsements may prevent your test from being completed on schedule.  Other endorsements may apply, but at the minimum we will need the following:

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Commercial Pilot Initial

-A.1 Prerequisites for Practical Test (61.39)

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-A.2 Review of deficiencies on Knowledge Test (61.39)

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-A.34 Aeronautical Knowledge Test (61.35 A1, 61.123c, and 61.125) (NOTE: Your knowledge test results by themselves are not sufficient. We need this endorsement too!)

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-A.35 Flight proficiency/Preparation for test (61.123e, 61.127 and 61.129)

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-A.65 Completion of a flight review (61.56) (Yes, you need a current flight review in order to take this test.  If you have a previous checkride you're using to meet 61.56, bring that logbook with you so I can verify it, please.)

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-A.79 Launch procedures-Aerotow, Ground Launch, or Self Launch, as appplicable (61.31j)

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-A.73 Retesting after failure of a practical or knowledge test (61.49) (NOTE: Only required for a retest)

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Commercial Pilot Add On Rating

-A.1 Prerequisites for Practical Test (61.39)

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-A.3 Pre-solo Aeronautical Knowledge Test (61.87b)

-A.72 Acting as PIC when not rated for category/class (Solo privileges) (61.31d2)

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-A.79 Launch procedures-Aerotow, Ground Launch, or Self Launch, as applicable (61.31j)

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-A.65 Flight Review (61.56) (NOTE: You MUST have a current flight review prior to solo!  We will need to be able to confirm this prior to the test, so please bring any supporting documentation that reflects your flight review. This can also be completed via a phase of WINGS using endorsement A.66)

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-A.73 Retesting after failure of a practical or knowledge test (61.49) (NOTE: Only required for a retest)

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Required Documents:

Please ensure that you have ALL of the following documents, in addition to the required endorsements listed above.  If you're missing documents or paperwork, I won't be able to conduct your test and we'll need to reschedule for another day.  That's not fun for anyone.

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-Completed application in IACRA

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-Please have your IACRA login credentials readily accessible.

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-Paper copy of the 8710-1 printed from IACRA after CFI signature.  (Please use the "View/Print PDF" button, not the "Print" button.)

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-Knowledge test results (If required)

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-Pilot logbook with all pages totaled (Both glider and airplane logs, if applicable)

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-Record of ground instruction received (This is missing all the time.  I can't do the test without it.  You're paying your CFI to give you ground training, make them log it for you!)

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-Government issued photo Identification.  Passport, US driver's license, Military ID, etc.  Foreign Driver Licenses are not acceptable.

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-Pilot certificate (student or higher)

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-All aircraft documentation (ARROW, as applicable)

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-All aircraft maintenance records (AV1ATES, as applicable. Please confirm any pertinent AD compliance!)

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-Cross country plan, with supporting documentation (charts, weather briefing information, performance data, etc)

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Test Advice:

-Go through the maintenance records well in advance of the test date. Verify that all the inspections are up to date, ESPECIALLY the airworthiness directives. Remember, 91.7 says that it is your responsibility as PIC to make sure the airplane is airworthy. While it is the owner's responsibility to keep it airworthy under 91.405, it is your job to make sure the owner is doing their job. Please review 91.417 carefully.  AD Compliance is a consistent issue. If they are not documented correctly, I can not and will not fly your airplane, which means your test is cancelled.  Blanket statements such as "All AD's are current" are not acceptable.  The FAA is very clear about the requirements. For further detail, you can read the Easter-Precision Letter.  Remember that recurring AD's need to have their next due date listed too.  This has been enough of an issue recently that I have adopted a no-show policy, and I will probably charge you a cancellation fee if your test can't be conducted as a result of information that, in reality, is part of the test.

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-Remember that this is a commercial checkride.  You're applying to become a professional pilot.  We should approach gliders with the same professionalism that we would approach airplanes.  By the time you schedule your test, you should have read the Glider Flying Handbook in it's entirety.  We should be experts on the performance, limitations, and systems of our glider.  All of the standard pilot material should be familiar, like airspace, weather briefings, NOTAMS, etc.

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-Read the PTS.  The whole thing.  ESPECIALLY the introduction sections in page 1-11.  Everyone skips this section.  This describes how your test will be conducted and what the expectations are.  I'll cover this with you before starting the test, but there's a lot of details and it's better to be familiar with it up front.

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-Read the manual for your aircraft, especially the systems and performance sections. Things like fuel capacity, performance speeds, and limitations should be memory items. Knowledge of assembly and disassembly procedures is expected, even for gliders that are normally stored assembled.  If we land off-airport, you will need this knowledge.

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-Electronic flight bags like Foreflight, Garmin Pilot, SeeYou, XCSoar are fine, but be sure that you're comfortable with the technology and how to use it.  You'll be tested on the tools you bring to the test.

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-I strongly recommend getting an "official" weather briefing from Flight Service, Foreflight, or some equivalent program.  Printing METARs and TAFs from aviationweather.gov or glancing at Dr. Jacks almost always leads to missing information.  As a good rule of thumb, if you didn't have to give someone your aircraft registration number in order to receive your briefing, you're probably missing information that you're going to need during the test and during your flight.  Don't forget to look at the NOTAMs! Remember that as a professional pilot, we're expected to be looking at standard weather products, not just the glider-specific stuff like thermal conditions.

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-Know where to find extra information about airports, airspace, etc.  Although gliders are usually flown in fairly remote locations, it is still expected that we are familiar with operations in more complicated airspace.  We should be able to readily locate tower frequencies, runway lengths, airspace type, etc.  If we're on a cross country and we end up landing somewhere unplanned, we'll need to be able to access these details.

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-Please dress comfortably.  There's no need to "dress to impress."  Shorts are perfectly fine.

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-Bring a snack or some lunch.  Sometimes the test runs long, especially if we have any weather delays.  No one flies well when they're hungry.

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-Take your time.  A lot of the mistakes I see during tests are simply the result of people rushing into things without thinking about what they're doing.  If you take an extra 10 minutes to finish the test, that's fine.  Watch the details.

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-Fly conservatively.  Watch the wind, watch your position.  If I have to tell you that it's time to turn base or head back to the airport, that's a problem.

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Questions?

Text me and ask!  I'm here to help.  You can try calling me too, but I do spend a lot of time in airplanes and I'm not always available to answer.  A text message is the most reliable and preferred way to reach me.  You can also take a look at some of the frequently asked questions page.