DPE bails on me last minute.
Posted by brink84@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 66 comments
Fellow pilots, students,
Wanted to post my story here because it is somewhat of a situation and I know other people have probably had the same issue.
For context here I am a part 61 student and fly for a flying club where we all rent planes for a wet rate. Management is somewhat around and our Mx could be better but that is besides the point.
Given my situation with my kids and work, mx, money, my other life obligations I only get to fly twice a week at most and every other weekend. This of course is not an issue but my written exam also expires on 4/20 of this year (coincidentally). The DPE my club uses is in FL until may so that does not work for me so I had to find another DPE to be able to do my checkride for my ppl.
I have been in contact with him and the DPE who is in FL gave me this DPE to use so I call him. He explains that he does part 141 checkrides and part 61 people are on the back burner but he assured me that he could fit me in. Fine. So, on Tuesday he tells me the weather won't be good this weekend but call him on Thursday to let him know and go from there. I call him Thursday night and he tells me "oh it's supposed to be windy" which i replied with you know, I've been monitoring the TAF all day at work and everything is VFR for my ride until 5pm (wisconsin to be exact, snow storm currently) and he told me he would be able to be at the airport around 1030 yesterday. The next morning at 6am he calls me and tells me hey so ah I can't do your ride today (3 hours before my checkride) because my wife and I have plans and we have the grandkids and there is a lot of work around my farm I need to get done so we have to cancel.
Of course me being frustrated I ask him what was the point of calling him last night if he knew all this beforehand? And he just dismissed me. Note to self for future reference: use the DPE's that the club uses tride and true and another life lesson learned.
CallSignMaverick-02@reddit
Have you tried Shane Lehman from CLI?
brink84@reddit (OP)
Passed my oral today with him
CallSignMaverick-02@reddit
Congrats on the first half! Shane is great. I've sent a bunch of PPL students to him
brink84@reddit (OP)
The nicest guy ever
CallSignMaverick-02@reddit
I'm up in Sturgeon Bay. Let me know if you want to do some tailwheel training in my Cub. Flyperryair.com
Beergoggles222@reddit
Get on the phone and find one who will commit. That’s really the only option if your first two flake. I flew an hour away and spent the night for my IR checkride. It was well worth the effort. Ask around at your club or check the FAA website as a start. Find a few names and see if they have a website. Go from there.
brink84@reddit (OP)
I twisted ones arm to help me out. I have my oral wendesday but I gotta drive there and do my flight at a later date before 4/20 hopefully. If not I'll just yake the written again it is what it is
NebulaAdventurous281@reddit
4/20/25 is the expiration date on your knowledge test? I would think it would be the last day of April?
brink84@reddit (OP)
Yes my bad. Slipped my mind that it is the last day. Worrying about everything else had me a little scrambled
FitInterview7875@reddit
During my commercial I had a discontinuance due to weather after completing the oral. My DPE cancelled on me about 15-30 minutes before the flight the next three times. I had pulled my plane from the hangar over to the FBO and was sitting over there waiting and ready to go. It's life man.
brink84@reddit (OP)
Some bs.
dbhyslop@reddit
Where are you in Wisconsin? Have you tried Jim?
brink84@reddit (OP)
Jim who?
dieseltaco@reddit
Jim mind if we come in?
dieseltaco@reddit
Barb Mack
brink84@reddit (OP)
Bloody barb
dbhyslop@reddit
Jim Notstad, in Madison.
cjgranfl@reddit
Seconding this one; he’s busy as are all DPEs, but an all around awesome guy.
zero_xmas_valentine@reddit
Don't worry I'm sure that one guy will be a long any minute now to tell us how fair and great the current DPE system is, and that nobody actually wants to be one or help in any way because it's too much of a burden having that position.
tikkamasalachicken@reddit
Elon will soon become the only DPE, get ready
zero_xmas_valentine@reddit
Nah Elon loves public-private contract bullshit, the DPE system might be the only thing he does like
tikkamasalachicken@reddit
Good point
brink84@reddit (OP)
As the sub reddit is full of people with nonstop issues. First world problems I guess. Love your flair, works great here
zero_xmas_valentine@reddit
I've had my name in to be a DPE for five years. Lots of instruction experience while maintaining a job as an airline guy, no call. Meanwhile three dudes from the same medevac operator that a local FAA guy used to work for suddenly become DPEs. Makes you go hmmm
OnslowBay27@reddit
I applied with my FSDO 8 years ago. Currently over 17,000TT, 11,000 of dual given, CFII-G, IGI, AGI, MEC, MES, seven types, tailwheel, AAI, over 400 passed checkrides (95%), Gold Seal since 2005, yada yada yada,….and nothing. Oh, and I have a Masters Degree, speak three languages and own two businesses. The dream was to retire and become a DPE, but I can’t even get a thanks but no thanks. It’s definitely a good ole boys club.
WhiteoutDota@reddit
If you didn't know they drop your application after some time, like 2 years
OnslowBay27@reddit
I’ve continued to follow up several times a year.
Mr-cacahead@reddit
You need more checkride failures. I know this guy with 11 121 training failures, guess where the dude at.
WhiteoutDota@reddit
I've heard of a DPE in New York with 16 or so part 61 checkride fails
PlusUnderstanding603@reddit
It’s all who you know. They aren’t inviting anyone they don’t know into their club
zero_xmas_valentine@reddit
Yep. 100%
PWJT8D@reddit
Wait for someone to post a link to his AMA as if it absolves DPEs of all the bullshit they put people through.
Mogollon_Clark@reddit
DPEs can be like that. With the recent shortage, you're at their mercy. It's unfortunate but not much you can do about it.
draggingmytail@reddit
Asking this question out of complete ignorance..
How does one become a DPE? And if it’s doable, why wouldn’t people jump at the opportunity.
You’re in high demand and get paid cash. Seems like a dream job.
I-r0ck@reddit
Short answer: you don’t Long answer: you meet the qualifications listed in 8900.2C which includes over 2000 hours of total time among other requirements, you then apply to your local FSDO, you are then put on a list with all other applicants, if the FSDO decides they want another DPE they will then choose someone off that list(probably someone that knows someone who works there) and interview them, if they are then selected the applicant will have to pay to travel to Oklahoma City and pay for their initial training, the FAA will then observe the new DPE giving his first test, this person is now a DPE, the FAA will then observe at least one test a year and every other year the DPE will have to pay for his recurrent training, the DPE can also have their destination revoked at any time for any reason or no reason(unlikely though).
draggingmytail@reddit
Ok so if they’re always short on DPE’s, why aren’t they selecting more?
WhiteoutDota@reddit
FSDOs are wildly understaffed and most are at capacity for the amount of DPEs they can oversee, and even then, they do a horrible job. Also, the FAA is reworking their oversight system by moving all the DPEs to a national FSDO rather than regional ones. The FAA does not want to being more examiners on for what is a temporary surge in pilot training and are waiting for the hype to die
jmizzle@reddit
DPE management should be relative to full time-equivalent employees. Far too many DPEs are seasonal or very part time. Ten part time DPEs should count as five when it comes to oversight numbers.
But when have people in government jobs ever pushed for doing more than the minimum necessary?
I-r0ck@reddit
The FSDO has to put in extra work to select and then maintain any new designees and also the current ones don’t want more DPE’s because that could hurt their business.
zero_xmas_valentine@reddit
Pragmatic answer: There's a lot of application paperwork, high risk, low reward, etc etc
Realistic: every FSDO is a club that you ain't in.
ThatsSomeIsh@reddit
It’s a very long and drawn out process. There is a DPE that outlines it in an episode of Flying Midwest podcast. It was super eye opening when I listened to it.
brink84@reddit (OP)
Million dollar inquisition
brink84@reddit (OP)
I completely understand it is what it is but really?
Mogollon_Clark@reddit
Yeah, it's really tough. I got caught in this when all the DPEs in my area agreed to raise their prices from $500 a checkride to $1,000 a ride. Tons of people protested but unless you are willing to go out of state they knew you were going to pay.
MaxCantaloupe@reddit
That's dirty.
The first flight school I used was one of those you shouldn't go to. They "required" you use a specific DPE they assign to you. One of them was FO at a legacy and was always on reserve or whatever. He would regularly cancel checkrides because he got called in.
I know one person who was doing CFI checkride and the DPE discontinued the checkride because he had to go to work. DPE charged the dude an extra fee for the discontinue bc he had to come back another day and finish up the flying portion.
WhiteoutDota@reddit
Is this ATP, and does it happen to be in Manassas?
MaxCantaloupe@reddit
Lol yup
WhiteoutDota@reddit
Good old Shariff then
MaxCantaloupe@reddit
That's exactly what I've heard about him
brink84@reddit (OP)
What a load of bs
Top_Rooster5029@reddit
Michael Ford out of Oshkosh was great
lnxguy@reddit
Lame excuses are not a good business practice. Find someone reliable. Tha DPE is toast.
brink84@reddit (OP)
Yeah everyone in my club was like now we know not to reccomend him
Rictor_Scale@reddit
Agreed. Took me nearly two years of endless run-around after I was first 'endorsed' to finally sit for my PPL. Thankfully passed my first time. Had to re-up my written as well and switched over to BasicMed.
brink84@reddit (OP)
Im not without a medical issue myself 😂 got the first class SI though
Rictor_Scale@reddit
Glad to hear you've got that part under control. Just so I don't confuse anyone though with my BasicMed comment ... I did not renew 'down' to BasicMed for health reasons. I did it because I'm not on the commercial path so when my renewal came up BasicMed was a no-brainer!
Novel-Leg8534@reddit
Name and shame
makgross@reddit
First thing is, get your facts straight.
At a minimum, your written test does not expire on April 20. None of them do. It’s always the last day of the month.
Second, burning bridges is stupid in this field. If you hadn’t, this guy might be on the hook for making you good. He probably screwed up (but consider that something might have happened that he doesn’t want to tell you about). You want him to tolerate you screwing up. Because you will.
It’s also more than a little disingenuous to rip him for family obligations after opening with your own. Most of us have obligations. He may have been in hot water for double booking his wife. Or maybe they showed up last minute.
It’s frustrating as heck. And it’s NOT fair. But maybe this might go a bit better if you went to Florida. That’s legit. Heck, I just went to another state for my CFII. Get some local familiarization.
Big-Paw-420@reddit
I think DPE Steve Davis is still out of Oshkosh. I had a good experience with him.
Hodgetwins32@reddit
Look at it this way, if he said sorry or hinted at knowing he’s a bum for cancelling, he might have some leniency on you when you reschedule and actually go take the ride…
brink84@reddit (OP)
Thats what a fellow club member said 😂 but my point still stands. Cancels on ne 3 hours out because he had plans with his wife? He knew that way before then
owotwo@reddit
Checkrider.io was a lifesaver for me. Scheduled my checkride 2 weeks out and had a great experience
brink84@reddit (OP)
Thank you ill look into it
bhalter80@reddit
Not cool to be hoping for a Wx cancellation
flyingron@reddit
Welcome to the corrupt designation system.
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
Fellow pilots, students,
Wanted to post my story here because it is somewhat of a situation and I know other people have probably had the same issue.
For context here I am a part 61 student and fly for a flying club where we all rent planes for a wet rate. Management is somewhat around and our Mx could be better but that is besides the point.
Given my situation with my kids and work, mx, money, my other life obligations I only get to fly twice a week at most and every other weekend. This of course is not an issue but my written exam also expires on 4/20 of this year (coincidentally). The DPE my club uses is in FL until may so that does not work for me so I had to find another DPE to be able to do my checkride for my ppl.
I have been in contact with him and the DPE who is in FL gave me this DPE to use so I call him. He explains that he does part 141 checkrides and part 61 people are on the back burner but he assured me that he could fit me in. Fine. So, on Tuesday he tells me the weather won't be good this weekend but call him on Thursday to let him know and go from there. I call him Thursday night and he tells me "oh it's supposed to be windy" which i replied with you know, I've been monitoring the TAF all day at work and everything is VFR for my ride until 5pm (wisconsin to be exact, snow storm currently) and he told me he would be able to be at the airport around 1030 yesterday. The next morning at 6am he calls me and tells me hey so ah I can't do your ride today (3 hours before my checkride) because my wife and I have plans and we have the grandkids and there is a lot of work around my farm I need to get done so we have to cancel.
Of course me being frustrated I ask him what was the point of calling him last night if he knew all this beforehand? And he just dismissed me. Note to self for future reference: use the DPE's that the club uses tride and true and another life lesson learned.
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