Things You'll Need:
- Books and paperwork
- A view-limiting hood
- Calculators
- E6B Flight Computer
- Sectional and VFR Terminal Area Charts
- Flight Plotter
- Airport Facility Directory
- Knee Board
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Step 1
Prepare yourself mentally and physically. Repeatedly review all any questions that relate to the final written exam and the flying exam. Remember that you'll have to answer them while flying.
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Step 2
Purchase and play a high-quality flight simulator. Many of them have various national airports programmed in. Play the simulator while a friend asks you questions from the exam manual that you use to prepare for the written final.
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Step 3
Read books such as "I Learned About Flying From That," and learn from all the things that can happen during a "routine" flight.
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Step 4
Become acquainted with the Practical Test Standards. The examiner will be using these to measure your performance, so the better you know them, the more in control of the situation you'll be.
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Step 5
Examine the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, which is available free online. Check out the various DVD programs, including those produced by King Schools and Sporty's Pilot Shop. These can cut your study and preparation time considerably, and both programs guarantee that you'll pass your exam.
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Step 6
Fly as much as you possibly can before the checkride so that all your movements and responses come spontaneously. Your attention will be divided between answering questions and maintaing control of the airplane.
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Step 7
Gather the items you will need before and during the checkride. These include books and paperwork; a view-limiting hood for IFR demonstration; calculators; an E6B flight computer; sectional and VFR terminal area charts; a flight plotter; an Airport Facility Directory; and a knee board.
