Private Pilot Oral/Practical Checklist
Compiled by Robert Miller, CFII (716) 864-8100
Required Documents Photo ID (Driver's License
  Student Pilot Certificate w/CFI Endorsements
  FAA Form 8710-1 Airman Certificate Application
  Written Test Results w/CFI signature
  Pilot Logbook w/CFI Endorsements
  Aircraft Maintenance Logbooks
  Examiner's Fee
  Place all above documents in a manila file folder.
Required Tools View Limiting Device
  Computer and Plotter
  Flight Plan Form
  Cross Country Planning Forms
  Current Sectional, FAR/AIM, Airport Facilities Directory
Required Training Total Time (Min): 40 Hours
  Dual: 20 Hrs (including 3 within the past 60 days)
 

Cross-Country: 3 Hrs.
Instrument: 3 Hrs.
Night: 3 Hrs. (including 10 landings to full stop; 100nm x-country flight)
  Solo: 10 Hrs
 

Cross-Country: 5 Hrs (including 150 mile, 3 leg trip with at least one 50nm leg; 3 landings at tower controlled field).
Aircraft Documents/Airworthiness [TAPE/AROW]
  Airworthiness Certificate: Valid as long as A/C is maintained in accordance with regulations including all airworthiness directives (ADs) for make/model.
  Registration: Valid until change in ownership.
  Operating Limitations: POH
  Weight & Balance: POH
  Transponder: Inspected every 24 months
  Annual Inspection: Every 12 months (100 Hr inspection required if used commercially)

Note:  Annual can be substituted for 100 Hr. Inspection but not vice versa.  Annual must be signed off A&P with Inspection Authorization; 100 can be signed off by any A&P mechanic.
  Pitot Static System Inspection: Every 24 months
  Elt Inspection: Operational Check every 12 months; Batteries replaced every 24 months, or after 1 hr of continuous use, or at expiration date stamped on batteries.
Equipment Lists
  (1) FAA Operative Equipment Required for VFR Flight [GOOSE A CAT]
  Gas Gauge or fuel level indicator
  Oil Pressure Gauge
  Oil Temperature Gauge
  Seatbelts
  ELT
  Altimeter
  Compass
  Airspeed Indicator
  Tachometer
  (2) Manufacturer's Required Equipment List: All equipment on a/c when FAA certification was received.
  (3) Minimum Equipment List (MEL): FAA approved list of inoperative equipment. Think "Equipment Exception List," e.g., altimeter in crop duster airplane.
  All equipment on the a/c must work or: (1) placarded out of services, or (2) removed.
Airman Qualifications
Medical Class III: Private Pilot - renewed every two years (three years if under age 40).
  Class II: Commercial Pilot - renewed every one year.
  Class I: Airline Pilot - renewed every six months.
Pilot Certificate Student Pilot Certificate valid two years.
  Pilot certificate valid until revoked.
Flight Experience Bi-annual Flight Review (BFR) every two years
 

Acceptable substitutes:  Wings Program; additional rating.
To Carry Passengers Day Flight:  3 takeoffs/landings in last 90 days.
  Night Flight: 3 takeoffs/landings to full stop in last 90 days.
Pre Flight Planning
Airplane Systems Electrical: 12 volt, dual magneto, alternator/generator, and battery - operates radios and lights.
  Pitot/Static: Includes pitot tube (ram air), static (vent) ports, and tubing to operate: airspeed indicator, altimeter, and vertical speed indicator.
  Hydraulic:  Manually operated master cylinder pumps fluid to operate brakes.
  Vacuum: Engine driven air pump spins gyros within: attitude indicator and heading indicator. Operating principle of gyro: "rigidity in space."
  Fuel: Fuel pump, lines, fuel tanks, carburator or injectors.
  Control: Cables and pulleys link yoke/peddles to ailerons, rudder, elevator, and flaps.
  Power: Engine: 4 cylinders, horizontally opposed, air-cooled.
  Anti-Icing: Carburator heat;  Pitot Heat
National Airspace System
Sectional Review Classes of Airspace
  A: 18,000 - 60,000; IFR Only;  No weather minimums
  B: "Big" Airports; requires "CLEARANCE" to enter; transponder/radio, no student pilots (without CFI log endorsement). 
  C: "Commuter" Airports; requires "2-WAY COMMUNICATION" to enter; transponder/radio.
  D: Other tower controlled airports: requires tower permission to enter.
  E: Any airspace that isn't something else.
  G: "Good" airspace.  Uncontrolled, generally up to 1,200AGL.
  Magenta Fade:  Denotes G up to 700AGL
  Blue Fade: Denotes G up to 14,500MSL
  Speed Limits: >10,000MSL: None; <10,000MSL: 250KIAS.
  Visibility/Cloud Clearance: 
 

G: 1 mile; COC (Clear of Clouds)

C, D, E below 10,000MSL: Three C-152s (three miles visibility; 1,000 above, 500 below; 2,000 abeam of clouds);  Above 10,000MSL Five F-111s. (Five miles vis and 1,000 above, 1,000 below, and 1 mile abeam).

B: Three miles, Clear of Clouds

A: None
  Special Use Airspace (SUA):
  Military Operating Areas (MOAs)
  Restricted Areas
  Prohibited Areas
  Warning Areas
  Alert Areas
  Air Defense Identification Zones (ADIZ):
  Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs)
  Presidential Flight Restrictions (PFRs)
Weather Briefings
  Sources:
  TV Weather Channel:  Big picture 48 hours prior to flight.
  Computer: Aviation Digital Data Service http://adds.aviationweather.gov/   Day of flight
  METAR/TAFs
  Winds Aloft
  Area Forecast
  AWOS/ASOS
  ATIS
  PIREPs
  Satellite Images
  NEXRAD Radar