i4iq Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 Just wondering how nervous people are when taking various tests and if it has affected training, forcing retakes etc. Some schools seem to have instructors that train you and then test you. I can imagine this would be a less pressurising environment? Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCHone Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 I was nervous as heck when I took my private checkride. I didn't know what to expect and had never been to the airport. A student I was with had to tell me to relax because it was so obvious. The examiner was cool though. He made friends with me and made sure I was comfortable before we even started. After that it all went great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i4iq Posted December 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 Thanks for the candour TCHone. Sounds like the examiners were looking out for your best interests. I seem to get nervous with tests, even when I know I'm good at certain things. White coat syndrome kinda thing! Anyway, glad I'm not the only one. Happy New Year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotorRunner Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 i4iq, Just a word of encouragement... Something my instructor told me one time... The examiners, for the most part are examiners because they love flying and seeing new people become pilots. They are not there to give you grief. They are there to keep dangerous people out of the air. It is really to see if your instructor has done his/her job in preparing you to be PIC and in recommending you for a check ride. If the knowledge is in your head the examiner will ask you enough questions to get it out. If you can consistently perform all of the maneuvers listed for your level in the Practical Test Standards and you have done all the studying your instructor has recommended, then you will have a great test day (if you had a good instructor). Like TCHone said, most of these guys are friendly and will get to know you and relax you before they ever start to test you. If you have given your all in training, RELAX, you will do great! If you have been lazy then you don't want to be flying one of these machines by yourself anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Hunt Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 I have been a testing officer since 1982, and agree with what Rotor Runner says. We are not looking to fail you. We just want to see that you meet the minimum standard required - with any luck, you will be well above that minimum standard. I have only ever passed one person who was right on the minimum - and he is now a successful operator in his own right and has blossomed wonderfully. Students who I have failed were often doing better than the minimum standard for most of the flight, but some critical aspect of airmanship or technique was the stopper. After some more training, they passed. Some were nervous and underconfident, others were happy with their standard. Only ever met two super-cocky students who thought they were the Ace From Space. They were slapped down when they attempted to carry out procedures which were beyong their level of experience and which weren't thought out properly. Again, more training and a pass. So, just do your best. It is fairly obvious after about 10 minutes whether a ride will go well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i4iq Posted January 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 Thanks guys - sounds much better than taking a driving test! Where they seem to want to keep people off the roads! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unit74 Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 My Inst check ride was crazy....... It was true IMC and the Chief Instructor of the school was also the examiner..... I was shooting approaches and he was no joke, acting as my copilot. ATC was calling traffic here and there. What threw me a little is when we were taken from what the normal proceedures were and vectored for military traffic.......We were getting bounced around and it was scary, and exhilerating at the same time......At the end, we both were laughing and talking about it.....it was great! He said that was one of the best check rides for real world flying he'd done in a very long time. He didn't pass me for a holding proceedure screw up, but after an hour or two ground and another hour in the air, the recheck was flawless...... I think anytime we are put on the spot, we feel somehow that whom ever is questioning us is out to get us, and this forces out the anxiety, confusion, frustration and other things which cause a breakdown of the normal feelings we experience. The examiner's know that most of us are nervous about failing, or if we missed something, that we replay it in our heads over and over. It is their job to look through the haze and find out if the student has the root abilities to proceed without the watchful eye of a CFI and be safe in the air. When I go up for more ratings, I'm sure I'll be nervous....I'm sure I'll make mistakes......but in the end, I'll be rated and have a foundation to grow on. If it takes one or three checks to do it......of course, I prefer only one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i4iq Posted January 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 Thanks Unit 74 So you get re-checked on the same day? I thought there may be days or weeks in between. It really does seem like people are there to help... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unit74 Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 No........I rechecked a couple days later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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