Close every § 61.109(a) deficit with your CFI before working through the rest of the packet. The breakdown below explains what each shortfall means and what to fly to close it.
| Requirement | Required | Logged | Δ | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total flight time | 40.0 h | 48.0 h | +8.0 | MEETS |
| Requirement | Required | Logged | Δ | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total flight training from authorized instructor | 20.0 h | 31.3 h | +11.3 | MEETS |
| Cross-country flight training | 3.0 h | 6.6 h | +3.6 | MEETS |
| Night flight training | 3.0 h | 3.6 h | +0.6 | MEETS |
| Night cross-country (>100 NM total distance) KSQL → KMOD → KMRY → KSQL, 138 NM, 2026-01-22 | 1 flight | ✓ logged | — | MEETS |
| Night takeoffs & landings to full stop at airport | 10 ops | 10 ops | +0.0 | MEETS |
| Instrument flight training (simulated/actual) | 3.0 h | 2.4 h | -0.6 | DEFICIT |
| 3 hours of training in preceding 2 calendar months Test month plus preceding 2 calendar months (Feb-Apr 2026) | 3.0 h | 5.9 h | +2.9 | MEETS |
| Requirement | Required | Logged | Δ | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total solo flight time | 10.0 h | 16.7 h | +6.7 | MEETS |
| Solo cross-country flight time | 5.0 h | 7.7 h | +2.7 | MEETS |
| Solo XC ≥150 NM total, 3 points, leg ≥50 NM KSQL → KMRY → KMOD → KMER → KSQL, 158 NM, 2026-04-15 | 1 flight | ✓ logged | — | MEETS |
| 3 takeoffs & landings to full stop at towered airport Towered airport: KSQL | 3 ops | 41 ops | +38.0 | MEETS |
Each card pairs the regulatory text with a concrete remediation idea you can take back to your CFI. The shortfall numbers come from the same audit that scored the breakdown above.
We can't read endorsements or paperwork out of a logbook export, so these checklists are the self-confirm half of the packet. Your CFI signs off the same items before writing your § 61.39(a)(6)(ii) recommendation.
What § 61.39 calls out before the DPE will administer the test. Confirm each item with your CFI before the day of the ride.
Endorsements your CFI must have written in your logbook. The DPE will leaf through and confirm every one of these is present and current.
What the DPE expects on the desk before the oral begins. Missing items are the most common reason a checkride is postponed.
Short reads tied to the gaps in your packet. We feature the topics relevant to your current readiness state first; everything else stays below for context.
How to plan a single dual evening flight that knocks out three § 61.109(a) sub-requirements without padding hours.
The opening volley is almost always the same. Walking in with crisp, citation-grounded answers sets the tone for the rest of the day.
The desk-side review pattern most examiners run: ID, certificates, IACRA, knowledge test, endorsements, then the logbook itself.
Why the § 61.39 endorsement must say 'preceding 2 calendar months' (not '60 days') — and the other normative phrases that catch students out.
The exact pile of documents to lay out before bed — ID, plastic certs, knowledge test, IACRA print, ARROW — and how examiners want it ordered.
How the new /dpe directory works: FAA-sourced examiner records plus publicly-cited notes joined into your readiness packet by section.
We don't ship the oral, mock-checkride, or examiner-prep tools yet, so the cards below either link out to authoritative material or stand as an honest notice for what's next on our roadmap.
The authoritative § 61 text on eCFR. We pull every cite in this packet straight from here so you can verify the source.
The current Private Pilot — Airplane ACS, free from the FAA. Print it, mark every task, and bring it to your sessions.
Schedule a stage check with a partner CFI to dry-run the oral and flight in your aircraft type. Closes the loop on weak spots.
Walk every PPL ACS area of operation as DPE-style oral questions, with citations back to the source FAR/AIM passage.
An FAA-sourced directory of every active DPE, with publicly-cited examiner notes that join into your readiness packet by section.