Checkride Horror Stories

SbestCFII

SbestCFII

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Mar 27, 2013
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766
Location
NC
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Display name:
CFII Scott - The IFR Coach
I recently had a student come up from FL and get his accelerated IFR training and he did very well. On the day of the checkride, we flew up to meet the examiner and he noted that, when the pilot's certificate was issued, he was a Canadian national. He had since been naturalized and had his passport in hand. However, the DPE would not examine him, so he left to take a delayed checkride in FL.

In FL, he got a new temp certficate and after weeks of trying to arrange his checkride with a DPE in South FL, he finally got it scheduled. The examiner put him through a grueling 4-hour oral, criticized his coming to NC for the training, tried to exclude some of his logged hours or training (not her place), criticized his use of an aircraft he didn't train in for the checkride (even though he regularly flew that aircraft and the avionics were identical) and then, after he sailed through all her questions, told him he had passed the oral but she "wasn't impressed."

When they finally got the the plane, he was exhausted and was actually starting to feel ill. He started the practical anyway and apparently "flew well under the hood." When he went to do the first approach at a nearby military field, he couldn't ID the localizer, but didn't descend and only then did the tower control tell him that he thought the localizer was out of service (and had not been NOTAM'd). Basically, he did exactly what he was supposed to have done. The DPE then told him to just go back to the airport, which he did and issued him a notice of disapproval without any opportunity to do any of the other tasks.

In the disapproval, she listed none of the tasks that he either completed or failed, just that he needed to take the entire practical again, pocketed his $500 in cash without a receipt and left. He told me that she seemed rushed during the oral and took several phone calls that made him believe that she was anxious to be somewhere else. Fortunately, that's the Miami FSDO's problem.

He then came back to NC for the checkride and I scheduled him with a DPE I regularly use and he gave my student his condolences on his bad experience in FL. He also said that he probably would have done the checkride that the first DPE decided not to do.

So...bring it.
 
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Still haven't gotten the $150 mine promised me after the discontinuance... I need to get back on that.
 
Wimmin. Can't live with them, can't live without them.
 
I would guess the majority of people who come to a forum to talk about flying are the more advanced and skilled pilots who really care about flying so most of us here will only have success stories.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Wimmin. Can't live with them, can't live without them.
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The DPE for my PPL was a woman, and I have no complaints, expecially since she issued me a pilot certificate!
 
I had a DPE demonstrate a vmc roll on my multi CR. Puckered mah butt a little, ain't gonna lie.
 
My flight school has been using the same DPE for years, maybe decades. The instructors know what he focuses on and they prepare the students accordingly. The DPE is familiar with how the instructors teach. So it's a great arrangement for everyone involved.
I did read a few horror stores on various websites when I was preparing to take my checkride. I became afaid to take mine, after having read those stories. I recommend that students use only someone their CFI or flight school has worked with before. In my case I also asked other students who had just taken theirs over the prior few months for their feedback. After mine, I in turn was able to tell those coming up behind me what to expect.
I think if more flight schools do tihis the few 'bad' DPE's will rarely get called
 
Most FSDOs won't do rides and send you to the DPE. The only one they reserve most of the time are initial CFI rides.
 
I forgot my foggles on my PPL check ride. The examiner folded up a sectional map and put it on my head. He said; "Know what happens when you fly into clouds without instruments?" After 30 seconds he took my hood off and we were in a 60 degree right turn diving towards earth. :eek:

One of the best flying lessons I ever had. This examiners theory was "Let me teach you something as we check out your flying skills.". Mission accomplished.
 
Geico266 said:
I forgot my foggles on my PPL check ride. The examiner folded up a sectional map and put it on my head. He said; "Know what happens when you fly into clouds without instruments?" After 30 seconds he took my hood off and we were in a 60 degree right turn diving towards earth. :eek:

One of the best flying lessons I ever had. This examiners theory was "Let me teach you something as we check out your flying skills.". Mission accomplished.
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My DPE did something similar. He preferred that you put yourself into the unusual attitude since it more resembled how it might actually happen. With the foggles on, he had me close my eyes, put my head down and turned to the right. He said "now fly the plane!" After 10 seconds or so(I'm guessing, could've been longer), he told me to recover. My first reaction was "from what?" Then I looked at the instruments and found I had put my self in a pretty steep banked climbing right turn. I recovered just fine, but it was a real eye opener on how fast things can get away from you.
 
On my IR checkride, just as the wheels left the ground on takeoff, a very confused bumblebee came out from behind the glareshield and was buzzing around the DPE's side of the cockpit.

My DPE freaked out. Started throwing the A/FD at the front windshield trying to smash the bee. Yelled to me that he was allergic and didn't have an epi pen, and I needed to declare an emergency and get back on the ground ASAP (I think he also said something about requesting an ambulance!). I was flying from an uncontrolled field, and while I got my clearance on the ground, I hadn't even climbed to TPA yet and was still on the local CTAF...I don't think the other pilots in the area would have been able to do much for my emergency, so I stayed off the radio and flew the airplane.

After five or six attempts, the DPE managed to land a blow on the bee and knock him down into the footwell, where he proceeded to slam his foot repeatedly into the floor with all his might. I was kind of afraid I was about to end up with a Fred Flintstone-style plane, but the DPE managed to turn the bee into a big black smudge on the carpet just about the time I was trying to decide whether to turn to enter the pattern or turn to accept my initial heading from CD.

I took the heading from CD, and completed the rest of the ride without incident.
 
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Jim_R said:
On my IR checkride, just as the wheels left the ground on takeoff, a very confused bumblebee came out from behind the glareshield and was buzzing around the DPE's side of the cockpit.

My DPE freaked out. Started throwing the A/FD at the front windshield trying to smash the bee. Yelled to me that he was allergic and didn't have an epi pen, and I needed to declare an emergency and get back on the ground ASAP (I think he also said something about requesting an ambulance!). I was flying from an uncontrolled field, and while I got my clearance on the ground, I hadn't even climbed to TPA yet and was still on the local CTAF...I don't think the other pilots in the area would have been able to do much for my emergency, so I stayed off the radio and flew the airplane.

After five or six attempts, the DPE managed to land a blow on the bee and knock him down into the footwell, where he proceeded to slam his foot repeatedly into the floor with all his might. I was kind of afraid I was about to end up with a Fred Flintstone-style plane, but the DPE managed to turn the bee into a big black smudge on the carpet just about the time I was trying to decide whether to turn to enter the pattern or turn to accept my initial heading from CD.

I took the heading from CD, and completed the rest of the ride without incident.
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That's too funny! At first I thought you were going to say it was all a ruse to try to see if you fluster easily.:rofl:
 
On my checkride my door popped open on climbout. I calmly looked at the examiner and said "was that your scheduled distraction?"
 
PPC1052 said:
Yes, you can. That is what I did for my private.
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Only ways you can arrange to do a PP practical test with the FSDO are if it's combined with a Special Medical Flight Test, there are no DPE's available/qualified for your plane, or it's a refly on appeal of a disapproval by a DPE. Anything else is "contrary to policy."

BTW, on the OP's note, there is no issue with foreign nationals taking practical tests, and DPE's are not supposed to be checking citizenship. A quick call to the FSDO would have solved that issue on the spot.
 
I required two airplanes to complete my checkride. After completing all the practical exam maneuvers, my DPE told me to head back to the field and do some landings. He started me out with a soft field landing, which went without a hitch. Taxiing back to the departure end, the plane suddenly began shaking and rumbling. I stopped the plane and said it felt like a flat tire. Examiner stuck his head out the door for a look and, sure enough, the nose-wheel tire had popped a bead.

FBO retrieved us in their golf cart and, after pre-flighting another plane, went back up to complete the remaining landings.
 
JWhistler said:
I required two airplanes to complete my checkride. After completing all the practical exam maneuvers, my DPE told me to head back to the field and do some landings. He started me out with a soft field landing, which went without a hitch. Taxiing back to the departure end, the plane suddenly began shaking and rumbling. I stopped the plane and said it felt like a flat tire. Examiner stuck his head out the door for a look and, sure enough, the nose-wheel tire had popped a bead.

FBO retrieved us in their golf cart and, after pre-flighting another plane, went back up to complete the remaining landings.
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Someone has to say "Welcome to POA", and I've never done it before.

Welcome to POA!
 
IFR check ride when the Santa Ana winds were blowing. That was a good time.
 
$400 is what I paid each for private and instrument.

Who in NC did the checkride?

If you exclude the paperwork, my IR oral was ~ 45 minutes. I don't think it takes any longer to figure out if someone knows what they are doing or not. In fact I think a DPE can probably tell if someone is going to pass or fail in the first 15 minutes.
 
That's an overly optimistic POV.
 
My student had heard of some other issues with this DPE later, not showing up for checkrides, etc. As far as the NC, DPE, I won't say a name other than to say it was at a rural area in the far NE part of the state. As an update, my student returned to NC and quite easily passed his checkride yesterday morning in Sanford with DPE Greg Hudson, a fine fellow in my opinion and one of only 2 DPEs I would regularly use.
 
Geico266 said:
One of the best flying lessons I ever had. This examiners theory was "Let me teach you something as we check out your flying skills.". Mission accomplished.
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:yesnod: I learned stuff on my PPL and my IR ride (same DPE) - I know my DPE is a very seasoned CFI (heck, he's done many of my lessons) and has a hard time NOT teaching. But he also doesn't have a hard time failing someone if they deserve it.
SbestCFII said:
My student had heard of some other issues with this DPE later, not showing up for checkrides, etc. As far as the NC, DPE, I won't say a name other than to say it was at a rural area in the far NE part of the state. As an update, my student returned to NC and quite easily passed his checkride yesterday morning in Sanford with DPE Greg Hudson, a fine fellow in my opinion and one of only 2 DPEs I would regularly use.
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That stinks though that he got a pink slip for something he didn't deserve. I don't know if he's going to make flying a career or not, but that could be pretty problematic if he also fails the CFI ride.


My 'horror' story was my own fault. I flew like crap the day of my IR and deserved every bit of flack I got in the debrief, in the airplane and during the oral. The only thing that was out of my control was when the line guy dinged my plane as I was in the oral. Came out to preflight and had 2 CFIs (one of them being my boyfriends) staring at the airplane... then I saw it. Sigh.
 
SbestCFII said:
My student had heard of some other issues with this DPE later, not showing up for checkrides, etc. As far as the NC, DPE, I won't say a name other than to say it was at a rural area in the far NE part of the state. As an update, my student returned to NC and quite easily passed his checkride yesterday morning in Sanford with DPE Greg Hudson, a fine fellow in my opinion and one of only 2 DPEs I would regularly use.
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I thought the 'bad' DPE was in FL

I have heard of Greg. Does he do checkrides out of TTA? I fly out of TTA but have done my private and instrument with Zenda out of BUY. Probably going to get her to do my commercial too
 
My only checkride issue was during the oral, when I was explaining the rules for selecting an alternate airport and the meaning of “A-NA” (which as far as I can tell is not defined anyplace). I had spent a lot of time before the oral trying to get the precise meaning, and came up with what I thought was reasonable: the A-NA notation is only applicable when filing; should an A-NA approach be available when flying you’re free to use it. My thinking being that the point of the alternate is that you have a plan B ready in case plan A falls through. (As an aside, every CFII I talked to had their own version of what A-NA means.)

No, the DPE informed me. You may not fly an A-NA approach at the alternate regardless, even if other aircraft are using it. I had the sense to not contradict the DPE, but I did ask a number of questions about that, which the DPE answered with aplomb.

When I talked to the FSDO later on they confirmed my interpretation. I’d still like to see where it’s written down though. I can’t find any reference in the FAR-AIM.
 
As an update, my student returned to NC and quite easily passed his checkride yesterday morning in Sanford with DPE Greg Hudson, a fine fellow in my opinion and one of only 2 DPEs I would regularly use.
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Did my IR ride with Greg in January. Gotta tell one story...ok so about 2/3 of the way through it's time for unusual attitudes. Eyes close, head down, recover...good! Ok, eyes closed, head down, recover....!?!?!?!?!

Greg had pulled breakers on the PFD and AHRS and I don't know what else, but when I opened my eyes massive system failure on the G1000! lol Recovered with the 3pack, then he sends me in for the RNAV approach while my brain is trying to figure out if anything is working. Totally forgot to ask for delay vectors to sort it out and limped home. He was very helpful, pointed out ...well you still have this...is this working? Good use it! So I tracked in, stepped down with backup alt, circle to land and done!

I used a different examiner for IR than PP and glad I did. He definitely worked me over, but taught me a few things along the way.

Oh, and he kept calling me Captain!
 
Ron Levy said:
Only ways you can arrange to do a PP practical test with the FSDO are if it's combined with a Special Medical Flight Test, there are no DPE's available/qualified for your plane, or it's a refly on appeal of a disapproval by a DPE. Anything else is "contrary to policy."

BTW, on the OP's note, there is no issue with foreign nationals taking practical tests, and DPE's are not supposed to be checking citizenship. A quick call to the FSDO would have solved that issue on the spot.
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Can you cite that "policy"?

In reality, yes anyone can request the FSDO administer the exam. The FSDO can come back and say " no resources available". At that point the applicant can push the issue and have the FSDO find the resource (National Resource). Now it becomes an issue of scheduling and time.

Furthermore most people don't want to use the FSDO simply out of fear.
 
RotorAndWing said:
Furthermore most people don't want to use the FSDO simply out of fear.
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There was a study a few years ago that compared pass rates for DPEs and FSDO examiners. Believe it or not, the FAA examiners had a higher pass rate than DPEs for every rating with the exception of PPL IIRC.
 
Every one of the 4 checkrides I've taken so far was a positive experience and relatively painless-even the CFI initial. I suppose I've been lucky.
 
Just had my Private and passed.

Only fluke was when the check airmen took my mic in the pattern he diverted me to. Initially, ATC told us to continue downwind and look for traffic. Then she told us the clearance again. She then told us to turn direct the numbers, but I didn't hear it at the time. Check airmen had to tell me to turn. The short-field I was planning turned into the slip-to-landing.
 
My DPE for my Multi-private was a real turd. She discontinued the first attempt due to 'chips' in the windshield and we had to burn the fouling off the plugs to get it to pass a mag check (at that time the school had never heard of leaning on the ground so plugs were perpetually fouled). A 1981 Duchess that had lived a hard life, imagine that, the windshield is scratched. A few days later when we tried again, nothing had changed with the windshield and she didn't ever mention it again.

She then did crap like limiting the emergency descent to 2000 fpm, and requiring stall recovery before there was even a buffet. On final I accidentally flipped the flap switch to 'up' instead of 'neutral', and she absolutely crapped her pants. Grabbed the yoke, screamed "oh my god!" and froze. I joke not. I added partial power to arrest the descent, put the flaps back down, told her "I have the aircraft, let go now", and landed normally. The first and only time I have ever been mad at an examiner for being so incompetent. Still, I passed. After that I learned from several people that she has a well-known reputation for being terrified of anything even slightly out of the ordinary.
 
cheap weenie said:
My DPE for my Multi-private was a real turd. She discontinued the first attempt due to 'chips' in the windshield and we had to burn the fouling off the plugs to get it to pass a mag check (at that time the school had never heard of leaning on the ground so plugs were perpetually fouled). A 1981 Duchess that had lived a hard life, imagine that, the windshield is scratched. A few days later when we tried again, nothing had changed with the windshield and she didn't ever mention it again.

She then did crap like limiting the emergency descent to 2000 fpm, and requiring stall recovery before there was even a buffet. On final I accidentally flipped the flap switch to 'up' instead of 'neutral', and she absolutely crapped her pants. Grabbed the yoke, screamed "oh my god!" and froze. I joke not. I added partial power to arrest the descent, put the flaps back down, told her "I have the aircraft, let go now", and landed normally. The first and only time I have ever been mad at an examiner for being so incompetent. Still, I passed. After that I learned from several people that she has a well-known reputation for being terrified of anything even slightly out of the ordinary.
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Sounds like she'd do better working in a padded cubicle...
 
Check rides by DPE are of little or no value anyway. The FAA has been ordering new check rides be performed all over the country due to what they believe, are faulty check rides given by their designated examiners.

I thought it was just my examiner that has been having check rides voided, but it has been happening to DPEs everywhere.

What it boils down to, by paying a DPE for your check ride, there is a more than good chance that you are throwing your time, stress, and money away.

If you want a check ride that sticks, it must be done by an FAA employee examiner. Go to your local FSDO and explain that you can not afford to throw five hundred dollars away on a check ride that will more than likely be canceled in the near future.

Insist that they provide an FAA examiner for you.

The FAA has effectively voided their own designated examiner program, do not throw your money away on it.

-John
 
I had the DPE no call no show,

Another applicant had a different DPE show up ridding her broom on the last day of October.

And another had the DPE stomp the left rudder pedal during a power on stall with a predictable result.
 
I'd never met the DPE when I scheduled the ride for my helo add-on in the R22. I asked his weight over the phone so I could have the W&B ready to go when he got there. My first clue should have been when he asked what *I* weighed.

The day of the ride I was waiting for him and when I heard the office door open I glanced over and thought that couldn't possibly be him, he's WAY over W&B limits. It was.

I knew to pull collective immediately after cutting power for the hovering auto. But sonofabitch if we didn't fall like a brick and come *THIS* close to overspeed on the regular auto.

Just trying to set it down, the right skids touched down 2"-3" before my skids.
 
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