Terence,

This is a general comment and not aimed specifically at you, but... It
amazes me, in terms of human psychology, that pilots fear more for a
checkride than for a real IFR flight. The worst that happens in a checkride
is a pink slip followed by a white slip the following week. But on a real
IFR flight, well that's like playing a video game with one quarter.

The NTSB files are littered with accidents with just one stupid screw up.
If a pilot is making (at least) "one stupid screw-up" per flight, it is
advisable (IMHO) for that pilot to question his/her safety level on a real
IFR flight. GA pilots about to go for the checkride are probably at their
most proficient point of their lives, although obviously not the most
experienced. If a pilot is making a "stupid screw-up" at this point then
what is going to happen when the destination goes below minimums, the winds
aloft pick up and the fuel level starts getting low, passengers start feel
sick, one or more instruments fail... you get the idea.

Don't sweat the checkride, sweat real-life. If you're ready to embark on an
IFR flight safely, then the checkride is no sweat. If not, call your CFI
and smoothen out those edges until you are - this is a continual process,
not just a pre-checkride thing.

OK, enough preaching, fly well on the checkride and verbalize as you do
things (if it helps) and talk through mistakes you make. The odds are that
the DE sees them before they happen.

Hilton




"Terence Wilson" wrote in message
...
I'm scheduled for the instrument check-ride in a couple of weeks. I
feel like I can perform within the PTS, but I'm a little" rough around
the edges" and prone to at least one stupid screw-up per flight, most
of the time I catch the screw-ups myself and fix them in a reasonable
time.

That said, I was wondering whether the experienced contributers here
might offer some advice for the day of my check-ride. My main concern
is that I might be so nervous that I bungle the easy stuff.

Best,

Terence