As a student pilot, your checkride is essentially your graduation day. You put in loads of time, both studying and flying. You come prepared with all your documentation, know all of your checklists, and acronyms. It is your big day to show off to your designated pilot examiner (DPE) exactly what you know and understand. This is your time to shine. Until it’s not.
Checkride Day
My big day was on August 27th, 2025. Everything was set in stone. We got our airplane arrangements (N362SP), DPE assigned, and timing was arranged. My instructor and I flew from my home airport (I69) to KCYO, which is about a 45-minute flight to get there. This is just enough time for any last-minute questions to calm the nerves.
We arrived and it was game time! I was ready and I felt extremely confident. I had all my study materials memorized and I was fluent in my aviation language. I was nervous and excited but definitely ready.
After sitting with my instructor and DPE for about 20 minutes going over required paperwork and all the appropriate IACRA information to make sure I was eligible for this practical examination, it was time for the ground portion of the exam. Two hours later, I had passed the ground portion and was riding high. The hardest part was behind me—or so I thought.
Things got bumpy
We got the weather on the ground through ForeFlight and went through our pre-flight checklist. My examiner asked me to start with a soft field takeoff. It was not my best soft field take off, but it did not raise any red flags for my examiner. We then went through my planned NavLog sheet from KCYO to KFLD.
On the way to my first point on my flight plan, I noticed that I was having extreme difficulty maintaining my altitude and was becoming increasingly task-saturated while also trying to navigate the airplane and look for my intended waypoints. It was becoming ever more difficult when the examiner asked me to divert to I23. The workload ramped up fast. I could now feel myself getting behind the airplane and I was chasing heading, altitude, and now I was in my own thoughts
I eventually caught back up and completed the diversion, but by that point, I was well outside my comfort zone, especially being at a new airport. Once on the ground at I23, we taxied back and talked through the challenges I’d had maintaining altitude. The turbulence was far worse than I expected (and he admitted as well), and I found myself fighting the airplane more than flying it. Frustrated and mentally drained, I made the call to discontinue my practical test. It wasn’t the decision I wanted to make, but it was the right one for the situation.
What does a discontunuance mean?
This is a temporary pause in a practical flight test, not a failure, and is stopped due to factors beyond the applicant's control. In this case, there was moderate turbulence that I was not comfortable with. Other reasons for a discontinuance could be illness, mechanical issues, or other adverse weather. This was less than ideal and not the outcome I was expecting. We went back to the airport, and I debriefed with my instructor. It was rather unfortunate, but all parties involved believed that it was the correct decision.
Now what do I do?
Well, when you discontinue your checkride, your examiner will issue a Letter of Discontinuance. This is a formal document that details which parts of the checkride were successfully completed. The good news? I didn’t have to redo the ground portion, diversion, or soft-field takeoff. The catch? The letter expires in 60 days, so we had to act fast since DPE availability is tight nationwide. Had I not taken the practical portion within 60 days, I would have had to redo any sections that were completed satisfactorily.
Ding ding. Round Two.
All things came to fruition. We were able to reschedule with my same DPE, and we were able to go back up to KCYO on October 6th, 2025. When we got to the airport, I gave my examiner my letter of discontinuance, and we reviewed some other required paperwork. The examiner gave me a quick briefing on what to expect during our upcoming flight. After a few takeoffs, landings, and maneuvers, I am proud to call myself a private pilot. It certainly took longer than expected, but I learned more from that turbulence that day than any other smooth flight could have taught me.
Tips if You're Issued a Letter of Discontinuance
- Use your “downtime” wisely and continue flying and hitting your weak areas, and stay sharp on your maneuvers.
- Keep your letter of discontinuance! Have a hard copy and a digital copy. You must present this to the examiner prior to continuing your practical.
- While you are waiting, you need to stay persistent in your studying. You might still get questions on ACS material, aircraft systems, or any other ACS category during your next attempt.
- Try to stick with your first DPE (If possible). Most of the time, it is simpler, cheaper, and avoids the potential for retesting previously completed tasks.
- Do not get discouraged. Your time will come, but maybe not as soon as you had hoped. Just stay committed and determined.
