For the life of me, I don’t know why they haven’t figured out a better way. Even as an option.
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I’d like to reply to the original post on this thread. Just so you guys know, for a private certificate, it is still on paper, and E6B etc. It is not the digital era yet. You have to plot a course by hand on a paper chart, and carry that sectional in the cockpit. When the DPE diverts, you need to use the paper chart and the hand plotter to find new airport, calculate course and figure out fuel remaining. Its actually very difficult and I found it to be the hardest part of my private checkride. I did cut out the sectional to only show a reasonable area of my plane because lets face it there is no t a lot of room for this in a 172. I have heard that some DPE’s will let you use a GPS and iPad, however, my DPE was very strict in stating, no GPS ot iPad entire checkride. I actually find it fun to do a manual flight plan with a chart and stopwatch and practice on MSFS. On real life flights for safety and accuracy I do use foreflight though. Especially if I have a passenger. I always keep a CURRENT chart in my flight bag. I also carry an emergency notecard that had the two main VOR’s in my area and the five other airports I could use in an unexpected situation. I have actually flown back to my home airport not being able to land due to a gear up landing on the runway. Seems to happen a lot.
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For teaching, paper and E6B are still very much a thing. But I suspect you’ll see it start to lean more and more toward use of EFBs, because let’s face it, they are becoming fairly ubiquitous and even those aren’t always used correctly or to their fullest potential. That some DPEs are likely limited in their understanding of the always-changing EFB environment contributes to this.
At this point, it’s still kind of a novelty like RNAV was in the early days, but it’s quickly becoming almost necessary to be able to properly use one - including mounting, charging, backups, etc. No different than the integration of the G1000 into everything in the cockpit - we have to know how to use these and all their manual reversion modes as well.
If nothing else, proper use of the old paper/E6B analog systems allow demonstration of a deeper level of understanding and proficiency about how to navigate an airplane. If you can use those correctly (while still flying), you’re doing really well and show that you will be able to apply those concepts to preflight planning and use of integrated NAV/FMS or EFBs. But they are quickly becoming utterly obsolete for practical use.
Personally, I’d like to see them used in conjunction during testing: show me both and use one to prove the other correct.
Reading through reddit posts I’ve seen some conflicting information on what people have experienced with their checkrides. Although most say it’s the last time they ever used an e6b. Some liken it to listening to vinyl. Is this related to the examiner’s age?
I’ve also been watching many YouTube videos with pilots going over the VFR maps on their tablets and it’s way more than what we get in the sim now. Like, there are VFR pattern entry routes!
But touching on earlier topics, we could experience technical failures or even planetary wide failures involving magnetic fields, GPS systems, EMP pulses, gamma ray busts from other galaxies, etc. that may necessitate basic dead reconning skills.
As we use to say in the military, cooperate and graduate.
However, the Private Pilot ACS is the document on the private pilot check ride. Again I don’t teach people for Private Pilot, I do type ratings.
Specifically Sections ID, IE, and VI A through D would be applicable. The FAA reference for the skills would be Chapter 16 of the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (PHAK.)
Appendix A5 of the ACS lists exactly how an examiner is required to conduct the exam. They must have a written Plan of Action in English. They must meet the minimum evaluation requirements.
The required minimum elements to include in the POA, unless otherwise noted, from each applicable Task are as follows:
• at least one knowledge element;
• at least one risk management element;
• all skill elements; and
• any Task elements in which the applicant was shown to be deficient on the knowledge test.
Since POAs must include elements in which the applicant was deficient in the written each POA should be unique to the applicant.
Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs) are unique to each FSDO. Becoming a DPE is a long arduous task. To be successful you need to be a known quantity to the local ASIs at the FSDO. You don’t become a DPE by cold calling the FSDO. DPEs are required to pass writtens to become a DPE candidate and they then must pass training by the FAA at Oklahoma City. (They must be selected by the FSDO to attend DPE school.) Once they have done all of that they then go on the list at the local FSDO and get ‘hired’ once there is an opening. (A number of years ago there was an article written by a DPE on becoming at DPE in the AOPA Pilot magazine.) They don’t get paid for any of this until they evaluate their first applicant. It is much easier to become a Training Center Evaluator (TCE) of a Part 141 or 142 center than to become a DPE. Once they are in, however, they are in and it is tough as nails to get rid of a bad DPE.
As such you continue to hear stories of DPEs that go well beyond the minimum requirements of the evaluation and insert their own opinions on the skill requirements. In one area as CFIs we knew a DPE who had the reputation of failing every other applicant. Schools tracked his evaluations to try and get their student in with him after someone just failed.
Unless things have changed recently you will still have to demonstrate the use of a plotter and E6B during the Private Pilot written. I guess don’t throw them away until after the Private Checkride.
As far as old school navigation try tactical navigation on 1:50000 maps under NVGs when you are required to hit your waypoints plus or minus 30 seconds and Gross Navigation Error (GNE) does not result in a phone number to call but the chance of getting shot at.
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Yikes!! I never even considered the precision an old-school tactical op would require.
You forgot to mention the aluminum E6B, paper charts, and plastic plotter never need charging or an electrical power source to recharge. IMHO nothing beats plotting a diversion on a paper chart unfolded across the engine cowling (after landing of course).