When I took my CFI flight test back in 1971, only FAA examiners could give CFI check rides. After flunking twice, I heard it from the grapevine that Mr. Charlie Waters, of the N.Y. sector, had a goal of flunking "young kids". Yes, I was 21 years old and he was a WWII ex-pilot. I was told behind the grapevine that he said: "These young kids should not be CFIs". I was at a disadvantage because back in the early 70s, young kids simply did not pass CFI check rides on the first flight. It was a "right of passage". In fact, I was stupid enough to go up with him a second time and still flunked. It was only after I switched to the Teterboro District Office as it was known at the time did I get a fair chance at the flight test with a younger FAA examiner and I finally passed the check ride. Maybe I was not the number 1 candidate at the time, but how can anybody stand a chance when an FAA examiner says: "young kids should not be CFIs"? Hopefully, those days are gone, but my prejudice against some examiners remains to this day.

As a former DPE, I can assure you that the best way not to fail a check ride is to thoroughly understand the test standards, and to be 100% confident in your ability to meet them. If you go into a check ride thinking "I can usually get this right on the first try" or "I'll be OK if the DPE doesn't ask me to...", then you're simply not ripe for the ride. (Or to fully exercise the privileges of the certificate, for that matter.)

I live my aviation dreams vicariously now through my son-in-law whose goal is to fly for the airlines. He got his CFII certification back in January and is now enjoying the fruits of his labor teaching new pilots, as well as older ones with a lot more time than he has (those getting their commercial certification), while building his own flight time toward the FAA mandate to get his ATP. He's currently working on his own AME certification as well. The boy lives, breathes and dreams airplanes. I enjoyed hearing the perspective of a DPE, regarding switching instructors and/or schools. My SIL started his training in South Florida, up through his Instrument rating and was working on his CFI when he and my daughter moved to NC to be closer to us. He got sort of frustrated, because his new instructors were making him repeat so much of what he'd already learned, to finish his CFI. He finally finished, aced both his oral and written exam, and passed his check ride with flying colors, pardon the pun. He got an immediate job offer from his first school as soon as they learned he'd finished and passed his CFII, so he's back in Florida getting 6-8 hours a day sometimes. He's gotten some nice comments from several of his older, experienced students about his teaching style and his knowledge, for someone so young (26) and with his flight experience (around 400 PIC hours now).

If I never take a check ride, then I can never fail.

Just passed a Checkride with Jason a week ago! Great guy, very professional and loves to see candidates pass!

I fully realize that DPEs should be fairly compensated for their time and skills, however the fees today are excessive. How can we (as instructors) keep young pilots motivated to fly when they are crushed by expenses in this business? Pilot salaries are marginal at best, and to tell somebody, that they will spend North of $65,000 to get to ATP for a job that pays 35k a year is a challenge. DPE costs are getting towards the 1k mark on a lot of areas, and exceed that depending upon the practical test given.

For anybody not flying under FAA regulations ACS stands for Airman Certification Standards and PTS stands for Practical Test Standards.

Excellent video! Very informative.

Well said, good information..

Great Video!

Good interview.

Good interview!

I would like to take a DPE who is notorious for flunking people and while in a C-152 demonstrate to him/her a full power right climbing turn to a full stall and then let go of the controls and say "your airplane". If they can't recover without my intervention, I automatically pass my flight review and they fail, they lose their DPE certification. I know many DPEs and most are fair, but there are some of them that are out there who want to get you. I know this for a fact after teaching for 52 years. And I'm not the only one who knows who they are. The FAA needs to do a better job and monitor who they designate and weed out those bad DPEs. Dear FAA, you know who they are and you just sit there and let them flunk good people because they did everything correctly except they lost 101 ft. in a steep turn on a gusty day. You know the type and yet you allow them to be a part of the system.

I would definitely say I’m stronger flying than on the ground, ground is always something that concerns me. I know if I get to the flight portion I’m good. Just passed my IR

If you scare the examiner to death, he can't fail you.

old dudes and greenscreens. Absolutely precious. hahah THANK YOU PAUL YOURE THE MAN!!! ALSO LET ME BUY AN AVWEB POLO DAMNIT!!!!

I’m a 45 hour 141 university student. I’m on my 8th CFI, at the same university.

Great vid, good questions Curious to know if there is any disparity between how a CFII teaches and the expectations of the DPE? It was my experience or my imagination that there was a significant difference between how a 30 year old CFII taught and the 70 year old DPE expectations. The younger CFII’s seem to run through the tasks, and the more mature DPE’s seem more old school stick and rudder aviators. Seems to be a difference in generations,

I had the oral portion of my first checkride take 4 hours. Obviously I wasn’t well enough prepared but my question is what really is our expectations for new pilots? It seems like we are “requiring” nearly double the minimum hours to even be ready for a checkride with the new average being 55-65 hours. Most examiners I’ve spoken to seem pompous and want perfection of maneuvers over asking the question of are they safe? 10degrees on a stall? Really? How about “did they prove they can recover and are knowledgeable about when it’s likely to occur”. I am 1 year 9 months of consistently flying trying to get my private. I’m at 70+ hours in 9 airplanes and 10+ instructors. Why should I continue to suffer despite me being a safe pilot who is familiar with my limits

I’ve been waiting 4 months for a checkride. No DPE available in the Denver area. Not willing to fly to another state, way too expensive.

Feeling fortunate that I accidentally found an older CFI with his own plane. He teaches for fun.

I have no idea what you charge for a checkride, but where I live, examiners are typically charging $700.00 How can they justify such a high fee when a typical checkride should take no longer then a half day. I know examiners giving two checkrides a day, and even once heard of three in a day. No wonder learning to fly is so expensive with these kind of fees.

I feel bad for anybody who had to use a lot of instructors I had one instructor and did my training over several years wasn't in a big hurry just wanted to fly my instructor told me on the day of my check ride to get there a half hour early and lay everything out on the table before the examiner got there so that's what I did then the DPE walked in through the door and we started having a conversation and I kept thinking I wish this guy would shut up and start giving me the oral portion of the test and then he said well let's go fly the airplane I said what about the test he said we're done with that part we went and flew the airplane and it was kind of nice because I've never had anybody but my instructor to talk to in the airplane and that went very fast having somebody new to talk to in the airplane before I even knew it I was standing on the ramp with my temporary certificate if I was to give anybody a recommendation it would be to fly with somebody who just likes to teach not somebody using it as a stepping stone take your time and have fun with your training I realized not everybody is learning to fly for the same reasons I did and they're in more of a hurry but try to slow it down as best you can

If a student cannot verify their own training then they are not going to be much of a pilot. So, any student so dependent on a CFI to hand-hold them thru the ACS is not a student taking that responsibility. If you want to pass a checkride MAKE SURE you can answer the missed questions on your written and make sure you have the ACS down solid...as simple as that...

"Less" for "fewer" again... The English language in the age of Skynet and Trump... Gadfrey!