Flight Proficiency Check-Out

New members are required to demonstrate their flying proficiency and basic safety knowledge before the can fly "solo" without an instructor.  Upon passing, they become "full members".  

This takes the form of a verbal multiple-choice quiz and a Proficiency Check Flight with an instructor or board member. The quiz can be practiced online, and will be orally taken at the same time as the check-out flight. This applies to both new members as well as returning members who haven't been active for at least one year prior to re-joining. 

Here are some additional resources to help you study and prepare for the proficiency check out.

  1. Study our Flight Training manual. 
    • Be patient if you are downloading over a slower link.
    • If you prefer PowerPoint instead of PDF, link is here.
  2. Practice or learn to fly with an instructor. During training, you will fly with multiple instructors using a buddy box. When you are ready to fly solo, you will fly with one or perhaps two instructors for one or two flights. The flights will be done without a buddy box. In each flight you will be required to:
    • Demonstrate a before-start check of your model
    • Taxi
    • Demonstrate a pre-takeoff check
    • Make appropriate callouts
    • Takeoff and climb out straight ahead
    • Fly a rectangular pattern in level flight
    • Do a stall and recovery
    • Fly a figure eight showing good altitude control
    • Fly a stabilized approach and a missed approach from both left and right
    • Fly an approach into the wind and land
  3. Have a look at the practice MAR/C Proficiency Check Quiz. The quiz will be administered in person by your check-out pilot after your proficiency flight.  Any wrong answers will be discussed and you'll pass as long as the check-out pilot feels you understand the corrected answers. (Note that we no longer use the online quiz for your check-out. It is available for educational purposes.) 
  4. Review the flight criteria on the first page of the Proficiency Check Flight PDF.
  5. Arrange for a Proficiency Check Flight at the MAR/C field.