Oral Preparation Questions

The oral section of the practical test is the time when you need to demonstrate your
understanding of the various tasks listed in the practical test standards and the factors
related to safely performing the specified tasks.

There is no formal division between the “knowledge” and “skill” sections of the practical
test, so oral questioning becomes an ongoing process throughout the test.

Examiners are expected to test an applicant’s correlative abilities rather than mere rote
repetition of facts hence you need to develop a real understanding of the necessary
subject areas. Start out by reviewing the contents of the practical test standards and then
work through the following list of questions. You should come up with a few words to
answer each question. Every examiner has their own questions for the oral and this list is
simply designed to help you develop your knowledge in the relevant subject areas. The
idea is for you to start really thinking about the subject matter and to research and learn
about the topics where your knowledge is lacking. Hence answers are not provided. Your
best sources of information to develop answers these questions will be the FAR and AIM
plus the flight manual for the airplane you intend to use for the practical test. You should
also refer to a sectional chart for area where you will be flying.

1. Explain the pilot in command recent experience requirements for daytime flight.

2. Explain the pilot in command recent experience requirements for night flight.

3. Which section of the FAR’s contains the recent experience rules?

4. List the documents that must be onboard the airplane anytime it is flown.

5. Which document must be visible to aircraft occupants?

6. List the maintenance inspections required for the airplane you fly.

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7. Which accidents or incidents require immediate notification to the NTSB?

8. Where can you find information about accident notification requirements?

9. What is the minimum fuel requirement for a day VFR flight?

10. What is the minimum fuel requirement for a night VFR flight?

11. Where are the fuel requirement rules listed?

12. At what altitude do direction altitude rules start to apply for VFR?

13. Are the directional altitude rules based on magnetic heading, magnetic course or
compass heading?

14. What is the highest VFR cruising altitude?

15. State the oxygen requirements for the pilot of an un-pressurized airplane.

16. What are the required instruments for day VFR flight?

17. State the maximum indicated airspeed for flight in class B airspace.

18. State the maximum indicated airspeed for flight in class D airspace.

19. What equipment is required for VFR flight at night?

20. Describe the color and location of your navigation lights.

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21. When are you required to use your navigation lights?

22. If another airplane is approaching head on at night how will their lights appear?

23. How long is your medical certificate valid for operations as a private pilot?

24. What is a flight review and when do you need one?

25. Who can conduct a flight review?

26. What are the alternatives to taking a flight review?

27. Describe the light signals a tower may use if you have a radio failure.

28. What color is civil airport beacon?

29. Why will a tower controlled airport have its beacon on during daytime?

30. How do you identify a military airport beacon?

31. What is VASI and how do you use it?

32. What is PAPI and how do you use it?

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32. What color are taxiway lights?

33. What color are runway lights?

34. What does an X on a runway mean?

35. What is the purpose of a segmented circle?

36. What can displaced thresholds be used for?

37. Standard traffic pattern turns are in which direction?

38. Outline aircraft right of way rules?

39. If on a head on collision course with another plane which direction should you turn?

40. Describe the minimum safe altitude that applies anywhere.

41. State the minimum altitude that applies to flight over congested areas.

42. State the minimum altitude that applies to flight over other than congested areas.

43. State the requirements to enter class D airspace.

44. How is class D airspace shown on charts?

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45. Describe the VFR weather minimums in class D airspace.

46. What are the requirements to enter class C airspace?

47. How is class C airspace shown on charts?

48. Describe the VFR weather minimums in class C airspace.

49. What are the requirements to enter class B airspace?

50. How is class B airspace shown on charts?

51. Describe the VFR weather minimums in class B airspace.

52. Describe class E airspace?

53. How is class E airspace shown on charts?

50. Describe the VFR weather minimums in class E airspace below 10,000MSL

51. Describe the VFR weather minimums in class E airspace above 10,000MSL

52. Describe class G airspace.

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53. How is class G airspace shown on charts?

54. Describe the VFR weather minimums in class G airspace below 1,200 AGL.

55. Describe the VFR weather minimums in class G airspace above 1,200 AGL.

51. Describe the VFR weather minimums in class G airspace above 10,000MSL and
more than 1,200 AGL.

56. What is an MOA and how does it appear on charts?

57. What is a restricted area and how does it appear on charts?

58. Describe class E airspace?

59. How is class E airspace shown on charts?

60. Describe the VFR weather minimums in class E airspace below 1,200 AGL.

61. Describe the VFR weather minimums in class E airspace above 1,200 AGL.

62. What are the reasons for the differences between controlled and uncontrolled
airspace?

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63. Describe the considerations for safe taxiing of your airplane.

64. Describe the wake turbulence avoidance techniques for takeoffs and landings in the
vicinity of large airplanes.

65. Describe the special preflight procedures that apply when temperatures are below
freezing and snow and ice is present.

66. Describe how your airplane's performance is affected by high temperatures.

67. What is pressure altitude.

68. Calculate density altitude when pressure altitude is 5000 feet and temperature is 80
degrees Fahrenheit.

69. Calculate takeoff and landing distances for your airplane at pressure altitude of 5000
feet and temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

70. Discuss how improper loading of your airplane affects stability and controllability.

71. What causes a stall?

72. How does weight, load factor and affect stalls?

73. How does CG affect stalls?

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74. What is a spin and how does a spin occur?

75. What is the standard spin recovery procedure?

76. What is a spiral dive and does a spiral dive occur?

77. What is the standard procedure for recovering from a nose low unusual attitude?

78. What is the standard procedure for recovering from a nose high unusual attitude?

74. What is dihedral and what is it’s purpose?

75. What is the purpose of carburetor heat?

76. How does carburetor heat work?

77. How do you detect carburetor icing?

78. What do you if you detect carburetor icing and what can you expect to happen?

79. Under what circumstances can airframe icing occur?

80. What do you do during cruise if you have a rough engine?

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81. What do you do during cruise if you have low oil pressure?

82. What do you do during cruise if you have an electrical fire?

83. What do you do during cruise if you have an engine fire?

84. What do you do during cruise if you have frozen trim?

85. What do you do during cruise if you have a low voltage warning?

86. What do you do during cruise if you have an engine failure?

87. What do you do during cruise if you inadvertently encounter IFR weather conditions?

88. What do you do if your engine fails just after takeoff?

89. What do you do if a door opens just after takeoff?

90. Describe your airplane’s vacuum system.

91. Describe your airplane’s electrical system.

92. Describe your airplane’s flaps.

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93. Describe your airplane’s landing gear?

94. Describe your airplane’s engine?

95. List the following airspeeds for your airplane along with their operational purpose.

Vne
Vno
Va
Vfe
Vx
Vy
Vso

96. Describe the meaning of the markings on your airplane’s airspeed indicator.

97. State the maximum ramp, takeoff and landing weights for your airplane.

98. State the fuel type and quantity for your airplane.

99. State the type of oil and maximum and minimum oil quantity for your airplane.

100. State the flight load factor limits for your airplane.

101. Is aerobatic flight permitted in your airplane?

102. What are the general requirements regarding aerobatic flight?

103. What cockpit resource management techniques can you apply in your airplane?

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104. Describe the causes, symptoms and corrective procedures for motion sickness?

105. Describe the causes, symptoms and corrective procedures for hyperventilation?

106. Describe the causes, symptoms and corrective procedures for vertigo?

107. Describe the causes, symptoms and corrective procedures for hypoxia?

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