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Checkride Prep

The practical test is divided into two parts: the oral exam and the flight. Both are governed by the Airman Certification Standards (ACS). Know the standards — not just what to do, but why.

What You Can Fly After Your PPL

A Private Pilot Certificate (Helicopter) lets you act as PIC in any helicopter up to 12,500 lbs — except the Robinson R-22 and R-44, which are governed by SFAR No. 73.

Required Documents — Day of Checkride

Oral Exam — Common Topics

The DPE will focus on areas you'll encounter as a new private pilot. Be prepared to explain the why, not just the what.

Flight Portion — ACS Tolerances

You will be evaluated to these standards. Train to exceed them so you have margin on test day.

Special Emphasis Areas — DPE Focus

The ACS lists ten Special Emphasis Areas the examiner deliberately observes throughout every checkride. They aren't standalone tasks — they apply to every maneuver. Demonstrate them continuously.

  1. Positive aircraft control — fly the helicopter at all times
  2. Positive exchange of flight controls — three-call sequence, no ambiguity about who's flying
  3. Collision avoidance — clear before turns, scan continuously, follow up on traffic calls
  4. Wake turbulence avoidance — separation from heavy aircraft, especially on takeoff and landing
  5. Runway incursion avoidance — read back hold-short instructions, confirm clearances at every intersection
  6. Controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) — situational awareness about terrain, especially in IMC or marginal VFR
  7. Wire strike avoidance — identify wires before low-level operations; don't trust GPS for them
  8. Aeronautical Decision Making and risk management — verbalize your reasoning; demonstrate PAVE / IMSAFE thinking
  9. Checklist usage — read the checklist, don't recite from memory; flow then verify
  10. Other areas appropriate to any phase of the practical test — DPE has wide discretion to add focus areas

Failing to demonstrate any of these can be cause for an unsatisfactory result — even if individual maneuvers are flown to ACS tolerances.

Pre-Solo Helicopter Training — § 61.87(f)

Before any solo flight, your CFI must train and endorse you on 17 specific maneuvers and procedures. These define the floor of solo competency.

  1. Proper flight preparation procedures (preflight planning, powerplant operation, aircraft systems)
  2. Taxiing or surface operations, including runups
  3. Takeoffs and landings, including normal and crosswind
  4. Straight and level flight, and turns in both directions
  5. Climbs and climbing turns
  6. Airport traffic patterns, including entry and departure procedures
  7. Collision avoidance, windshear avoidance, and wake turbulence avoidance
  8. Descents with and without turns
  9. Flight at various airspeeds
  10. Emergency procedures and equipment malfunctions
  11. Ground reference maneuvers
  12. Approaches to the landing area
  13. Hovering and hovering turns
  14. Go-arounds
  15. Simulated emergency procedures, including autorotational descents with power recovery and power recovery to a hover
  16. Rapid decelerations
  17. Simulated one-engine-inoperative approaches and landings (multi-engine helicopters only)

The CFI's solo endorsement (§ 61.87(n)) for a specific make and model is valid for 90 days. After 90 days, re-endorsement is required.

What to Expect from Your DPE

Day Before Checklist