Lack of available examiners... what's happening around the country?

AggieMike88

AggieMike88

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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
In various North Texas Aviation chat channels, discussions are going about the difficulties in scheduling Designated Pilot Examiners for the various rides, especially the advanced ones. Some report 6+ weeks before the ride, and others report the DPE's saying "no available slots right now, I'll add your name to the list"

What's the word on DPE availability in your neck of the woods?

With the well known push to get pilots into the regionals/majors, and filling the vacated CFI seats, is anyone hearing anything to increase the supply of pilot examiners?
 
AggieMike88 said:
In various North Texas Aviation chat channels, discussions are going about the difficulties in scheduling Designated Pilot Examiners for the various rides, especially the advanced ones. Some report 6+ weeks before the ride, and others report the DPE's saying "no available slots right now, I'll add your name to the list"

What's the word on DPE availability in your neck of the woods?

With the well known push to get pilots into the regionals/majors, and filling the vacated CFI seats, is anyone hearing anything to increase the supply of pilot examiners?
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That's one of the things that is supposedly going to be fixed this year in the aviation bill, according to Jim Inhofe: allowing DPEs to work anywhere (including out of state), and allowing them to do more than two exams per day.
 
Rumors of a couple in the pipeline locally but the process usually takes two years. Application process, local FSDO interviews, class in OKC, designation, probation period, etc.

They added one new retired UA Captain about two years ago locally, and he’s probably past his probationary period where all they can do is a limited number of ride types for a while. Mellow guy and seems to work well with both candidates and instructors from what I’ve heard. Haven’t talked to him in a number of months.

So even if you get new ones, they’re limited for a year or two on how much they can do and what they can do.

Local CFIs say the biggest problem is keeping the schedules straight when cancellations for weather, aircraft down, etc... happen. One missed calendar entry on someone’s electronic device or whatever everyone uses and the whole thing gets screwed up for multiple candidates for weeks. Not intentionally, just mistakes.
 
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In the Northeast, a bunch of DPEs that had been abusing the system were tossed to the curb, and some new, young blood is (finally) coming on line.
 
denverpilot said:
Rumors of a couple in the pipeline locally but the process usually takes two years. Application process, local FSDO interviews, class in OKC, designation, probation period, etc.
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Wasn't aware it took that long... I knew it wasn't quick... but 2 years....
 
In my area access is about 1-2 weeks, but it would be nice to have 2 additional examiners.
 
I'm not aware of any shortage or extended waits 'round here, I reckon.
 
Short here in my area of Alabama. The other flight school owner on the field is going through the process, so hopefully he gets through. One of them, SW Capt, broke his foot and is out.
 
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mscard88 said:
Short here in my area of Alabama. The other flight school owner on the field is going through the process, so hopefully he gets through.
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Have you talked to him about the logbook review part? I bet he’s LOVING that...

Someone here I know is applying and getting a logbook straight that started decades ago, is “entertaining” he said.
 
denverpilot said:
Have you talked to him about the logbook review part? I bet he’s LOVING that...

Someone here I know is applying and getting a logbook straight that started decades ago, is “entertaining” he said.
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You mean getting their personal logbook in order? If so, I don't see that being a problem, even though I'm about 7-8 years (at least) behind lol.
 
Add a couple of data points:

I was recommended to use a DPE (in the Twin Cities area). The initial scheduled date was about 2wks...and that was in February. We actually hit that date because I was okay flying at -8F. He said he had around 15 check rides backed up at the time.

A friend at our local airport just had his ride 2 weeks ago. He was initially given a date of 5wks out. During that 5wks it then bumped twice for him for a final delta of 7wks. And he had to split his oral and flight to make those times work out.

Maybe a different DPE in the same area is less or more busy?
 
The supply of DPE is OK around here in Northern California. Advantage of a big state is that the state boundary isn't as critical. It was really bad here in the Bay for a while, with basically only Tom Hornak working locally. Three or four others have now joined him, which is good, since we've all pretty much gotten fed up with his BS. (Full disclosure...he was my PPL DPE and I passed easily. I did not personally have issues with that day except for a slight disagreement on what rendered inop meant.)
 
mscard88 said:
Short here in my area of Alabama. The other flight school owner on the field is going through the process, so hopefully he gets through.
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I guess I don’t see what you see. The guy who gave me my private seems to be available on pretty short notice. You see many people needing a ride, I only know of a few.
 
I think there’s a bit of ‘gatekeeper’ mentality going on. The ones already in know they have a good gig going, so the choke off some of the new applicants. It may depend some in the area, and local mindset.
 
Mike Smith said:
I guess I don’t see what you see. The guy who gave me my private seems to be available on pretty short notice. You see many people needing a ride, I only know of a few.
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Some of the CFIs have used a DPE out of your airport Mike. Name escapes me at the moment.
 
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Sinistar said:
And he had to split his oral and flight to make those times work out.
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I did that with 2 other candidates on my initial CFI ride, but that was in '95. Worked out pretty good as the examiner had each of us teach the other two on different subjects. After the oral we all got in the plane together and went flying, with me being the first test dummy so the others could see what was going to happen.

It did make for a looooong day.
 
It was my biggest challenge getting my instrument rating. My first DPE went out on medical leave. Then my CFII got fired. The next DPE was booked six weeks out. By the time I got to my checkride, my training was expired and the new CFII didn't know me so I had to fly five hours with him before he'd sign me off. On the day of the checkride the weather was iffy and the plane wouldn't start. As mentioned above, a lot of things had to come together. My advice to others is to get the checkride scheduled before you're through training.
 
mscard88 said:
You mean getting their personal logbook in order? If so, I don't see that being a problem, even though I'm about 7-8 years (at least) behind lol.
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Yeah. They ask for some really esoteric crap that unless you’re using software (and nobody was 40 years ago!) you have to go on a serious dig through the book.

“Number of hours of dual given with a camel on board” kinda crap. Okay not that bad, but close.

I think the application form/packet is on the website for download if you’re bored. The list of things from the logbook to total up was supposedly pretty intense.
 
hey they can't just give anyone the legal right to scalp airline wannabes 700 a pop a time, cash only. You gotta earn entry into that racket. 'Single standard of safety', the RAA said.... :rolleyes::D
 
Debated trying to become a DPE, waay too many hoops, oh well.
 
Geographic boundaries for DPEs are going away soon. I've heard some of our DPEs are helping out the schools in the Metroplex. I've noticed during my checkride interviews we are getting a lot from Northern LA and Southern MO.
 
James331 said:
Debated trying to become a DPE, waay too many hoops, oh well.
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While I was going through flight training, I noticed the examiners doing 4 to 6 rides a day at 350 to 500 a ride. They worked 3 days a week. Cash money right to the pocket.

Becoming an examiner was looking to be my first goal in aviation there for a while.
 
Upstate SC was not the easiest to get something booked. Took a month ahead of time to get a spot. I had two cancellations with a lady who recently became a DPE due to weather. After the 2nd cancellation she said it would be a month until she had an open spot. I called the other DPE in our area, who first turned me away due to a packed schedule, to see if he had something open. Luckily he had a cancellation and I sneaked it in. He said he is slam packed with checkrides for commercial, multi, instrument, etc.

The first DPE I was trying to use also flies for the regionals and like I said, recently became one. I feel as though the FAA would be looking for people who are career instructors and mostly always available versus someone going out of town for weeks at a time.
 
I think this is area dependent. When calling earlier this month for my IFR checkride, I called one DPE, and scheduled for the following weekend (Saturday with Sunday as backup)...unfortunately I had to fly a short ways to meet him, and the weather that weekend did not cooperate. This first DPE wasn't available on weekdays, and I wanted to get it over with, so I called a second DPE on a Sunday night, and we scheduled Tuesday (36 hours later) with both Wednesday and Thursday as backups...but the weather cooperated on Tuesday and the back up days weren't needed.

On a different note...anyone have any idea how long the FAA airmen registry takes to update for an instrument rating?....Mine still isn't showing, yet my new third class medical, which I had last Thursday, was in there that day.
 
tawood said:
On a different note...anyone have any idea how long the FAA airmen registry takes to update for an instrument rating?....Mine still isn't showing, yet my new third class medical, which I had last Thursday, was in there that day.
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I passed my instrument checkride on 6/25, I got my new cert in the mail on 7/30.
 
I had to schedule my PPL checkride 36 days in advance in North Carolina
 
Zeldman said:
While I was going through flight training, I noticed the examiners doing 4 to 6 rides a day at 350 to 500 a ride. They worked 3 days a week. Cash money right to the pocket.

Becoming an examiner was looking to be my first goal in aviation there for a while.
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My son took his PPC ride in 2001 I think, and the examiner stopped by and did 2 rides, my son's and another fella. He was driving from Birmingham to his beach house in Gulf Shores and knocked these out on the way down. $300 each.

Nice guy, did my ATP ride in a C310 with him. Told him to enjoy the seafood dinners we helped fund!
 
mscard88 said:
My son took his PPC ride in 2001 I think, and the examiner stopped by and did 2 rides, my son's and another fella. He was driving from Birmingham to his beach house in Gulf Shores and knocked these out on the way down. $300 each.

Nice guy, did my ATP ride in a C310 with him. Told him to enjoy the seafood dinners we helped fund!
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A nice little way to fund a trip..!!
 
I understand that we have a shortage in western Washington. The DPE I did my IR ride with back in 2011 just lost his DPE, I don't know the details. Not sure what the problem is, nor the solution.
 
Flying mag just did an article on the Feds saying they’d allow cross border DPE work, and claimed some group of Flight Schools (that nobody’s ever heard of) listed a number of States they say have the biggest DPE scheduling problems.

Colorado was on their list.

https://www.flyingmag.com/faa-commits-to-new-dpe-policy-to-provide-more-pilot-examiners

Looking at this FSANA group, they literally only have two Denver Metro schools in their member list, so take that for whatever it’s worth.

http://www.fsana.com/fsana-member-flight-training-providers
 
Zeldman said:
While I was going through flight training, I noticed the examiners doing 4 to 6 rides a day at 350 to 500 a ride. They worked 3 days a week. Cash money right to the pocket.
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My DPE said the FAA only allows up to two a day..
 
denverpilot said:
Flying mag just did an article on the Feds saying they’d allow cross border DPE work, and claimed some group of Flight Schools (that nobody’s ever heard of) listed a number of States they say have the biggest DPE scheduling problems.

Colorado was on their list.

https://www.flyingmag.com/faa-commits-to-new-dpe-policy-to-provide-more-pilot-examiners

Looking at this FSANA group, they literally only have two Denver Metro schools in their member list, so take that for whatever it’s worth.

http://www.fsana.com/fsana-member-flight-training-providers
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Traveling DPE, expect they will charge a lot more money.
 
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