The other day Steve Holmes, a former TWA Captain and CRM instructor and training center captain paid a visit to PVPA.   Steve now spends a lot of his time as a FAA designated examiner and his presentation was on the subject of the testing and evaluation of pilots.

Steve shared some anecdotes and interesting experiences such as the fellow who showed up in a Cessna 152 all ready for his practical flight test.   This might not have been so bad except Steve is no shrimp and the examinee weighed in at, by Steve's estimate, some 300 pounds.   Or the fellow who spent 30 minutes spinning his whiz wheel and couldn't come up with an answer to the problem even close to being correct.

If your test includes reading a weather map and you show up with your own, these are the maps you will be tested on.   But don't worry; Steve has some in case you forgot yours.   We got the feeling you don't want to try to read his.   Study the FAA issued Practical Test Standards for the rating you are testing for.   The first ten in the Private Pilot book are pretty straightforward but that number 11 can get you, so be prepared.   And that really is the bottom line.   Before making that appointment for your test, make sure you are prepared.   After all you don't want to be sitting around one other day with Steve telling stories and recognize yourself