A Final Test of Skill

As winter is fast approaching, the main concern among college students is finishing up the semester with good grades on their final exams. The last couple weeks after Thanksgiving consist of extensive studying for what could be some of the hardest tests they could ever take. However, flight students must also prepare for not only written tests, but testing their skills of flying in a Piper Warrior.

Purdue University uses the term Phase-Check as a cumulative review for the flight course the student is completing. They are always given once the student has completed all the requirements in the course, unless the end of the course requires a check ride to receive a certificate, whether it is for Private Pilot, Commercial, Instrument, Multi-Engine, etc. The phase checks don’t necessarily need to be given by FAA designated examiners, because it is only required by Purdue University. Instead most of the full time flight instructors at Purdue test the students, but can’t be the instructor that the student had for the course.

The phase check is almost identical to a check ride except there is no license given upon completion. Instead, it signifies whether the student can pass on to the next level of flying course that Purdue offers and also is the final grade of the semester in that course. There is an oral exam given prior to flight and then about a one hour practical test is given afterwards. Each course gives plenty of solo practice time and dual instruction so that the student will be successful on the phase check. It is also the responsibility of the student to study the material given in the course and make sure they are proficient on the maneuvers. Just as a normal check ride, there are certain limits that the pilot must stay in to pass each maneuver and can only miss a given amount of questions on the oral exam. As long as students take the phase check seriously and give it the same amount of time and effort as the rest of their exams they will move on to their next level of flying career.