Private Pilot: The Most Stressful Exam of My Life

A personal account of my experience with a DPE

00:00 Intro
1:00 High Stakes
3:12 The 3.5hr Oral Exam of Doom
8:15 Practical Portion Begins (After Discontinuing the Day Before)
11:50 The Spontaneous Power Off 180 to Soft Field
16:45 No Celebration, No Flying
17:47 Takeaways and Tips
20:33 Full Circle Moment?

In March of 2025, I got my private pilot’s license. The checkride was my worst day ever in this aviation journey. Between the checkride cancellations and the stress I encountered through the 3.5-hour oral exam and the equally exhausting practical exam, and the overarching anxiety of this deadline I had, where I was relocating 800 miles away not more than a week after my checkride date, I was very stressed.

This video is about my private pilot checkride experience, how difficult it was, and what I wish I knew before going in. I talk about the oral exam, the practical test, dealing with stress, and preparing for your first checkride. If you are a student pilot getting ready for your PPL checkride, hopefully my story helps you get a better idea of what to expect.

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If anyone is interested in having a conversation about anything at all, please feel free to reach out. My Instagram and Facebook are great ways to get in touch. I appreciate anyone watching and interacting and look forward to connecting!
Email: pilotmitchellhall@gmail.com
Instagram:   / mitchellahall  
Facebook:   / mitchellahall  

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Gear Recommendations

Essential Exam Prep: https://amzn.to/49pWQ15
The go-to phone or tablet mount: https://amzn.to/4juUy5H

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