From the Examiner's Chair
Articles for pilots and instructors on FAA practical tests, aeronautical decision-making, risk management, and scenario-based training, drawn from real observations in the examiner’s chair.
Don’t Try to Save a Bad Approach
A go-around is not an admission of failure. Learn why recognizing an unstable approach, correcting it early, and knowing when to discontinue it are essential checkride skills.
The Practical Test Shouldn't Be Your First Time
The practical test should evaluate training, not provide first exposure. An FAA Designated Pilot Examiner explains why applicants need real experience with radio communication, towered and non-towered airports, and VFR flight plans before checkride day.
Test as You Fly. Fly as You Test.
The practical test should evaluate the pilot you intend to be after the examiner gets out of the airplane. Learn why realistic flight planning, accurate EFB data, sound performance assumptions, and meaningful backup plans matter more than performing a special “checkride-only” routine.
I Don’t Know. You Are PIC.
On a practical test, the examiner is there to evaluate your decisions—not make them for you. An FAA Designated Pilot Examiner explains why acting as PIC means taking ownership of judgment, risk, and what happens next.
The Anatomy of a Scenario
A good aviation scenario isn't a guided path toward a predetermined answer. It gives the pilot decisions to make and allows the consequences of those decisions to determine what happens next. An FAA Designated Pilot Examiner explains what truly makes scenario-based training and testing effective.
Your Personal Minimums Only Matter If They're Personal
What separates experienced pilots from merely legal pilots?
It's not memorizing regulations.
It's developing personal minimums that honestly reflect your proficiency, your experience, and the mission you're about to fly.
Real Weather Is Fairer Than Fake Weather
Using real weather during a practical test isn't about making the checkride harder—it's about evaluating real-world judgment. Learn why weather knowledge and weather decision-making are two different skills, and why both matter for safe pilots.
The Best Airport Isn't Always the Closest Airport
There is rarely just one correct airport. The real question is whether you understand the operational consequences of the airport you choose. This article explores how airport selection becomes a lesson in judgment rather than navigation.
Becoming a Better Pilot Means Relying Less on Luck
Every pilot benefits from a little luck early in their flying career. The best pilots spend the rest of their careers replacing luck with knowledge, judgment, and experience. This article explores why that transition is one of the clearest signs of growth as an aviator.