Instrument/ CFII checkride

[micahgiordano]

Can I take an instrument or CFII checkride with my charts/ gps not being up to date? Even if I don’t fly on a IFR flight plan or in IMC
Thanks

 

[Waldom]

If the question refers to the airplane database, technically yes, even on an IFR flight plan or IMC. You would not be able to legally fly GPS based RNAV or overlay approaches or transitions and SIDs or STARs requiring GPS. That would limit the approaches the examiner might want use to determine your competency. You would need to file your flight plan using the proper equipment suffix to reflect what can legally be used on the airplane.

As regards to paper charts or an EFB, it is an FAR violation to fly with them out of date. You may fly with expired paper charts aboard if you use an EFB with a current database.

The bigger issue is that you are stacking the deck against a successful outcome if you show up for the check ride with expired databases. You are presenting yourself to the DPE as unprepared and unprofessional.

 

[midlifeflyer]

The very first step to the instrument checkride (and especially any CFI ride!) is to read the ACS. Since the Instrument ACS is available in PDF form, you will have no trouble searching for the word “current” and finding the references to the requirements for current charts and a current GPS database.

Even without that, how prepared are you to get deep into the weeds in a risk management and pilot decision-making discussion about not having current charts (available free if you have a tablet or phone) and GPS database for IFR flight?

 

[midlifeflyer]

regards to paper charts or an EFB, it is an FAR violation to fly with them out of date

Technically, it’s only a violation for Part 135, etc. There is no legal requirement for plain vanilla Part 91 for current charts. The catch is, if you cause a deviation problem because of it, don’t expect much sympathy on the enforcement side. Current database is even more iffy, with the FAA guidance saying “maybe” but many (most?; all?) GPS AFMS requiring currency.

The checkride, which specifies current charts and current database, is a different story.

 

[Waldom]

I stand corrected, midlifeflyer. I am not a CFI and hence haven't perused an ACS (nee PTS) for a long time. I believe my post is correct except for chart currency for FAR 91 operations, but it is clearly not regarding a check ride.

After five decades of flying, I am about to take my very first BFR. Prior to retirement, FAR 135 and 121 check rides took care of the requirement. I still fly regularly but have been deep in the books preparing for it. Part of that was looking over the Commercial, Instrument, and ATP Airman Certification Standards. If the original poster cares to look, the requirement you mentioned is in Appendix 7 of the Instrument Rating ACS.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Yep. We kind of need to keep in mind that a checkride is a different creature than real day to day operations. That seems to be especially true of the instrument checkride these days.

I had a conversation on the subject with an instructor from a nationally known flight training franchise a few weeks ago while their student was taking an instrument ride. “I wouldn’t want them to go on a solo IFR flight tomorrow.” I understood why. It’s not the basic skill set. It’s the limited exposure to procedures other than the local ones.

I’ve flown with post IR checkride pilots. In many cases, limited to zero actual time. None have ever done (or even know what to do with) the most common instrument approach procedure they will use - a visual approach. In one case, they’ve never even filed an IFR flight plan.