Checkride Answer Strategies
Updated October 11, 2025
There’s no one “right” way to answer questions on a checkride; but we’ve found several strategies that can help you put your best foot forward in front of your examiner.
Answer Strategy No.1: Keep It Simple
The prevailing wisdom in the flight training community is to keep checkride answers simple and to the point. There’s a good reason for this! Often, candidates, in their enthusiasm to demonstrate that they are knowledgeable and prepared, will provide long answers that invite further in-depth questions about a topic. Here’s an example:
Your examiner holds up a pen and asks you “do you know what this is?”
If you answer “Yes, I know what that is.” Great! Moving on to the next step.
Let’s say instead you answer “a ballpoint pen.” Well, perhaps it wasn’t a ballpoint pen. And in addition to an incorrect answer, here come the examiner’s follow-up questions: “How can you tell what kind of pen it is? How does it work? If it’s a ballpoint as you say, how is it different than other types of pens? What are the advantages to a ballpoint design? What kind of ink does it use? Are there any alternate inks approved for use? How long does that ink last?” And so on.
For an aviation version, let’s look at the question “What is the required visibility for VFR in Class C airspace?”
The answer is simple; “3 miles.”
The examiner did not ask about cloud clearances, equipment requirements, communications requirements, or anything else about Class C airspace. By volunteering additional information, you’re increasing the chance that you make an error. If the examiner wants to test your knowledge of cloud clearances, they’ll ask you about cloud clearances!
This carries over to the flight portion of your checkride. If you are asked to perform a maneuver, perform that maneuver per your POH and/or the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook, in accordance with the ACS or PTS standards. A checkride is not a place for “creative” or “experimental” flying!
Answer Strategy No. 2: Talk About What You Know
However, if you’re certain of your knowledge in a specific subject area, it can be to your advantage to provide more than was asked.
For example, your examiner says “Please describe the engine in your aircraft.”
You might respond “Oh, I love to talk about engines! This specific Cessna 172N has a Lycoming O-320-H2AD. It has four cylinders, horizontally opposed, carbureted, direct drive to a fixed-pitch McCauley 1C160/DTM 7557 propeller. The engine has 320 cubic inches of displacement, an 9.0:1 compression ratio, and runs off of 100 octane low-lead fuel. It produces 160 horsepower at 2,700 rpm. The H2AD suffix means that it has an integral accessory section crankcase, front mounted fuel pump, external mounted oil pump, and D4RN-3000 impulse coupling dual magneto with a single drive. Do you want to hear my thoughts on that single drive magneto setup versus a more traditional dual drive system?“
At some point during your answer, your examiner is probably going to hold up his/her hand and say “Okay, I get it, you know this well, let’s go on to the next question.” It’s possible that this mastery of the engine system may preclude further questions about aircraft systems, or limit them to a quick spot check of your knowledge. After all, you’ve already shown you’re an encyclopedia of knowledge about Cessna 172N engines!
The subject doesn’t have to be engines. If you’re a local meteorologist, perhaps oversharing about nearby seasonal weather patterns might be a good idea. Likewise, if you’re a toxicologist and know all there is to know about carbon monoxide poisoning… talk away.
In flight, let’s say that you’re extremely familiar with the local geography. You might use that to your advantage. When the examiner asks for a diversion to KABC airport, you could answer “I know we’re about 2 miles NNE of Anytown as I see Anytown Golf Course directly below us. The airport that you want me to divert to, KABC, is about 22 miles NW of Anytown. KABC is alongside Highway 1234. I see Highway 1234 there next to the golf course, so I’ll initially turn to follow the highway to the NW. I see Mount Bigly in the distance, which I know is about 5 miles further than KABC, so if we fly past the mountain, we’ve gone too far. Now, I’m going to also enter KABC as our destination into my GPS, confirm location and approximate heading and distance to KABC with my paper chart, and…”
Okay, you’ve shown you can do the diversion without any trouble. We’re good here. On to the next task.
Answer Strategy No. 3: Clarify Ambiguities
Not every question during your exam (or your mock checkride!) will be crystal clear. If you ever have any uncertainty about what your examiner is asking, ask for clarification.
For example, if your examiner asks “What is the required VFR visibility for this airspace?” and points to a spot on the chart, you need more information to accurately answer. Even if they have indicated an area where there is a Class C airspace shelf, you need more information.
Why? Well, if you’re within the Class C, the VFR visibility requirement is 3 miles per the chart in 91.155(a). But maybe the examiner is talking about above the Class C shelf, or below it! The answer could then be 1 mile (Class G underneath the Class C), 3 miles (Class E above or below the Class C), or even 5 miles (Class E above the Class C and above 10,000 feet msl)! And if it’s Class G the examiner is referring to…well, 1 mile might not be the correct answer, as the 1 mile requirement is correct for day VFR; but it’s 3 miles for night VFR…except if we’re talking about operating in the traffic pattern within 1/2 mile of a runway per 91.155(b)(2). Whew.
The same axiom of “ask if you’re not sure what the examiner wants” also applies during the flight portion of your exam. If you’re asked to perform a stall, you need to determine which kind of stall your examiner would like to see. A power-off stall is a very different maneuver than a power-on stall. If the examiner is expecting one and you do the other, that may be a basis for failure. Examiners are not allowed to provide point-by-point instructions, but they can and should specify what maneuvers they want, and in what order. Examiners can also add parameters at their discretion (e.g., do this power-on stall with 10 degrees of bank, with 75% power) as outlined in the ACS/PTS.
The takeaway here is that when in doubt, ask!
Answer Strategy No. 4: Look It Up
Assuming you’ve studied sufficiently, many (most?) questions on your checkride should be familiar and the answers will come easily. Examiners expect that a qualified candidate will have committed the core knowledge for a given certificate to memory. However, you may encounter a few questions (with an emphasis on few) where you are not sure of the answer. Perhaps a question contains a nuance, perhaps it’s a rarely discussed topic, perhaps it’s something where you understand the gist of the answer but want the exact wording from a regulation…
“I think I know, let me double-check to confirm” or “Not positive, but I do know where I can find it!” are acceptable answers in these situations.
You are typically allowed to consult FAA resources such as the FAR/AIM, PHAK, AFM, chart legends, chart supplements, and so on during your checkride. You can also use reference material specific to your aircraft. This includes your POH or Flight Manual, any Flight Manual Supplements, and Owner’s Manuals. In order to consult these resources, you have to have them with you! Bring everything you think you might need. Digital versions are perfectly acceptable. ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot, and other EFBs have the ability to store searchable PDFs in the app for easy reference.
Many examiners also understand that this is a practical test, and that in the “real world,” you might use other sources, such as the materials in your checkride binder, your own study notes, or even Google in a pinch. If you find yourself at a dead end, it never hurts to try to use a non-standard resource to get a steer in the right direction; “Hey Siri, where can I find FAA rules about minimum safe altitudes?” Just make sure you’re able to verify its veracity against FAA-approved sources. Open up your FAR/AIM and double-check that Siri’s 91.119 answer is correct. Referring to non-FAA sources, such as “Joe Pilot’s Opinion Blog,” isn’t a good look.
If you need to frequently dig for basic answers during your checkride, that is a justification for an unsatisfactory (a failure). During your checkride prep (say, during a mock checkride with us, or during your study with your instructor), if you find this is happening frequently, you’re likely not yet ready for your checkride.
Russell Still at Gold Seal has written a nice article, “Open-Book Checkrides – Are They Real?” if you’d like to read another opinion on this topic.
In flight, you’re allowed to use resources, too! If the examiner asks you to get an en-route weather update for the diversion to KABC (from the example above), you perhaps might use FIS-B weather on your iPad, tune in a nearby AWOS/ASOS/ATIS, and/or call Flight Service via radio. That’s good real-world piloting!
Answer Strategy No. 5: You Ain't Foolin' Anyone
Do not, under any circumstances, try to outwit the examiner by making things up. This demonstrates a reckless attitude and is much more likely to result in failure than a few “I don’t knows.” Examiners are experienced aviators and experienced teachers; they can smell BS from a mile away.
Speaking of “I don’t know,” if you simply just don’t know the “right” answer, and can’t find it after a reasonable-length search in your resources, admit that you don’t know and prepare to move on.
Answer Strategy No. 6: Keep On Keeping On
Despite all your studying and your best efforts to prepare, you may run into a question or two that just outright stumps you. Many examiners will ask occasional questions that are “above grade level” to test your depth of knowledge; not expecting you to know the answer from memory. Often, this is to prompt you to use your resources (see above). Sometimes, it may be an “extra credit” question.
Remember that perfection is not the standard on a checkride. You’re highly unlikely to fail on a single misstep unless an incorrect answer compromises safety and/or legality. If the examiner has not stopped the test and used the word “unsatisfactory,” make a quick note to research the topic later, refocus, and move on to the next question.
Who knows; the question you stumbled on might have been a “bonus” question, and there are no more questions in the ground portion; it’s time to go fly!
Answer Strategy No. 7: Prepare for Success!
It’s easy enough to read about how to answer questions, but it’s a bigger challenge to do it yourself when the spotlight is on! We provide third-party evaluations to help you (and your instructor) assess whether you’re ready for your upcoming FAA Practical Test.
Our scenarios and questions will check your core knowledge, your use of resources, and your ability to think outside the box. We want to help you become confident that you’re not just checkride-ready, but that you’re prepared to be an excellent real-world pilot or instructor.