How far out is your examiner?

[RobertGary1]

Just called an examiner for a commercial mulit add on ride. He said they're all booking for December now.

 

-Robert

[AH-1 Cobra Pilot]

I used this guy last time.

http://www.iowadpe.com/

[toto]

You can always check with your nearest FSDO. I doubt their schedule is more open than a DPE, but the ride is free. 

[RobertGary1]

18 minutes ago, toto said:

You can always check with your nearest FSDO. I doubt their schedule is more open than a DPE, but the ride is free. 

Yea, even  initial CFI's they waved off to a DPE. But its worth a try.

If you have to do 3 hours in the last 60 days for a checkride endorsement that can add $1000 to the cost of the training to get "current" again 

-Robert

[RobertGary1]

40 minutes ago, Ah-1 Cobra Pilot said:

I used this guy last time.

http://www.iowadpe.com/

I'm confused that he says he is appointed in Iowa. Does he work in Norcal?

-Robert

[Hank]

16 minutes ago, RobertGary1 said:

I'm confused that he says he is appointed in Iowa. Does he work in Norcal?

That DPE is probably in iowa, since Cobra is in Nebraska.

Add your location to your avatar, it helps in times like this.  

Edited August 27, 2018 by Hank

[aviatoreb]

2 hours ago, RobertGary1 said:

Just called an examiner for a commercial mulit add on ride. He said they're all booking for December now.

 

-Robert

My commercial check ride guy was super hard to book - nearby in Plattsburgh - he was much in demand since he was one of the last two DC3 air checkmen in the country.  And he got check ride gigs sometimes in the amazon.  And I got him for my little ol mooney check ride just a few months before he retired.

[AH-1 Cobra Pilot]

2 hours ago, RobertGary1 said:

I'm confused that he says he is appointed in Iowa. Does he work in Norcal?

-Robert

I do not know, but since he is an airline pilot, maybe he also works in remote locations.

Cool guy with a C-182 and his own airport, just NE of KOMA.  http://vfrmap.com/?type=vfrc&lat=41.303&lon=-95.894&zoom=10

[RobertGary1]

27 minutes ago, Ah-1 Cobra Pilot said:

I do not know, but since he is an airline pilot, maybe he also works in remote locations.

Cool guy with a C-182 and his own airport, just NE of KOMA.  http://vfrmap.com/?type=vfrc&lat=41.303&lon=-95.894&zoom=10

I do see that he flies out of sfo. 

Ive had 8 checkrides myself and never had this much trouble. 

-Robert 

[RLCarter]

DPE's can not give a checkride outside their FSDO area unless the get a letter of authorization from the FAA. There should be a list of DPE's for your area, go down the list, they all cant be that busy

[Deb]

From https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FAA-Addresses-Exam-Delays-231319-1.html

FAA Addresses Exam Delays

The FAA will be making some major changes to address delays in pilot practical test scheduling reported by flight training providers across the country, according to the Flight School Association of North America (FSANA). A group led by FSANA met with senior FAA staff in Oklahoma City to discuss solutions to the testing delays last week. After the meeting, FSANA says it is confident that the policy and process changes discussed “will have immediate and future positive effects on airman practical test scheduling shortages.”

Reports gathered by the organization point to delays stemming from a decrease in the number of Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs) in recent years and a lack of examiner availability in some locations. To address this, FSANA says changes to be implemented include removing geographic boundaries for DPEs, switching CFI practical test scheduling from Flight Standards District Offices (FSDOs) to DPEs authorized to give CFI exams, and replacing the National Examiner Board with a new National Appointment Process.

The changes also call for the development of a safety assurance system and FAA reviews of all delegation programs with some of these policy and process shifts scheduled to go into effect as early as September 2018. Furthermore, FSANA says that the FAA will be rolling out a new Designee Management System to be completed by April 2019 and will begin work on a FAR Part 183 rewrite. Part 183 covers “the requirements for designating private persons to act as representatives of the Administrator in examining, inspecting, and testing persons and aircraft for the purpose of issuing airman, operating, and aircraft certificates.”

FSANA has been gathering reports and working with the FAA, flight training providers and other industry partners on improving practical test scheduling delays for the last two years.

[RobertGary1]

44 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

DPE's can not give a checkride outside their FSDO area unless the get a letter of authorization from the FAA. There should be a list of DPE's for your area, go down the list, they all cant be that busy

Thankfully that is one rule they just changed. 

-Robert 

[N201MKTurbo]

When I needed my commercial check ride 2 1/2 years ago, I asked around Arizona and was told it would be 6 months. I needed to travel to Portland, so I called Hillsboro Aviation and asked if they knew any examiners that could give me a check ride next week. They said “hold on”, a few seconds later I was talking to their chief pilot and staff DPE. He asked when I wanted to do it. I said “how about next Tuesday after work?” He said “that’l work”. 

So I flew the Mooney up to Oregon and did my commercial check ride in a strange place and finished it in the dark. Not the best way to do it.

[RobertGary1]

I’m also a bit worried that the examiners are limited in which model twins they can use. 

 

-Robert 

[RLCarter]

6 minutes ago, RobertGary1 said:

Thankfully that is one rule they just changed. 

-Robert 

Wasn't aware of the change, the CFII I use(d) is now a DPE and h stays really busy and does very little instruction, multi is about it for training

[RobertGary1]

19 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

Wasn't aware of the change, the CFII I use(d) is now a DPE and h stays really busy and does very little instruction, multi is about it for training

If I was making over $1000/day giving checkrides I’d stick with that too. 

 

-Robert