Commercial Pilot ACS Review - Part 1

Join me as I start the Commercial Pilot ACS Series. The commercial pilot checkride is just like any other FAA practical test and uses the Airman Certification Standards. This test evaluates your knowledge and skills as a pilot to make sure you have what it takes to fly for compensation. In this first episode of the series, I discuss Area of Operation I. Preflight Preparation which is what DPEs use to conduct the oral, or ground portion of the checkride. Stay tuned for at least 3 more shows in the commercial pilot series.
I would love to hear your feedback on the shows. If you have anything you would like to share please email me at: [e-mail] I look forward to hearing from you!
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[@Verathuum]

Just passed my check ride a few days ago. Your ACS review videos were invaluable

[@SethLakeDPE]

Awesome!

[@michaelgarrow3239]

I’m going to do the scroll-trench coat thing…

[@SethLakeDPE]

@@michaelgarrow3239 haha! Please do and let me know how it goes! I forget that I made that joke...🤦‍♂

[@Pilotguy788]

Just passed my commercial ASEL checkride, thank you Seth! I heavily relied on your instrument ACS vids for my IR ride a few months back, those were a godsend. Also as someone who isn't as mechanically inclined, I found your engine breakdown videos VERY helpful. Really appreciated being able to see the actual pieces and how they fit together. They will be required viewing for my future students. Thanks again and keep those system videos coming!

[@SethLakeDPE]

Congratulations! It's great to hear you found the content helpful. Safe flying!

[@dylanlaforest5019]

Super helpful. Will be sending this to my future students !!!

[@SethLakeDPE]

Great!

[@bobbyandelisabeth]

Prepping for commercial currently. Good stuff! Thank you.

[@SethLakeDPE]

You bet!

[@FlyerVas]

I just passed my commercial checkride a few days ago and I wanted to thank you for this outstanding series of videos on the Commercial ACS!

[@Tsoto247]

Hello Mr lake I just wanted to come back and type of this message thanking you for the monumental help that you have provided both myself and everyone else watching as admittedly so this is an extremely stressful certificate to achieve leading up to the big day however I have officially passed and have it behind me now “PHEW” 😮‍💨 these series of videos and spotify podcasts came in handy more than a few times on several topics and even though we were operating off the new ACS that became active just a few weeks ago all the info was still relevant throughout the evaluation and I couldn’t thank you enough! Thanks again!

[@SethLakeDPE]

Thanks for the feedback! Great job and congratulations!

[@jimbuck795]

I'm preparing for my commercial and this is very helpful. Thank you.

[@SethLakeDPE]

You're welcome!

[@mianatwood]

Your instruments podcast was great! Just passed last Monday(May 15th 2023) on to commercial. I’m delivering packages right now for Amazon while listening to this podcast to get ready for commercial check ride in a month or so hopefully.

[@SethLakeDPE]

Congratulations and best of luck! Thanks for watching!

[@iammrvain]

Seth, thank you so much for uploading this. I am in the process of working on my commercial ground school and have started flying the commercial maneuvers. This was great information. I look forward to watching part two as well.

[@SethLakeDPE]

Best of luck and glad you found it helpful!

[@garrisonchilds2610]

As someone who is preparing for the commercial check ride this is extremely helpful, as trying to comprehend the ACS without a well rounded explanation can be a headache sometimes. Thanks for your help!

[@SethLakeDPE]

You're welcome!

[@user-sn8hw1uz8w]

Thanks legend 👑you dropped this.

[@SethLakeDPE]

No problem 👍

[@LifeWithMatteo]

FYI you’re podcasts and videos have helped me pass my ppl and ifr ride. Thank you

[@SethLakeDPE]

Great to hear, thanks for tuning in.

[@PRIMAL-INSTINCT]

You’re a blessing to me at this time. Thank you for the videos on commercial.

[@Straightahead101]

This man is a legend tho I'm glad he's not my DPE lol

[@SethLakeDPE]

Thank you for the kind words

[@h3sh926]

I just found this channel, and I want to thank you in advance for all that you are doing. I wish more DPEs made these types of videos since it really alleviates the pressure that inherently comes with a checkride.

[@SethLakeDPE]

Great to hear

[@stevensalanger2921]

Working on my commercial now - these are SO useful. Finally someone just going through the ACS and not doing random 20 minute mock orals Thank you!

[@SethLakeDPE]

Great to hear! Best of luck with your training!

[@thehardhustlers]

Passed my commercial 2 days ago. These were extremely helpful!

[@fredcanavan3864]

Thanks! ATP CFI, CE750, PC12-NGX, EMB145. This is very helpful.

[@SethLakeDPE]

Awesome!

[@earnedwings5206]

Commercial check ride 30 days away! This will be a valuable tool, thank you for your time and assistance honestly!

[@SethLakeDPE]

Best of luck on your checkride!

[@earnedwings5206]

@@SethLakeDPE Thank you very much! Best wishes to you on your future goals as well!

[@LifeWithMatteo]

Passed ifr checkride today!! Now…day 1 of new stuff begins.

[@astudentpilotlife]

I am taking my Commercial rating checkride in a few day, I put all acs on loop and listen to them as I am about to go to sleep everyday. This have become like my ASMR

[@SethLakeDPE]

Best of luck on your checkride!

[@lucasmurphy-cj7ti]

Thank you, Seth! This was a huge help while preparing for my checkride. Just passed!!

[@SethLakeDPE]

Great to hear! Congratulations!

[@igor9963]

Great content sir ,I am preparing for my commercial checkride and I will definitely keep watching your videos , keep it up !,

[@SethLakeDPE]

Great!

[@ibiro868]

I have a 1 hour drive to get to my flight school. I play your videos on the way to and from.

[@SethLakeDPE]

Nice!

[@michaelfranz8580]

This is such great information, thank you so much!

[@Man_of_man]

I’m a international student. and wating for commercial check ride. It’s really helps me a lot.

[@SethLakeDPE]

Great!

[@diaryrecorded5524]

Yep I have told several people at the airport now about your KZbin channel you are amazing thank you❤

[@SethLakeDPE]

Thank you!

[@propjockeyaviation2164]

Working on my Commercial now. This is extremely helpful! Thanks!!

[@SethLakeDPE]

Your welcome!

[@tywheeler7131]

Awesome info. Thank you so much for uploading this! So many instructors focus on just acronyms, so thank you for creating a narrative. A true service to the aviation community

[@SethLakeDPE]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Tyleraviator99]

this is exactly what I need. THANK YOU!

[@SethLakeDPE]

Good to hear!

[@eduardogrillo3829]

That’s great info in there! Thanks for putting this together and helping us on preparing ourselves for the Commercial practical test. My check ride is coming up and I can’t tell how nervous I am but material like that just help us to say the least.

[@SethLakeDPE]

Glad to hear you found it helpful!

[@kmw4256]

Excellent video. Getting ready for my commercial checkride and this is exactly what I was looking for!

[@SethLakeDPE]

Thanks for the feedback! Best of luck on your checkride!

[@michaelwilliamsd.o.5006]

Awesome! Thank you for your time.

[@SethLakeDPE]

You're welcome!

[@bigfootaviation8497]

I’m really happy I found your channel this is a gem thank you for the work you put out!

[@SethLakeDPE]

Your welcome!

[@Dana_Bellamy]

This is awesome!! Thanks so much for sharing!

[@Nick-wv9hu]

Looking forward to part 2 I have about a month until my check ride

[@SethLakeDPE]

It should be out in about a week. Thank you for subscribing!

[@sarahsdandelions]

Would love to see an episode of illegal charter.

[@SethLakeDPE]

Soon!

[@Ezel21love]

Thank you for all you have done!

[@SethLakeDPE]

Welcome!

[@ajace595]

Your instrument videos made my checkride a breeze. I just started diving into the commercial ones. Which video is the illegal charter information covered in? I haven’t had that topic explained to me in a way that I feel confident about yet. Thank you!

[@SethLakeDPE]

Checkout the podcast I did with Max Trescott. I believe it's episode 234 of the Aviation News Talk Podcast.

[@joshuahunter2825]

I am just about to do my first check ride, for private single engine land. July is the AIM. But this will be in my future.

[@SethLakeDPE]

Best of luck and keep up the studying!

[@nathantaylor4802]

I appreciate the video man, big help.

[@SethLakeDPE]

Welcome!

[@nathantaylor4802]

just passed my test today. i’ll be coming up to arkansas soon for my multi

[@danieldillon9225]

Thank you for this video.

[@SethLakeDPE]

Your welcome!

[@kingston5469]

I've got my Comm. checkride coming up soon. One day, I want to be a DPE too!

[@idekav.]

how was it

[@kingston5469]

@@idekav. I passed. Actually just passed my CFI Checkride a month ago, so I'm moving up! 😎

[@idekav.]

@@kingston5469 ayee nice, hows the cfi market treating you?

[@arielproskurov2195]

Hello Seth. I have been watching your videos for quite some time and your IR ACS review has helped me a lot in achieving the rating so thank you very much. I am preparing for the CPL checkride and I'm wondering when approximately are you going to upload the illegal charter podcast. It's the subject that I have the most trouble with understanding all the legal aspects of being un/able to perform a flight for hire. Thank you again and I'm looking forward for your videos.

[@SethLakeDPE]

Check out the podcast I did with Max Trescott. It's episode 234 of the Aviation News Talk Podcast.

[@ARIK607]

@@SethLakeDPE Haha I actually got my commercial certificate a few days ago but thank you anyways.

[@mojo7618]

Can we transcript this and carve it into stones so a thousand year from now, a generation can learn how Seth turned GOV bureaucracy into something useful. I am actually gaining a lot of flight planning skills just by understanding the ACS not just to pass my check ride. BTW Seth in ancient Egyptian mythology was the God of thunderstorms :)

[@SethLakeDPE]

I've always liked thunderstorms, as long as I'm not flying near them :)

[@reviewsbyHP]

Thank you so much!

[@SethLakeDPE]

You're welcome much!

[@peterg7342]

Thanks!

[@SethLakeDPE]

Thank you so much!

[@Tatumthornton]

66 hits? damn, i have to do more approaches 😂 9:43

[@PrestigeWorldWide777]

First off, thank you for uploading these videos. Second, I haven’t flown in 2 years. I earned my PPL in 2005 and instrument rating in 2011. I always wanted to fly professionally but life. Now, I want to go earn my Commercial Certificate. Do you have any suggestions on how I should approach this, considering I’ve been away from flying for so long? Btw, I plan to rent a club aircraft and try to find the best independent CFI I can. Suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!

[@SethLakeDPE]

Take your time finding a good instructor that you can work with. Don't feel like you are obligated to fly with the first person you go up with. Having bad chemistry with your instructor can have big impacts.

[@wueong454]

Thank you for great video. I have one question about eight's on pylon maneuver. I know there are some method to set up the maneuver like calculating time from pylon to pylon to make sure 3 - 5 seconds straight flight. Does DPE evaluate the process how candidate set up for this maneuver? Or they can just guesstimate the distance between the two pylons and start the maneuver?

[@SethLakeDPE]

Skill CA.V.E.S3 says you must select suitable pylons. I would suggest you practice a method of selection that works vs just guessing and hoping it works out.

[@michaelgarrow3239]

I’m getting a trench coat and learning calligraphy… 😎🙈

[@SethLakeDPE]

😆

[@braininavatnow9197]

One of the "must do" you tube pilot training channels. Some out there are inefficient and incomplete time wasters.

[@SethLakeDPE]

Thanks!

[@kylecrumpton1048]

Am I missing the video where you broke down the regs on flying for hire?! Please forgive me if I’m over looking.

[@SethLakeDPE]

Upcoming video. I go into some detail with Max Terescott on the Aviation News Talk Podcast. Check my website for a link.

[@wildzach]

Lmao with the different wx briefing methods you would accept 😂

[@omegasixfive5334]

At 10:00 you mention an epsiode on illegal charter, have you done this? I don't see it on your video list, perhaps it wrapped up inside another video?

[@SethLakeDPE]

Max and I discussed it more in depth on his show a while back. That's good video that I need to still do more on. Thanks for the reminder! open.spotify.com/episode/3ivf0FE0GO9H6setAvV7aa

[@razorseal]

Seth, have you done the illegal charter episode?

[@SethLakeDPE]

I did an episode with Max. I'm planning on doing a stand-alone on my channel soon, though. Probably the end of January. Check out my website for a link to the Aviation News Talk Podcast, where Max and I discuss it.

[@theegg-viator4707]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@rn2811]

Thoughts on using an electronic nav log on a commercial check ride? Great content. Check ride in a few wks🤞.

[@SethLakeDPE]

I would have no issue with a commercial applicant using an electronic nav log. As long as you know how the application is calculating everything.

[@rn2811]

Well using the Nav log went beautifully on my checkride however I bombed my steep spiral maneuver because I went a few hundred feet below 1,500 agl. No worries everything else went well but my question is that she also had me do steep turns. According to the ACS page A-20 the examiner only needs to pick one or can the DPE have you do both? Thanks.

[@SethLakeDPE]

@@rn2811 Sorry to hear that. Don't worry about the disapproval; it's not a big deal. Although the ACS only requires the examiner to pick one, they have the option to do both if they want.

[@rn2811]

Thanks for the heads up on that I appreciate it!

[@barryfitzgerald3839]

I’m flying my 210L for my com. Check ride. I removed all the back seats. Should I put them back in for the check ride ?

[@SethLakeDPE]

Make sure their removal is appropriately documented and you have a signed weight and balance reflecting them being removed. If you don't have that, I suggest you put them back in.

[@nolaneads2826]

doing the lords work!

[@SethLakeDPE]

TY!

[@Tyleraviator99]

question lets say I miss CA.I.A.K4 on the written, is the DPE required to cover one knowledge item on top CA.I.A.K4 or can they cover CA.I.A.K4 and then move on to the risk management?

[@SethLakeDPE]

No, your DPE is only required to cover one knowledge item (at a minimum). It is up to the individual examiner to do more than that (most of us do end up asking more). I would recommend you be comfortable answering all of the knowledge items, and be especially prepared for any you missed on the written. Good luck!

[@RandomName841]

Is there any way that the oral portion will differ if i am doing my commercial initial checkride in a multi engine? I already did my private pilot multi engine checkride so will things like factors that affect Vmc be covered again?

[@SethLakeDPE]

Yes, they will be covered again. There is no provision in the ACS to shorten the oral based on ratings held.

[@RandomName841]

@@SethLakeDPE thank you. I took my checkride and you were correct it was all covered again

[@EatPezzzz]

What is tomato flames?

[@SethLakeDPE]

ATOMATOFLAMES is an acronym that helps you remember the required equipment listed in FAR 91.205

[@martinszeliga4568]

Bring your WX on a scroll in Old English… I’m dying here😂😂

[@SethLakeDPE]

Glad someone got that joke...

[@mukhiddintashpulatov8865]

👍

[@kabaddiify]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@SethLakeDPE]

You're very welcome!

[@AMoose454]

Seth. Thanks for the videos. Your IFR videos were awesome help for passing my IR ride back in Jan. I have my commercial ride here next Friday. Look forward to reporting back with good news. Thanks again. Also do you have a Commercial Pilot Checkride ForeFlight tab video like you did for IFR? Thanks, Alex

[@SethLakeDPE]

Great to hear! How did the commercial go? I don't have a commercial tab video yet.