A checkride is the FAA practical test a candidate must pass to earn a certificate or rating. Administered by a Designated Pilot Examiner, it combines an oral exam and a flight test conducted to the Airman Certification Standards. The EASA equivalent is the skill test.
A checkride — formally the FAA practical test — is the final examination for a US pilot certificate or rating, administered by a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) or FAA inspector. It has two parts: an oral examination covering the knowledge areas of the applicable Airman Certification Standards (ACS), followed by a flight test in which the candidate demonstrates each required task within defined tolerances. Both must be completed satisfactorily; a failed task ends the test, though credit for completed areas carries into the retest.
Before the test begins, the examiner verifies the candidate's eligibility: aeronautical experience totals, required endorsements, knowledge test results, medical certificate and identity documents. This administrative gate is unforgiving — a single missing endorsement or a mislogged hour category can cause the examiner to refuse the test before anyone walks to the aircraft, forfeiting the examiner's fee and a booking slot that may have taken weeks to secure.
Why it matters for flight schools
Checkride outcomes are a flight school's most visible quality metric. Prospective students ask about first-time pass rates, and the FAA monitors pass rates at both examiner and school level. Operationally, DPE scarcity makes every checkride slot precious: schools that send candidates with verified paperwork and confirmed readiness protect both their pass rate and their examiner relationships, while discontinued tests over administrative errors damage both.
How FlightLogger handles it
FlightLogger tracks every checkride prerequisite as the training progresses — hours by category, endorsements, knowledge test validity, medical status — so schools see true readiness before booking the DPE, not on test day.
Frequently asked questions
What is the EASA equivalent of a checkride?
The skill test. Structure and purpose are similar — an examiner assesses the candidate against defined standards — but the regulatory framework, documentation and examiner system differ between FAA and EASA.
What happens if a student fails a checkride?
The examiner issues a notice of disapproval listing the unsatisfactory areas. The candidate needs additional training, a new instructor endorsement and a retest — which retains credit for the areas already passed.