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Scheduling an FAA Checkride:
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Any Questions...
Call 631-807-1373
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Prerequisites
 
 
 
 
 
5 - IACRA
 
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Weather Minimums:

Have you and your instructor reviewed personal limitations regarding checkride weather?
Your 90-day solo endorsement will likely need to up updated for your checkride.

There are no regulations specifying any requirements for weather conditions on a checkride. This is because the applicant is considered to be the pilot-in-command and is responsible for making a "go/no-go" decision for the practical (flight) portion of the checkride. Making the wrong decision could lead to a failure of the checkride or even worse, an accident.

This page will help you make the right choice!

Two sets of weather minimums must be considered before choosing to "go" and fly:

  Long Island Flying Checkride Limitations - The absolute limits set by Long Island Flying to ensure safety:
 
- Winds - 20kts maximum
 
- Cross-wind - 10kts maximum (possibly lower if conditions are forecast to be gusty)
 
- Visibility - 10sm minimum
 
- Cloud ceiling at KISP and the surrounding area airports (broken through overcast) - 2500 feet minimum
   
(any layer of clouds lower than this can be very troublesome - Even Scattered or Few)
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(as you know, weather changes... forecasts should allow a "buffer" before and after the flight)

Personal Weather Minimums - The minimums that the applicant is comfortable with for flight.
 
It is important to remember that if your personal minimums exceed the LIF minimums, the LIF minimums always take precedence.
 

Example:
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John Doe Pilot's Personal Minimums
Winds - 15kts maximum
Cloud ceiling at KISP (broken through overcast) - 3000 feet minimum
Visibility - 10sm minimum
 

It is important that the applicant establish their personal minimums through discussion with their instructor prior to their checkride.

After considering both sets of minimums, the applicant should be able to make a confident go/no-go decision.

Remember, you do not ever have to fly, if the weather is not right for you!
   (the examiner will always respect your decision)

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If the weather is good for flying at KISP, but not at the airport you have planned for your checkride cross country, that does NOT mean that you cannot complete the flight portion of your checkride.
 
The cross-country is simulated - you will not go all the way to your destination. You can tell the examiner that you would "no-go" the cross country, but a local flight for checkride purposes would be a "go".
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 What if your Personal Minimums or the LIF minimums (whichever is applicable) are not suitable for a local flight?
 
It is very common for checkrides to be scheduled several weeks to a month in advance. Obviously, this makes it hard to forecast the weather so far in advance. Sometimes when the big day finally arrives, the weather is just not good for flying at all.

The examiner will give the student two options:
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Complete the oral portion and reschedule the flight, or reschedule the entire checkride.

We at Long Island Flying STRONGLY suggest taking the first option - get the oral out of the way, and then you will have less to worry about on the day of your practical (flight) test.

This option also gives you the best chance of getting back on the examiner's schedule quickly, as the state of the checkride is considered in "discontinuance" (basically paused), and the examiner will want to finish it as quickly as possible.
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