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Roadmaps
are for pilots too! |
There's an updated guide out there
for pilots, instructors, examiners and students. It's the revised Instrument
Rating Practical Test Standards, the instrument PTS. The standard became
effective October 1, 1998. It's a roadmap for currency and check ride success.
Check it out.
Roadmap for instrument students:
All that will be required of you during the ground and flight portion of
the instrument check ride is spelled out in the PTS. Page five in the introduction
states that "all tasks in these Practical Test Standards are required."
Each task is listed with its standard for acceptable performance. You know
from the outset what your parameters are. If any exceptions apply to your
aircraft, those exceptions are noted in that same paragraph.
Roadmap for the Instrument Instructor:
By studying the introduction and more specifically the emphasis items, instructors
know what will be expected of each candidate.
From the outset, you can train your students not only in the tasks but in
the emphasis items such as in cockpit resource management and the use of
checklists. While teaching, simply practicing exchange of controls in a
way acceptable for the practical exam, will give the student a safe and
comfortable method for that aspect of a flight check. It also sets a pattern
for future safe operations.
Roadmap for Examiners:
Examiners are interested in giving fair valid tests. They are required to
abide by the PTS and will plan a flight check using the same guidelines
instructors and students use.
The objectives and evaluation standards are clear. For instance, on a calm
day, a steep turn for an instrument check ride will be acceptable when:
- Bank maintained at 45 degrees
+/-5 degrees
- Altitude held within 100 feet
- Specified airspeed maintained +/-10
knots.
- On Specified heading obtained +/-10
degrees
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On a windy, blustery day, the examiner has some latitude when evaluating
a task. For instance, if during a steep turn a deviation of more than 100
feet from altitude occurs because of unstable air, examiners can accept
the task provided the overall performance of the applicant is within acceptable
standards.
Roadmap for Instrument Rated Pilots:
FAR 61.57 says that to be current you must, within the preceding six months,
under actual or simulated conditions have flown and logged:
- at least six instrument approaches
- holding procedures
- intercepting and tracking courses
through the use of a navigational system.
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If you do not complete the currency requirements, you have an additional
six months to regain currency. If you do not complete that, you must pass
an "instrument proficiency" check consisting of a representative
number of tasks required by the Instrument rating Practical Test Standards.
In the October 1998 Instrument PTS on the Examiner's Checklist pages you
will find exactly what the FAA means by representative, because it is spelled
out. Complete the tasks with a PC (proficiency check) next to it and you
will have completed a representative number of tasks.
Instrument flying is a contract between you and air traffic control.
You can use these updated practical test standards to be sure you can fulfill
your part of that contract. Use the PC, proficiency task list to maintain
currency. It is a sure fire roadmap to safer flying.
Kathleen O'Brien, SPM, LGB FSDO
You can download a free copy of the new PTS on the Internet from the following
address: www.fedworld.gov/pub/faa-att/faa-att.htm.
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