The end of flight course festivities!

At the end of every flight course is the part that stresses every flight student out: the check oral.

Upon successful completion of the review activities, orals and flights, comes the check oral. This is where you sit with a standards instructor for two hours and have a verbal test of required course knowledge. For my flight course (FA 122 Private Multi), I am required to know certificates and documents pertaining to the pilot and the aircraft, performance limitations of the DA-42, and airworthiness requirements. Also required knowledge items are operation of systems, system and equipment malfunctions, principles of one engine inoperative flight, and emergency and survival equipment. All this knowledge is tested in two hours! So you can start to see why this is one of the most dreaded, and stressful, flight activities.

I have my mock oral tomorrow. It is comforting to know that this is not the actual check oral, but it is invaluable practice with a standards instructor to be tested on the required knowledge and be told what items, or areas, may need improvement before the check oral. Embry-Riddle requires all flight students to go through mock orals and mock checkrides before doing the check activities to ensure the student is ready.

To be honest, I am very nervous! Luckily, I know I am prepared and I know I can do this! I tell myself before every mock or check activity that I can do this, I know I am ready, and I WILL pass! This positive mentality helps to calm me down and prepare. I highly advise some process to help calm yourself down, as this helps for any test or situation in which you feel very anxious. I hope you will be as prepared as I am when you get to checkrides so you will not feel stressed, but comfortable and relaxed instead!