Air Facts

SEPTEMBER 23, 2024

Our passenger flight was getting a checkride from the FAA. I preached that you could not flunk a checkride if you go by the book. If the glide slope failed, the Policy Manual permitted crews to revert to the Localizer Approach minimus. The flight crew reviewed the ILS 14L approach. Well guess what?

Approach 98

Approach Checkride Descent Cockpit 98

Jetwhine

JUNE 10, 2024

But fear not: start at the beginning and see how you’d fare if you had to pass a checkride based on the new standards. In the aerial epoch of GPS, how many aviators have maintained these skills since their checkride? The areas of operation seem the same, but the make or break are in the details.

Checkride 52

Checkride Airplanes Descent Flight Plan 52

Pilot Institute

MAY 4, 2024

They are also one of the most feared maneuvers during the private pilot checkride. It only takes a 10% increase in approach speed to increase the landing roll by 20%. These obstacles frequently affect the approach and missed approach paths. Plan your approach path carefully to eliminate large pitch and power changes.

Weight-Shift-Control 52

Weight-Shift-Control Runway Approach Descent 52

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 25, 2025

Glide control and approach management are life-saving without engine thrust. But unlike in a normal landing, where you can fine-tune the approach with power adjustments, a deadstick landing requires precise energy management. The FAA requires pilots to practice power-off approaches to ensure they can handle real-world emergencies.

Pilot 59

Pilot Descent Approach Thrust 59

Air Facts

OCTOBER 30, 2024

Consisting of timed, coordinated climbs and descents, Patterns A and B required the pilot to be on altitude, on heading, and on time. Then, we’d meet in Signature’s lobby, IAD’s FBO, and go over the day’s lesson: destination, altitude, maneuvers, approaches, and completion standards. We even went up the day before the checkride.

NDB 52

NDB Checkride VOR Approach 52

Pilot Institute

MARCH 26, 2024

Going into a checkride (or a grass strip) without solid soft field skills is asking for trouble. As you approach the airport, monitor UNICOM for landing or departing traffic. Another performance factor is the approach speed. The slower the approach, the shorter the landing distance. Well, not exactly.

NOTAMs 52

NOTAMs Runway Approach Descent 52

Northstar VFR

AUGUST 11, 2024

You’ll experience the feel, visual cues, and “mushiness” of the controls as you takeoff and approach to land, so practicing slow flight will help you react quickly with the proper technique as you approach stall speeds in the traffic pattern. It’s much harder to maintain altitude and control in this configuration.

Checkride 52

Checkride Airplanes Pilot AGL 52