Checkride PPL

Private pilot minimum age (61.103)

17 years old, and able to read/speak/write/understand English

Private pilot minimum total time ASEL (61.109)

40 hours total: 20 dual + 10 solo (with specified XC, night, instrument, and solo XC)

Third-class medical duration under 40 (61.23)

60 calendar months (5 years) from month of exam

Third-class medical duration age 40+ (61.23)

24 calendar months (2 years) from month of exam

First-class medical duration

12 months if under 40, 6 months if 40 or older (for first-class privileges)

Second-class medical duration

12 calendar months for commercial privileges

Medical class required for private pilot

Third-class (or BasicMed)

Flight review requirement (61.56)

Every 24 calendar months: 1 hour ground + 1 hour flight with an authorized instructor

Passenger currency day (61.57a)

3 takeoffs and 3 landings in preceding 90 days, same category/class/type, sole manipulator

Passenger currency night (61.57b)

3 takeoffs and 3 landings to a full stop, 1 hr after sunset to 1 hr before sunrise, preceding 90 days

Definition of night for currency (61.57)

Period from 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise

Private pilot general limitation (61.113a)

May not act as PIC for compensation or hire, nor be paid to act as PIC

Pro rata share rule (61.113b)

May share operating expenses (fuel, oil, airport fees, rental) if pilot pays at least their pro rata share

Documents required on the pilot (61.3)

Pilot certificate, photo ID, and medical certificate or BasicMed

Operations during medical deficiency (61.53)

May not fly as PIC with a known disqualifying medical condition or on impairing medication

BasicMed medical history requirement (Part 68)

Must have held an FAA medical any time after July 14, 2006

BasicMed physical exam interval

CMEC exam with a state-licensed physician every 48 months

BasicMed online course interval

BasicMed online medical course every 24 months

BasicMed aircraft limits (post-2024)

Max 12,500 lb, up to 7 seats, no more than 6 passengers

BasicMed operating limits

Not above 18,000 ft MSL, not faster than 250 knots, not for compensation or hire

Currency vs proficiency

Currency = legal minimums met; proficiency = actual skill to fly safely now

Airworthy definition (91.7)

Conforms to type design AND is in condition for safe operation

ARROW documents

Airworthiness cert, Registration, Radio license (intl), Operating limitations, Weight and balance

Standard airworthiness certificate expiration

No expiration; valid while maintained per Parts 43/91 and conforming to type design

Registration certificate renewal

FAA now uses a 7-year renewal cycle (older were 3-year)

Annual inspection (91.409a)

Required within preceding 12 calendar months, signed by an IA

100-hour inspection (91.409b)

Required if operated for hire or flight instruction for hire; may exceed by 10 hrs to reach inspection

ELT inspection and battery (91.207)

Inspected every 12 calendar months; battery replaced after 1 cumulative hour use or 50% of useful life

Transponder / altimeter-static checks

Both every 24 calendar months (91.413 / 91.411) - required for IFR

VOR check (91.171)

Every 30 days - only required for IFR operations

AV1ATE inspections

Annual, VOR (IFR), 100-hour, Altimeter/static (IFR), Transponder, ELT

Airworthiness Directive (14 CFR Part 39)

Legally mandatory FAA order to correct an unsafe condition; may be one-time or recurring

SAIB

Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin - advisory/non-mandatory information

Special flight permit (21.197)

Ferry permit for an aircraft not meeting airworthiness but capable of safe flight; apply to FSDO on Form 8130-6

Owner/operator responsibility (91.403)

Maintain aircraft airworthy, ensure inspections and AD compliance, keep records

PIC airworthiness responsibility (91.7)

PIC determines aircraft airworthy before every flight and discontinues flight if unairworthy

Preventive maintenance authority (43.3g)

A private (or higher) pilot who owns/operates the aircraft may perform preventive maintenance

Preventive maintenance examples (Part 43 App A)

Change oil, replace tires, service wheel bearings, replace bulbs, clean/replace spark plugs, replace battery

Day VFR required equipment (91.205b)

A TOMATO FLAMES - ASI, Tach, Oil press, Manifold press, Altimeter, Temp, Oil temp, Fuel gauge, Landing gear ind, Anticollision, Mag compass, ELT, Seatbelts

Night VFR added equipment (91.205c)

FLAPS - Fuses (spare), Landing light (if for hire), Anticollision, Position lights, Source of electrical power

MEL

FAA-approved list of equipment allowed inoperative; with LOA becomes required aboard and supersedes 91.213(d)

KOEL

Kinds of Operation Equipment List in POH - equipment required per kind of operation (day/night VFR/IFR)

Inoperative equipment without MEL (91.213d)

Not required by 91.205, KOEL, or AD; then remove/deactivate and placard INOP; PIC/mechanic deems no hazard

Placard for inoperative equipment

Marked INOPERATIVE and deactivated or removed

C152 engine

Avco Lycoming O-235-L2C, 4-cyl, air-cooled, carbureted, 110 hp at 2550 RPM

C152 propeller

McCauley fixed-pitch, 69-inch metal prop; RPM set by throttle

C152 ignition system

Dual magnetos, engine-driven, self-contained (runs without electrical power)

C152 fuel system

Gravity-fed high wing, both tanks feed together, selector ON/OFF only, no fuel pump

C152 fuel capacity standard

26 gal total / 24.5 usable (long-range 39 / 37.5 usable), 100LL blue

C152 oil system

Wet sump 6 qt; max temp 245 F; pressure 25-115 psi, green 60-90 psi

C152 electrical system

28-volt DC, 24-volt battery, 60-amp belt-driven alternator, ammeter, low-voltage light

C152 vacuum system

Engine-driven pump, 4.5-5.4 inHg, powers attitude indicator and heading indicator

C152 turn coordinator power

Electric (independent of vacuum) - key partial-panel backup

C152 landing gear

Fixed tricycle; spring-steel mains, steerable oleo nosewheel, hydraulic disc brakes on mains

C152 flaps

Electric single-slotted, 0-10 takeoff, up to 30 landing; Vfe 85 KIAS

C152 cabin heat source

Ram air warmed by exhaust muffler shroud (cracked muffler = CO risk)

C152 deice/anti-ice

None; not approved for known icing; only carb heat and pitot heat

Carburetor icing recognition (fixed-pitch)

Unexplained RPM drop and engine roughness; apply full carb heat

Carb heat effect

Draws unfiltered heated air, richens mixture, reduces power; expect RPM drop then recovery

Pitot blockage effect

Airspeed indicator behaves like an altimeter (ram source blocked)

Static blockage effect

Altimeter freezes, VSI reads zero, ASI errors; use alternate static source

Vacuum failure indications

Low suction gauge; unreliable attitude and heading indicators - fly partial panel

Alternator failure

Ammeter discharge / low-voltage light; engine keeps running on magnetos; shed load and land

Oxygen requirements (91.211)

Above 12,500 MSL crew O2 if over 30 min; above 14,000 crew always; above 15,000 O2 provided to all occupants

Four types of hypoxia

Hypoxic, Hypemic, Stagnant, Histotoxic

Hypoxic hypoxia

Not enough O2 in the air (altitude) - the type most relevant to pilots

Hypemic hypoxia

Blood cannot carry enough O2 (anemia, blood loss, carbon monoxide)

Stagnant hypoxia

Inadequate blood circulation (Gs, cold, cramped position)

Histotoxic hypoxia

Cells cannot use O2 (alcohol, drugs, cyanide)

Hypoxia corrective action

Descend below 10,000 ft, use supplemental oxygen, land

Hyperventilation

Overbreathing blows off CO2; symptoms mimic hypoxia; correct by slowing breathing

Ear/sinus block correction

Valsalva (pinch nose and swallow/yawn), chew gum; avoid flying with a cold; descend slowly

Spatial disorientation

False attitude sensation without outside references; correct by trusting the flight instruments

Carbon monoxide poisoning source in 152

Cracked muffler/heat exchanger leaking exhaust into cabin heat

Carbon monoxide poisoning corrective action

Heat OFF, open fresh-air vents/windows, use 100% O2, land immediately

Carbon monoxide effect type

Hypemic hypoxia - CO binds hemoglobin ~200x more than oxygen, blood can’t carry oxygen

Motion sickness correction

Fresh air, eyes on horizon/fixed point, avoid extra maneuvers; no drowsy meds

Fatigue types

Acute (short-term, lack of sleep) and chronic (accumulated, needs real recovery)

Dehydration correction

Drink water regularly, limit caffeine/alcohol, control cabin temperature

Hypothermia

Core temperature drop from cold; dress for terrain overflown; get warm and dry

Runway width illusion

Narrow runway looks too high (fly low); wide runway looks too low (fly high/hard)

Runway slope illusion

Upslope runway/terrain looks too high; downslope looks too low

Black-hole / featureless terrain illusion

Tendency to fly a lower-than-normal approach at night over dark terrain

Rain and haze illusions

Rain makes runway appear lower/farther; haze makes it appear farther/higher

Autokinesis

A stationary light stared at appears to move

Flying after scuba (AIM 8-1-2)

Wait 12 hr (no-decompression dive, below 8000 ft); 24 hr if controlled ascent dive or flying above 8000 ft

Alcohol rule (91.17)

No flying within 8 hours of alcohol, with BAC 0.04% or greater, or while under the influence

Bottle to throttle

8 hours minimum (91.17); many pilots use a stricter personal 12-24 hr rule

Drug/alcohol conviction reporting (61.15)

Report to FAA Civil Aviation Security Division within 60 days of conviction

OTC medication guidance

Many cause drowsiness/impairment; wait ~5 dosing intervals; the illness itself may be disqualifying (61.53)

IMSAFE checklist

Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Emotion/Eating

ADM definition

Systematic mental process for consistently determining the best course of action

PAVE checklist

Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment, External pressures - identify hazards preflight

DECIDE model

Detect, Estimate, Choose, Identify, Do, Evaluate

3P model

Perceive, Process, Perform (with PAVE)

5P check

Plan, Plane, Pilot, Passengers, Programming

SRM

Single-Pilot Resource Management - managing all resources available to a solo pilot

CRM

Crew Resource Management - using all human, hardware, and information resources

Five hazardous attitudes

Anti-authority, Impulsivity, Invulnerability, Macho, Resignation

Anti-authority antidote

Follow the rules; they are usually right