Delayed getting check ride, advise needed

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vsc
I have been ready for a check ride for months with all endorsements in place. The initial DPE appointment wait was two months, where weather or maintenance cancelations yield new appointments two or three weeks out. As of today the aircraft is down for maintenance (again) where I just learned after weeks of downtime, that another two week delay is anticipated given issues getting the necessary part.

Clearly there are other schools in the local area where I spoke to two yesterday. But they indicated I would suffer from similar delays given a lack of DPE availability in the FSDO region if a weather cancelation occurs.

Another option I have is to go to another region with the intent of finding better weather and better DPE availability. In fact I would only do this if I could get a commitment on aircraft and DPE with a backup appointment close in.

When I started down the path I never knew that in the end trying to line up weather and maintenance with DPE availability would result in a four plus month wait to finish. It's very frustrating. I'm rather sure I'm not the first student to get stuck trying to finish. Any words of wisdom would be very helpful at this point.
 
I can empathize, can't help. It's an old tune. Close coordination with the DPE is the best bet. When the opportunity presents itself, seize it.
 
For situations like this, could he go in planning for the discontinuance and get the oral over with? Then do the flying when the aircraft comes back online?
 
AggieMike88 said:
For situations like this, could he go in planning for the discontinuance and get the oral over with? Then do the flying when the aircraft comes back online?
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Good question. When I was a DPE, I wouldn't have done it. Since then discontinuances, which were a rarity in my day, have become common. My impression is a test is meant to be the whole enchilada, but nowadays the DPE assigns the cross country task ahead of time. I would never have done that because the time it takes to plan it out was part of the evaluation: thirty minutes, not counting weather briefing, W&B, TO performance and airworthiness determination.
 
AggieMike88 said:
For situations like this, could he go in planning for the discontinuance and get the oral over with? Then do the flying when the aircraft comes back online?
Click to expand...

I had a checkride scheduled for what turned out to be a bad weather day. I asked the DPE if we get do the oral portion and then discontinue for weather. His response was that he's not allowed to start a checkride without a reasonable chance of completing both the oral and practical portions. (No idea if that's true or not, but at least as a data point... I requested and wasn't able to do what you're suggesting.)
 
I was facing the same wait here for a commercial checkride due to a part time DPE. Called a guy in Minnesota and got set up for two weeks later (and that's just because I didn't ask for sooner due to work). So definitely call around.
 
Schedule something at Purdue for a plane and a DPE while the students are gone. 2 hour drive. PM me if you want more info.
 
I was close to my IR ride and my instructor quit. Took up with another one, he had a heart attack. Sometimes it just isn't your day I guess.
 
Couldn't get an instructor with time available. Finally got one and completed most of my IFR. He passed away and I've spent the last 6 months looking for a replacement. FINALLY found one and I'm back at it. It will come, it just takes time. DON'T QUIT!!! You're too close now.
 
Advise: "I advised Jim to see a doctor." - "I advised the OP to work closely with the DPE, this is not uncommon. Use the extra time to study and stay proficient"
Advice: "I need some advice on what to do about this rash" - "Advice needed on delays in my checkride please"

*there's a difference, and more often than not people use these exactly wrong. Doesn't one just sound right and the other wrong?
Advise is a verb... it is a thing you do... like giving guidance or a recommendation...
Advice is a noun... IE, a thing you can give or receive... like receiving or giving a suggestion on what to do about a delay in check ride, or a rash

Sorry, but this is a pet peeve of mine. Like people who start talking when you are mid radio transmission "don't forget to tell him you have Alpha and request the RNAV!"
 
Tantalum said:
Advise: "I advised Jim to see a doctor." - "I advised the OP to work closely with the DPE, this is not uncommon. Use the extra time to study and stay proficient"
Advice: "I need some advice on what to do about this rash" - "Advice needed on delays in my checkride please"

*there's a difference, and more often than not people use these exactly wrong. Doesn't one just sound right and the other wrong?
Advise is a verb... it is a thing you do... like giving guidance or a recommendation...
Advice is a noun... IE, a thing you can give or receive... like receiving or giving a suggestion on what to do about a delay in check ride, or a rash

Sorry, but this is a pet peeve of mine. Like people who start talking when you are mid radio transmission "don't forget to tell him you have Alpha and request the RNAV!"
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You mean like the captain I used to fly with who pointed out the windshield at thunderstorms and said, “Tell him we don’t want to go there.”
Me: “Where do you want to go?”
Captain, pointing again: “I don’t want to go there.”
 
MauleSkinner said:
You mean like the captain I used to fly with who pointed out the windshield at thunderstorms and said, “Tell him we don’t want to go there.”
Me: “Where do you want to go?”
Captain, pointing again: “I don’t want to go there.”
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Hey @Tantalum, should it be "pointed out the windshield" or "pointed through the windshield"?
 
dtuuri said:
Hey @Tantalum, should it be "pointed out the windshield" or "pointed through the windshield"?
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He pointed it out...I wasn’t aware it was there, and we’d have hit the windshield if we’d gone any further (farther?) forward. ;)
 
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Would his finger be part outside the windshield and part inside if he pointed through it?

Not if he went too far and his whole finger was outside.

I'm glad we are figuring these things out. I've often wondered...
 
mjburian said:
I had a checkride scheduled for what turned out to be a bad weather day. I asked the DPE if we get do the oral portion and then discontinue for weather. His response was that he's not allowed to start a checkride without a reasonable chance of completing both the oral and practical portions. (No idea if that's true or not, but at least as a data point... I requested and wasn't able to do what you're suggesting.)
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My DPE said same thing for my instrument ride a few months ago. He said they were really cracking down on them doing that.
 
455 Bravo Uniform said:
Schedule something at Purdue for a plane and a DPE while the students are gone. 2 hour drive. PM me if you want more info.
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Perhaps unfortunate I trained in a DA-40XLS where as cited I'm done will all endorsements, just trying to get into the check ride. But as of today the FBO's sole DA-40 has been down for the past month waiting for a part, where I just learned another delivery date has passed and they now acknowledge they have no idea when the plane will be restored to flying status.

Restarting in a different aircraft (e.g. 172) has never been recommended. In fact switching flight schools to access their aircraft seemed hard but now I'm afraid short of buying my own DA-40 to be done, I'm going to have to pick up and move. That said my brief investigation has shown little interest where schools seem to be more interested in allocating their resources to new students that will walk in the door to spend $10K+. Said another way I have struggled to find a school with DA-40 that will take my money. In fact it is difficult, actually impossible to date, to even get a return phone call.
 
vsc said:
Perhaps unfortunate I trained in a DA-40XLS where as cited I'm done will all endorsements, just trying to get into the check ride. But as of today the FBO's sole DA-40 has been down for the past month waiting for a part, where I just learned another delivery date has passed and they now acknowledge they have no idea when the plane will be restored to flying status.

Restarting in a different aircraft (e.g. 172) has never been recommended. In fact switching flight schools to access their aircraft seemed hard but now I'm afraid short of buying my own DA-40 to be done, I'm going to have to pick up and move. That said my brief investigation has shown little interest where schools seem to be more interested in allocating their resources to new students that will walk in the door to spend $10K+. Said another way I have struggled to find a school with DA-40 that will take my money. In fact it is difficult, actually impossible to date, to even get a return phone call.
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Man that just blows. While switching planes was a last resort..you’ve come to that fork in the road it seems. Sucks it’s going to cost down dinero to familiarize yourself with. How many
Hours could it possibly take?
 
There are a bunch of hungry CFIs here that are working hard to get their hours so they can leave. Like 20 of em!

Go here:
http://lai.kal-soft.com/
Sign up.

Pick a CFI online. Schedule a flight. Describe what you need. Bam! Done.

You can complain, procrastinate, and delay for longer...cuz you’ve already told us the obvious. Or you can jump in a Cherokee or Cessna here, knock out 5-10 hrs, and be done with it.

I have no business affiliation with Purdue. Just a local who learned and got my ticket that way. If anything, I felt like my destiny was in my own hands and they would just as soon churn out a qualified pilot rather than milk me for $$$.
 
Might be easier for someone here to help if we knew where you are. I didn't see that in the OP. But getting checked out in another acft doesn't seem like a bad suggestion. Shouldn't take more than a few hours, and would certainly be faster than waiting forever.
 
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