Anyone ever use Jay Brentzel as a DPE?

jconway2002

Pre-takeoff checklist
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jconway2002
This is a long shot, but my CFI told me he would likely set me up with Jay Brentzel out of Carlsbad, CA for my private pilot checkride. Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with Jay they would be willing to share.
 
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In addition to asking here, ask your CFI for other students whom he sent Mr. Brentzel. Then contact them for the inside line on how Mr. Brentzel did the exam.

PS. Good luck on the checkride!
 
Sorry, yes...he is based out of Carlsbad, CA. He is also the president for Jet Source. I believe he is a relatively new examiner, so I may be one of my instructors first students to use him.

And thank you for the well wishes.
 
One idea is to ask your CFI who well he knows Mr. Brentzel's style of conducting the exam. If CFI knows it well, or knows of another CFI who knows it well, then ask for some mock exams to be conducted in that style to help you prepare.

Mock exams with another CFI can be worth it. It helps you get through the "never done this before" jitters and helps identify areas that might need a bit more study.

It's something I didn't take advantage of and wish I had.
 
If he's a new DE you may talk to a former student for some insight, although I wouldn't sweat it. Remember, all DEs a pretty high time CFIs
 
Thanks for the input everyone. My CFI and I did a mock oral the other night, and all in all it was pretty painless. We are doing a mock checkride next, and then hopefully he will sign me off for my checkride. I can already tell going through these mock tests will be a huge confidence builder for the real thing.
 
Thanks for the input everyone. My CFI and I did a mock oral the other night, and all in all it was pretty painless. We are doing a mock checkride next, and then hopefully he will sign me off for my checkride. I can already tell going through these mock tests will be a huge confidence builder for the real thing.

I didn't do either. My CFI signed me off as soon as I reached 40 hrs. Took checkride passed easily. These "mock" orals and checkrides are just designed to juice money.
 
Mock exams with another CFI can be worth it. It helps you get through the "never done this before" jitters and helps identify areas that might need a bit more study.

It's something I didn't take advantage of and wish I had.

This is what I did prior to my checkride, and it helped me immensely. I found another CFI, who knew the examiner and his style very well, and gave me a very good idea of what to expect. I arranged this on my own...my CFI hated the second CFI, and I never did tell him I'd arranged a mock oral with his mortal enemy!

I didn't do either. My CFI signed me off as soon as I reached 40 hrs. Took checkride passed easily. These "mock" orals and checkrides are just designed to juice money.

Guess you were better prepared at 40 hours than many of us. I offered to pay the previously-unknown-to-me CFI for my mock oral, and he steadfastly refused to accept a dime. In my case, nobody was "juiced" and it was a tremendous help to me.
 
I didn't do either. My CFI signed me off as soon as I reached 40 hrs. Took checkride passed easily. These "mock" orals and checkrides are just designed to juice money.

I would disagree with you. My CFI knows my DPE's style, and mock oral helped me. He did not charge me a cent for it.

The mock checkride helped too. We spent about hour and a half in the air, going over PTS, and it helped me.
 
I can't say anything about Jay as I've never met him, but I used Russel Defrancesco who was extremely fair and civil the entire process. I would recommend him as the DME to anyone doing a check ride here in San Diego.
 
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