At Angel Aviation, we teach our students that your flight deck is your fortress in the clouds. But it’s only as strong as the checks you complete before wheels up. Before you brief an approach or shoot a hold, your DPE will want to know: Did you properly set up and verify your IFR cockpit?

The Instrument Flight Deck Check is your first layer of defense against in-flight surprises. It’s more than flipping switches — it’s about confirming that every system that keeps you safe in IMC is functional and legal.

This guide walks you through ACS Area II: Preflight Procedures — specifically the Flight Deck Check portion. Know this well, and you’ll start every IFR flight (and checkride) on solid ground.

🎯 What the Examiner Is Looking For

Your examiner wants to see if you can:

✅ Set up and verify IFR flight instruments and avionics
 ✅ Confirm legal database currency and functionality
 ✅ Conduct proper instrument checks per the POH and FAA guidance
 ✅ Identify and address any system issues before flight
 ✅ Demonstrate IFR situational awareness and system integration

Let’s break it down step by step — from battery on to rolling down the runway.

🧩 Avionics and Navigation System Setup

📚 Ref: FAA-H-8083-15B (IFH), POH, AIM 5-1-16

Your IFR navigation starts with verifying that your NAV systems are installed, functional, and legal:

🔹 GPS Setup & Verification

  • Database currency: Must be up-to-date for IFR flight

  • Self-test: Run the internal GPS test (per the manufacturer)

  • RAIM check: If not WAAS, verify RAIM availability (AIM 5-1-16)

  • Approach loading: Know how to load and activate an approach

💡 Angel Tip: Know how to verify OBS vs ENR mode — and be ready to explain what “SUSP” means on your GPS.

🔹 VOR / ILS / LOC Check

  • ID the station: Listen for the Morse code ID

  • CDI centering: Should center when tuned to station radial

  • Full deflection: Twist OBS for 10° off-course and check for movement

👉 DPE Might Ask: “How often do you need to check your VORs for IFR flight?”
 ✅ Answer: Within the past 30 days for IFR (logged with location and error).

🔌 Flight Instrument Check (Power-On)

Once power is on and systems are warmed up, verify your flight instruments:

🔹 Attitude Indicator

  • Should erect within 5 minutes

  • Stable on taxi, no precession

  • Not tumbling or stuck

🔹 Heading Indicator

  • Aligns with magnetic compass

  • No signs of excessive drift

🔹 Turn Coordinator

  • Shows turn during taxi (needle deflection or miniature airplane turns)

  • Ball should center when not turning

🔹 Altimeter

  • Set to field elevation (or current altimeter setting)

  • Cross-check against known airport elevation

🔹 VSI

  • Should read zero (or note and adjust for known error)

🔹 Airspeed Indicator

  • Reads zero on the ground

💡 Angel Tip: On taxi, use the taxi checklist to confirm instrument responsiveness — this is your chance to detect failures before entering IMC.

📻 Communication Equipment Check

  • Confirm both COM radios transmit and receive

  • Identify how to switch between active/standby frequencies

  • Verify headset functionality and sidetone

  • Use audio panel to isolate channels if troubleshooting is needed

👉 DPE Might Ask: “How do you know which radio is active if the COM fails mid-flight?”

🧭 Compass Check

  • Magnetic compass: Swings freely, no bubbles or sluggishness

  • Compare to HI: Confirm your heading matches

  • Compass deviation card: Should be present and readable

💡 Angel Pro Tip: Magnetic compass is often your only remaining directional instrument in a full electrical and vacuum failure — make sure you know its quirks and errors.

⚙️ Backup & Redundancy Systems

  • Know where your backup instruments are (usually AI, ASI, ALT)

  • Be able to identify how they’re powered (electrical vs pitot-static)

  • Know how to activate alternate static source (if available)

👉 DPE Scenario: “Your AI fails in IMC. What instruments help you maintain control?”

🚨 Common Errors to Avoid

❌ Skipping the GPS database check
 ❌ Failing to ID VOR stations
 ❌ Not verifying autopilot functionality before flight
 ❌ Ignoring backup instrument power sources
 ❌ Fumbling through approach loading procedures

💡 Angel Tip: Treat every IFR flight as a test flight. A meticulous flight deck check now avoids emergencies later.

🧠 Questions You Might Get Asked

✅ “What instruments are required for IFR flight?”
 ✅ “How do you verify GPS is legal for IFR use?”
 ✅ “How do you know your turn coordinator is working?”
 ✅ “What’s the purpose of a RAIM prediction check?”
 ✅ “What is the minimum equipment required for the flight deck check?”

📚 Key References to Know

  • POH/AFM – Aircraft-specific checks

  • FAA-H-8083-15B – Flight instrument function & testing

  • Instrument Rating ACS – Area II.B

  • AIM 5-1-16 – GPS testing and use

  • §91.205(d) – Required instruments for IFR flight

🧾 Final Thoughts from Angel Aviation

The Flight Deck Check isn’t just an item on your checklist — it’s the ritual that separates the prepared from the panicked. Your DPE knows that a pilot who understands their panel is a pilot who can handle the sky when it turns gray.

Don’t just go through the motions. Know what you’re checking, why it matters, and how it sets the stage for a safe IFR flight.