This post is the third of a series written by Jason, from www.m0a.com. He describes how the check ride of a student looks like from the instructor point of view. I wrote one about the same thing seen from the student point of view for his blog. Check the links at the end of this post.
At last the day is here, the entire purpose of your training, the checkride. As a student you may not truly realize the stress an instructor also goes through preparing a student for his or her checkride. Paperwork, ground work, and of course air work, are just some of the last minute tasks you and your student try to squeeze in right before the checkride.
For an instructor it is a sit and wait game. I will usually introduce my students to their examiner and stay around just long enough to make sure the paperwork is all correct. From their it’s in the students hands, having done many checkrides myself I understand the intense pressures associated with checkride day.
It’s kind of like their first solo but on another level, everything is in their hands and the decision is up to an examiner without bias.
After several hours of pacing around wondering how they’re doing you see them coming back for landing. Usually I’m eager for a response, but you always know the answer when you see your student with a big smile on their face. Now that is the ultimate reward!
Not only have you created one heck of a pilot but you also made a life-long friend.
Click here to read about checkride from the student perspective from Vincent, from plasticpilot.net
Click here to read the first post in the series: First flight
Click here to read the second post in the series: First solo
