---
title: Top Tips for Passing a Skills Test - Whiskey Alpha Pilot
description: I failed my PPL skills test first time. Here's what I learned, what caught me out, and what made the difference second time around.

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date: 2026-05-30T13:34:44Z
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I failed my skills test the first time. There. Said it.

I'm not proud of it but I'm not going to pretend it didn't happen either. That's not what this channel is about. And honestly, failing it taught me more than passing it the first time probably would have.

So. What went wrong?

Honestly a bit of everything. Nerves mostly. I'd flown the manoeuvres a hundred times with my instructor and the moment an examiner got in the right seat my brain decided to go on holiday. Classic. The kind of thing you read about and think won't happen to you. Spoiler. It happens to you.

The video is what came out of that experience.

A few things I wish someone had told me before I sat in that left seat.

1. The examiner isn't trying to fail you. I know that sounds obvious but when you're sitting there with sweaty palms it doesn't feel obvious. They want you to pass. A failed test is paperwork for everyone. Yes some people think they get paid more as there would be a retest, but have you ever found a rich examiner?
2. Fly the test like you fly with your instructor. The moment you start trying to impress someone is the moment things start going wrong. Just fly the plane. That works normally. **Avate, Navigate Communicate**.
3. If something goes wrong mid-test, carry on. A single mistake doesn't fail you. Panicking after the mistake might. In fact you might make a mistake and the examiner didn't notice, or was so impressed with how you dealt with it, they didn't call it a fail. Things happen. We are all human.
 
If you're approaching your skills test, watch the video. And if you fail it the first time, come back and read this again. You'll be fine. I was.

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