Top 5 Checkride Mistakes Student Pilots Make, And How to Avoid Them

For most student pilots, the checkride (officially called the Practical Test) is one of the most anticipated milestones of training. It’s the day you prove to the FAA examiner that you can safely operate as a pilot-in-command.

But here’s the truth: most checkride failures aren’t due to lack of skill. They come from nerves, skipped details, or easily avoidable mistakes.

At JulAir Flight School, we’ve coached hundreds of students to successful checkrides, and we know the pitfalls that catch students off guard. Here are the Top 5 Checkride Mistakes, and what you can do to make sure you avoid them.

1. Not Being Fully Prepared With Paperwork and Aircraft Documents

Before the engine even turns, the examiner will review your paperwork. Missing logbook endorsements or an expired medical means your checkride could end before it begins.

Common Pitfalls:

• Forgetting the 90-day solo endorsement or cross-country sign-off.

• Bringing an expired medical certificate or missing FAA knowledge test results.

• Incomplete aircraft ARROW documents (Airworthiness Certificate, Registration, Radio license if international, Operating handbook/POH, Weight & balance data).

How to Avoid It:

Create a pre-checkride binder with:

• Pilot certificate, government ID, and medical.

• FAA written test results (with passing score).

• Current logbook endorsements.

• Aircraft documents (copies if allowed).

Do a mock paperwork check with your instructor a few days before the exam.

Double-check expiration dates on everything.

Pro Tip: Make your paperwork as organized as your cockpit. A neat presentation sets the tone and tells the examiner you’re professional and prepared.

2. Overthinking and Rushing Through Maneuvers

Many students go into the checkride thinking they need to fly “perfectly.” This often backfires, leading to overcontrolling the airplane or rushing through maneuvers.

Common Pitfalls:

• Entering a stall too aggressively.

• Rolling too quickly into a steep turn and losing altitude.

• Skipping setup steps (like clearing turns) to “get it over with.”

How to Avoid It:

Set up before you execute. For example, in steep turns: stabilize your altitude, clear the area, set your power, then smoothly roll in.

Use a flow, not panic corrections. If you drift 80 ft during slow flight, calmly adjust pitch and power instead of yanking the yoke.

Remember ACS tolerances. For a private pilot, altitude +/- 100 ft, heading +/- 10°, airspeed +/- 10 knots. You don’t have to be exact—just within standards.

Pro Tip: If you bust a maneuver, don’t assume you’ve failed. Examiners often allow a

redo if you recognize and correct the mistake.

3. Poor Checklist Discipline

Checklists exist to protect pilots. On checkride day, skipping one or trying to do it from

memory under stress is a red flag.

Common Pitfalls:

• Forgetting a pre-takeoff checklist item (fuel selector, trim setting, flaps).

• Not using the emergency checklist when given a simulated failure.

• Saying “I know it from memory” but missing steps.

How to Avoid It:

Always use the written checklist for preflight, run-up, and emergencies—even if you know it cold.

Verbalize aloud. Example: “Mixture rich, fuel selector both, mags both.” This shows confidence and keeps you focused.

If you blank out—don’t fake it. Tell the examiner: “I’d use my emergency checklist.” Then reference it. Examiners respect honesty over guessing.

Pro Tip: Tab your checklists with colored markers (normal, abnormal, emergency) so you can flip to the right page quickly.

4. Not Verbalizing Aeronautical Decision-Making (ADM)

The checkride isn’t just about flying skills—it’s about judgment. Examiners want to see how you think as pilot-in-command.

Common Pitfalls:

• Staying silent when given a diversion scenario.

• Failing to verbalize risk factors (weather, fuel, terrain).

• Only reacting to instructions instead of showing proactive thinking.

How to Avoid It:

Talk through your actions. Example: “We’re 40 minutes into the flight, fuel is at half tanks, nearest alternate is Sanford. I’ll divert if weather worsens.”

Use ADM models:

• PAVE (Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment, External pressures).

• DECIDE (Detect, Estimate, Choose, Identify, Do, Evaluate).

Communicate risk management. Example: “We have a crosswind at limits, so I’ll go around if I don’t stabilize on final.”

Pro Tip: Examiners aren’t mind readers. Narrating your thought process makes you look prepared, safe, and confident.

5. Letting Nerves Take Over

Even excellent students sometimes fail—not from lack of knowledge, but from nerves. Anxiety can cause memory blanks, shaky radio calls, or sloppy maneuvers.

Common Pitfalls:

• Forgetting to set carb heat or mixture due to stress.

• Talking too fast on radios or missing ATC instructions.

• Over-controlling in turbulence because of nervous energy.

How to Avoid It:

Simulate pressure beforehand. Have your CFI do “mock checkrides” with surprise questions, diversions, and full oral exams.

Use breathing techniques. Slow inhale 4 seconds, hold 4, exhale 6. It calms nerves mid-flight.

Sleep and eat right. Fatigue and low blood sugar amplify stress.

Reframe the examiner. They aren’t trying to fail you—they’re making sure you can fly safely as PIC. Many even help you succeed if you show composure.

Pro Tip: Confidence is contagious. If you act like PIC, the examiner will treat you like one.

Final Approach: Confidence Through Preparation

Your checkride isn’t about being flawless, it’s about proving you can operate safely, think clearly, and correct errors when they happen.

Every student makes mistakes. What sets a safe pilot apart is the ability to recognize, recover, and continue the flight confidently.

At JulAir Flight School, we specialize in preparing students not only to pass their checkride, but also to walk away as skilled and confident pilots. With strong fundamentals, disciplined checklists, and calm decision-making, you’ll turn your checkride from a source of fear into your proudest aviation achievement.

Ready to ace your checkride? Schedule a mock oral and flight prep with JulAir today, and let’s make sure you’re fully ready for takeoff.