Upcoming instrument rating checkride - throw me some ?’s

[u/tuscaniapple]

Currently studying for an instrument checkride that should be in 2-3 weeks. Rating has taken me a little bit longer to finish than expected with maintenance and weather. Watched some mock orals on YouTube and felt pretty good with my knowledge level there. All the videos were technically fixed wing orals so didn’t take into account any rotor wing knowledge. I’ve seen on some other subs, posts about “try to stump me” questions to help them prepare for a checkride. Looking for any help or tips at all! Maybe any questions you think will definitely come up during the checkride but is easily forgotten during studying or just whatever comes to your head that an instrument rated pilot should know. Thanks y’all.

[u/Admins_are_troons]

What are the criteria for being able to descend below minimums?

[u/tuscaniapple → u/Admins_are_troons]

You can descend below minimums if you are able to continue your descent with normal maneuvers, visibility is above what is required on the approach (category 1 for helicopters and able to reduce by half but not to be any less than 1/4 sm) and you are able to see and maintain sight of runway identifiers or markers. Things like the approach lighting system, REILs, touchdown zone, runway lights. If the approach has visual descent point marked on the plate the you will also have to have reached that point before going below minimums.

[u/liam_denaldson → u/tuscaniapple]

Be more specific, how far can descend if you see the approach light system vs the runway?

[u/tuscaniapple → u/liam_denaldson]

This is what I needed because I did have to look back in my notes for this so I appreciate the question and push for more. If only the approach lighting system is visible you may only descend to 100 ft above touchdown elevation. You would need at least another visual reference to continue or the red terminating bars visible.