Instrument Rating Checkride Practical Test Standards (PTS)
Hopefully you have already read our “General Tips” section. Here we will focus on the specific required elements of the instrument rating checkride. We will focus on the single engine land (SEL) and multi engine land (MEL) operations, because the majority of checkrides fall into these categories.

AREAS OF OPERATION:
I. PREFLIGHT PREPARATION
A. PILOT QUALIFICATIONS
Review of the FAA requirements to act as PIC under IFR flights. 6 Approaches, holding and tracking within 6 months. How to get current again if you are not.
B. WEATHER INFORMATION
Previously you have had little interest with what was inside those clouds. Now that you’ll be flying around inside the IMC you’ll need to have a better understanding of icing and embedded convective activity. TAFs and METARs take on new meaning for determining alternates and localized weather trends. You now have to look at weather within the context of the approaches available at each airport. A circling NDB approach is much different from a CAT III ILS.
C. CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT PLANNING
Plan the cross county flight keeping in mind the enroute altitudes, current weather, GPS RAIM, available Victor airways and alternate airports. You are not required to file the flight plan, however the DE can request that you do file. This cross country planning in most cases with be the basis for the majority of questions during the oral exam. You really need to know the route well and think of all the possible question relating to the route and airports involved. This section also requires you to discuss the signs, effects and issues relating to icing, both on the ground and in the air.


II. PREFLIGHT PROCEDURES
A. AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS RELATED TO IFR OPERATIONS
The relation of aircraft systems for IFR flight mostly deals with anti ice and deice systems. Be ready to describe how these work.
B. AIRCRAFT FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS AND NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT
These days flight instruments vary from the old gyros to the new all glass cockpits. You should have a general knowledge of IFR instruments from across the general aviation fleet and have an in-depth knowledge of the aircraft you are using for the checkride. You need to know how and why each instrument works as well as why it might not work and how to determine instrument failure.
C. INSTRUMENT COCKPIT CHECK
Know how to preflight the avionics to insure they are working properly. This also includes checking NOTAMs for VOR, NDB and GPS outages. Make sure all your charts and Nav databases are current. Outdated materials means failure.

III. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CLEARANCES AND PROCEDURES
A. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CLEARANCES
You should know how and when to receive an IFR clearance. Copying, entering and complying with the IFR clearance should be second nature at this point. Be ready for questions regarding clearance procedures at other airports.
B. COMPLIANCE WITH DEPARTURE, EN ROUTE, AND ARRIVAL PROCEDURES AND CLEARANCES
ODP, STAR, SID, MEA, EFC, COP. If any of this seems foreign to you go to the AIM for help. In many parts of the country you can and will be flying IFR in a non radar environment. You need to know your responsibilities vs the controller’s responsibilities.
C. HOLDING PROCEDURES
Holding is easy. Flying around in an oval can’t get much easier. Entering the hold for some reason is the hard part. Situational awareness is key here. If you know where you are, know where you are going and know what to do when you get there, IFR procedure are simple, same with holding. Draw a map in your mind. Always remember to report to ATC that you are entering the hold, it’s always required.

IV. FLIGHT BY REFERENCE TO INSTRUMENTS
A. BASIC INSTRUMENT FLIGHT MANEUVERS
If you can’t climb, descend, turn and fly straight using only instruments then you shouldn’t even consider taking this checkride.
B. RECOVERY FROM UNUSUAL FLIGHT ATTITUDES 
Nose high, add power and level the wings and lower the nose all at the same time.. Nose low, reduce power, level the wings first and then pull out of the dive.

V. NAVIGATION SYSTEMS
A. INTERCEPTING AND TRACKING NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEMS AND DME ARCS
Often times this section is included in the performance of an IAP. Naturally if you’re on an instrument approach you are tracking and interception some kind of navigation system.

VI. INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURES
A. NONPRECISION APPROACH 
You are required to perform a minimum of 2 nonprecision approaches. One of these must be a full procedure with a procedure turn. If at any point the outcome of the approach is in question or if you go full deflection then you must go missed. Going missed does not mean failure. Continuing a botched approach does mean failure. Remember the exam is not a timed test. Take your time. Ask for vectors. Take another turn in the hold. If you take long enough the DE might fall asleep, that’s a win win situation.
B. PRECISION APPROACH (PA)
Same as noted above. Except only one is required. Remember that the DE may try to distract you at some point. Stay focused on flying the airplane, following the procedures and completing the checklists.
C. MISSED APPROACH
Aviate, navigate and then communicate. Be ready on any of the approaches for the DE to ask you to go missed. The missed might be to the published hold, so be ready.
D. CIRCLING APPROACH
Know what the airplane categories are, what they mean and what category you are in. Also be ready to go missed from the circle, which can be a very complicated procedure if you’re not ready for it. The AIM has a very good section on missed approaches from circling approaches.
E. LANDING FROM A STRAIGHT-IN OR CIRCLING APPROACH
You need to be able to land. Make sure your checklists are complete and the gear is down.

VII. EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
A. LOSS OF COMMUNICATIONS
This is rare these day with the reliability of radios but it does happen. Remember your cell phone. Yes it’s illegal, but so is flying IFR with no radio. You are the PIC, do what you need to do.
B. ONE ENGINE INOPERATIVE DURING STRAIGHT-AND-LEVEL FLIGHT AND TURNS (MULTIENGINE AIRPLANE)
Dead foot dead engine works in VMC and IMC. This is easy.
C. ONE ENGINE INOPERATIVE—INSTRUMENTAPPROACH (MULTIENGINE AIRPLANE)
Trim the airplane, watch your speed and fly it normally. Remember to aviate and navigate.
D. APPROACH WITH LOSS OF PRIMARY FLIGHTINSTRUMENT INDICATORS
The partial panel approach can be the hardest part of the checkride. Many people get very jumpy on the controls when they are flying partial panel which makes the situation twice as bad. Be light handed. Also ask ATC for help. You are required to report the failure to them so you might as well ask for help at the same time.

VIII. POSTFLIGHT PROCEDURES
A. CHECKING INSTRUMENTS AND EQUIPMENT
Make sure to follow the shutdown checklist.  If you passed, you’ll probably know. If you failed, you’ll probably know. Do not argue with the DE, instead, if you failed ask them what you can do to fix the problem. Be respectful and polite. Aviation is a very small community.

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