Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

1 Answers

Private Pilot checkride – electronic navigation

Asked by: 2945 views FAA Regulations, Flight Instructor

PTS for Private Pilot checkride requires demonstration of electronic navigation.  How is this criteria met in an aircraft with no navaids (such as a Champ, J3 Cub etc)?  Is a portable GPS a valid option?  If so is this a standard for DPEs or an individual DPE decision?

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

1 Answers



  1. Wes Beard on Jul 23, 2015

    I think you’ll need to provide an aircraft capable of electronic navigation. From page 9 in the PTS. Best bet to ask your DPE if a handheld GPS counts. I wouldn’t accept it to evaluate that task.

    Aircraft and Equipment Required for the Practical Test
    The private pilot—airplane applicant is required by 14 CFR section 61.45 to provide an airworthy, certificated aircraft for use during the practical test. This section further requires that the aircraft must:
    1. be of U.S., foreign, or military registry of the same category, class, and type, if applicable, for the certificate and/or rating for which the applicant is applying;
    2. have fully functioning dual controls, except as provided for in 14 CFR section 61.45(c) and (e); and
    3. be capable of performing all Areas of Operation appropriate to the rating sought and have no operating limitations, which prohibit its use in any of the Areas of Operation, required for the practical test.

    https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/test_standards/media/FAA-S-8081-14B.pdf

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.