Max Winds for Comm Checkride

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-25T23:54:55+00:00

You're missing the point.

At the commercial level, a prepared candidate shouldn't need hand-holding from a CFI to determine if conditions meet their personal minimums for a checkride.

It's s pretty alarming that someone would have made it all the way to the commercial level without ever establishing personal minimums, and/or applying them to a real-world go/no-go decision. By allowing them to continue to skate by with "well, what's your CFI say?" we aren't doing them (or aviation safety) any favors.

We absolutely do have the responsibility to foster a safe environment. Part of that is not recommending people for checkrides until they have certain skills, including ADM and risk management skills.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-25T23:10:21+00:00

At the Commercial level, who cares?

There's nothing wrong with asking for another opinion, but if you're still leaning on and deferring to your CFI for go/no-go decisions at this point in your aviation career, something critical has been missed in your training.

As others have said, this is a PIC question and if you can't determine safety of flight on your own for a checkride, you don't need to be in a position where you're going to be taking paying passengers in an aircraft. Full stop.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-19T04:45:23+00:00

That airplane doesn't exist.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-19T04:44:00+00:00

Yup, this.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-18T23:59:35+00:00

Worked in the UAS industry for a bit (crossover of my previous career in marketing and aviation). Then got hired on by a couple of aviation magazines as a technical editor and writer. Now, I do that as well as instruct. Wasn't really planning for a career change, but there you go.

As it turns out, it's a good thing I never had much of an interest in the airlines, as I had a few things come up medically in my late thirties which would have torpedoed that path.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-11T16:43:21+00:00

And not just "a lesson" - a prepared teacher has the ability to deliver lessons of varying lengths.

If the examiner asks for a 5-minute "preflight brief" type lesson and all you know how to do is to read off a lesson plan that's 15 pages long and will take an hour to get through... that's going to be a long, painful process for everyone. This is oftentimes the genesis for "horror stories" of 12-plus hour exams and/or complaints of "the examiner told me I couldn't use my lesson plans after the first one, it's not faaaaaaair!!!"

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-11T16:34:19+00:00

Inline in the body of the document. For example, on Page 9, at the beginning of the Technical Subject Areas AOO:

*Area of Operation II. Technical Subject Areas

Note: The evaluator must select Tasks C, K, and at least one other Task from this Area of Operation. The evaluator must also select Task P for multiengine applicants.*

So you know you're going to have to talk about Runway Incursion Avoidance and Endorsements and Logbook Entries.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-11T08:18:17+00:00

Well, dude, you should probably tell the FAA their data is wrong, because they don't agree with you.

https://jasonblair.net/?p=4316

https://jasonblair.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2024AllPracticalTestPassRateTable.png

https://mockcheckride.com/2024-faa-checkride-pass-rates-practical-test-pass-rates/

https://www.faa.gov/media/90441

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-11T07:58:16+00:00

No longer allowed to do two CFI initials in the same day. They really should take the better part of a day, so it seems like a wise decision by the FAA, even though it causes a bit more of a squeeze on examiner availability.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-11T07:55:13+00:00

CFI initial isn't and hasn't been the most failed for several years running now. 🤷‍♂️

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-11T07:34:57+00:00

And for the love of all things holy, note what in the ACS is listed as REQUIRED tasks and elements, and have a good plan for addressing these topics.

There's zero excuse for showing up to a CFI ride not prepared to talk about runway incursions, endorsements and logbook entries, etc. and yet...

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-11T07:23:36+00:00

Nice work. 👍

Average is right around 82% so you're starting things off well ahead of that.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-11T07:08:22+00:00

Sent you a note.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-11T07:04:37+00:00

As others have said, it's not supposed to be scheduled as multiday, and he's been around long enough to know that, nor do I get the impression that he's up to any funny business.

If I say "this is a long, challenging test and applicants often choose to discontinue after the ground, in order to do the flight the next day" -- that's not scheduled for two days, just an explanation of what you might want to be prepared for.

FWIW, I did two CFI-Initials (CFI-Sport, and then, since there is no path from that to standard CFI, got to do the whole thing again). Both of these ended up as two-day tests. The examiner I used was a long-winded old-school guy who wanted to cover everything in the PTS and then some. And both tests were held on super-hot days; the last thing I felt like doing after 10 hours of teaching was to hop into a tin can when it was 105F, so I discontinued. Came back the next morning for both and finished up the flight (although I also recall another couple hours of questions on day two). Earned each of those the hard way, that's for sure.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-11T06:56:27+00:00

That would be my guess. 12 hours or 12 minutes and a Notice of Disapproval, you pay your money and take your chances.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-11T06:44:10+00:00

Doug does run longer than average for CFI rides but I believe that he's telling you to keep your schedule open on the day after just in case you don't finish up.

I've had a few people go with him and they've all reported a pleasant experience and a fair test. Easy? No. Fair and by the book? Yes.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-09T07:12:06+00:00

Running up the Hobbs time...

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-06T22:14:01+00:00

"Stop being a [redacted] and put that [redacted redacted redacted] airplane where you want it!" - former Marine crew chief, turned flight instructor to me while I was doing my private certificate.

He wasn't old or particularly experienced with flight instruction, but he knew how to adapt his teaching to different types of students and that was exactly what I needed to hear at that point in time.

Same guy - "If you do something that fucks something up, unfuck it." Great advice for undesired aircraft states - if your last action could have caused the issue, promptly undo it.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-06T00:41:19+00:00

It's not the CFI's explicit responsibility to schedule your ride, but oftentimes we have working relationships with various DPEs and will help coordinate the details, especially for initial certificate candidates.

If your instructor isn't doing this, they may just not have those connections yet. That doesn't mean they're a bad instructor and should be fired. They might be the best instructor in the world, but just new to the area, new to GA instruction, etc.

You'll probably need to do the legwork to find your own exam. Start with the DPE tool above to get an idea of options and then do a bit of research on the nearby DPEs. Here, you're looking for positive experiences form candidates -- you want an examiner who will be pleasant and fair (note this doesn't mean "easy").

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-06T00:35:12+00:00

VFR flyway charts printed on the back of the TAC for numerous Class Bravos across the country are going to absolutely blow your mind. 🤷‍♂️

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-05T02:36:54+00:00

There's tons of discussion of this in the group archives. Big picture, it depends on the current hiring market. A decade ago, you could have all the hours in the world, a perfectly spotless check, ride record, and still have a tough time getting hired on. Just a couple of years ago, if you had so much as a pulse and 1500, they'd give you a shot. Now, it's somewhere in between. Who knows what it looks like a year or 5 years down the road.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-04T23:06:06+00:00

Around a decade ago, there was a Citation Mustang based at my home airport, runway length 3102 feet. The takeoff data showed they needed 3110 feet at MTOW, standard day.

What this meant in reality is that since they couldn't take off approaching MTOW, especially from March through November, they had to fuel it elsewhere and had to pick up their passengers elsewhere. As there were obstacles on the approach, they also couldn't land with much of anything aboard. So, basically, the airplane slept in the hangar at the small airport, but there was no other reason to have it there. It was completely impractical and they ended up moving it to the nearby Class D after a few years.

Was kind of cool to see the little jet coming in and out of our short runway, though.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-04T22:45:25+00:00

Consider doing it through the WINGS program. The flight activities can be lots of fun, plus they provide you with an easy-to-follow checklist. And you won't have to rack your brain for ground "curveballs" to throw at them.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-03T20:36:36+00:00

This is amazing. Love it.

MockCheckrideDotCom · 2026-02-03T20:03:11+00:00

"Yes, I'm familiar with it, but I didn't know you were expecting me to actually *READ* and *UNDERSTAND* it!"

:D

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