Long wait for DPE in Houston area (months)

[redbaron1982]

Hey, not strictly Mooney related, but is anyone aware of a huge shortage of DPEs in the Houston area?

I finished my instrument training 2 months ago and at that point my instructor start looking for a DPE, after two months, I don't even have a date. For me it's absurd, I mean, I totally get that there can be 2 months backlog, but not even having a date?

My main concern is that it may be that my instructor is just not trying hard enough, he is already getting close to 1500 hours so he has his mind more on getting the ATP license than doing CFI stuff.

I do have my IACRA signed off, is there any way around this or any suggestion?

[N201MKTurbo]

When I was getting my commercial, there were no DPEs available around here. I had a business trip planned for Portland OR. I called the flight school in Hillsboro and asked if they knew of a DPE who could give me a commercial check ride. They connected me with their staff DPE and scheduled a check ride 4 days in the future. I flew up there and did my commercial Check ride at night.

So, you cannot depend on your CFI, you need to call around yourself and don’t discount traveling to get your check ride done.

[PT20J]

1 hour ago, N201MKTurbo said:

So, you cannot depend on your CFI, you need to call around yourself and don’t discount traveling to get your check ride done.

THIS^^^^^. You are hiring the DPE. You can pick any one you want. All you need from the CFI is the training and recommendation.

[Marc_B]

@redbaron1982 I'd suggest YOU start looking for a DPE.  When I was doing my instrument training my instructor didn't have anything to do with setting up the DPE.  Also at that time it was a 2 month lag, so as soon as I started getting an idea of when I might have the flights done by I scheduled the check ride...this also acted as an incentive to keep flying frequently so I would be done by that time.

Since you already are a pilot, it may be easier to look outside the Houston area as well...I had a buddy who flew 2 hours to a neighboring state to do his instrument check ride due to scheduling.

https://designee.faa.gov/#/designeeLocator

[TheAv8r]

Usually Houston DPEs book about a month out. There are 3 that I know of: Wanda Collins, Pat Brown, Wally Mulhearn. I used Wanda for my instrument ride and she was great. 

Wally's website: https://wallymulhearndpe.com/

Wanda's website: https://www.wandacollinsdpe.com/

 

[redbaron1982]

Thanks all for your input guys! When I did my PPL I relied in my flight school / CFI and it worked ok. I did the same name for instrument and it did not.

Actually I was telling my CFI to book ahead when we already had a good idea of when I was going to be ready, but he said it is company policy to wait until the training is finished to book the check ride.

The guy now doesn't even reply my messages or he takes one week to reply, I assume that's the same motivation he has to try contact the DPEs.

Last week I fill out the form with Wanda (I did my PPL with her) and today I sent her a message to see if she has any availability.

I will do the same with Wally and Pat.

Again, thanks for your suggestions!

[donkaye]

2 hours ago, redbaron1982 said:

Hey, not strictly Mooney related, but is anyone aware of a huge shortage of DPEs in the Houston area?

I finished my instrument training 2 months ago and at that point my instructor start looking for a DPE, after two months, I don't even have a date. For me it's absurd, I mean, I totally get that there can be 2 months backlog, but not even having a date?

My main concern is that it may be that my instructor is just not trying hard enough, he is already getting close to 1500 hours so he has his mind more on getting the ATP license than doing CFI stuff.

I do have my IACRA signed off, is there any way around this or any suggestion?

You are probably aware of the following included in the Endorsement for the Commercial: "....has received and logged the training time within 2 months preceding the month of application..."

You may need to get additional training if you haven't trained within that time limit.

 

[redbaron1982]

3 minutes ago, donkaye said:

You are probably aware of the following included in the Endorsement for the Commercial: "....has received and logged the training time within 2 months preceding the month of application..."

You may need to get additional training if you haven't trained within that time limit.

 

Yeah, I'm aware of that. Until end of December I'm good, starting on January I need to have some additional training to comply with that.

[LANCECASPER]

In May of 1995 I wanted to finish up my Instrument rating after getting my license 9 years earlier. I had started and stopped my IFR training a few times - once due to a move from ND to TX and a couple other times having my instructor go off to the airlines, and life just getting busy for me. I had bought my 231 a couple years earlier and had been stranded because of weather more than a few times. I was told about an instructor in SC, Kenneth Hand, who would come and spend a week or two weeks, whatever it took to get me finished and ready for the checkride. I knew the way I learn and I just needed to fly every day to put all of the pieces together.

I flew to Savannah GA where he had been working and picked him up and we flew back to TX and for the next week or so until he thought I was ready. We asked around about a local DPE, and were referred to "Dutch" Zweifel a local San Antonio examiner - he had flown in WWII and no doubt was an amazing pilot but not the easiest personality to work with to say the least. The day of the exam when my instructor introduced himself and told him where he was from, the DPE's first question was "He couldn't find a local instructor that I have experience with?" I don't remember Kenneth's response, but it went seriously downhill from there before I even got to say hello. It was pretty clear fifteen minutes later when their conversation ended and the oral began that Dutch was pissed and I was in deep trouble. He didn't want me to just have a good knowledge of Aviation weather, he wanted me to have a PhD in Meteorology. Once I was convinced that he was going to fail me on the oral and I really didn't want to fly with him anyway(I was pretty sure we wouldn't be following the Practical Test Standards but the Dutch Zweifel Standards) I asked if he asks all of his students these questions - he said "No, only those foolish enough to hire out of state experts to come in and teach in his area." He indicated that maybe I should switch over to someone local and he could give me some names and maybe it might go better the next time. Alrighty then . . .        (I heard many other "Dutch" stories later from other people that were much worse than my story.)

Since I had to get Kenneth back to SC he started calling DPEs in NC, SC and GA that his students over there had used in the past. That Saturday morning I ended up getting scheduled for my checkride with one of the nicest people I've ever flown with. He didn't cut me any slack, but he wasn't purposely trying to bust me. He wanted to make sure that I was safe, but he had no ego to show off or anything to prove. He was based in Sumter SC and we had to wait for a small alligator to cross the taxiway before we could finish taxiing out for takeoff. He was very laid back - the DPE and I guess the alligator too. I remember he was intrigued with my Argus 3000 moving map hooked up to my Loran. I asked him if he wanted me to turn that off - he said why in the world would you ever turn that off - that's about the slickest thing I've ever seen. He did cover it for a couple of my approaches just to make sure I could do it without the map. By the end of the checkride I thought I had done well but after the previous experience I wasn't getting my hopes up. He let me know when we were taxiing back that I had passed and that since he hadn't spilled any of his coffee during the checkride that I had passed with flying colors. 

My point to this long-winded story is that if you can't find a local DPE, since you're a pilot, it's no big deal to go to another place to take your ride and it just adds to all of the amazing experiences that aviation has to offer.

[midlifeflyer]

It's happening everywhere. One of our local DPEs is getting applicants traveling almost 500 NM one way to use him for their checkrides. The school usually schedules 2 or 3 with him. The applicants travel together with an instructor.

[bcg]

Here's a slightly more user friendly list of the DPEs in Texas -

https://www.checkridehq.com/search?q=Texas&type=dpe

Paul Rheudasil flies for the airlines so he schedules his month only after he gets his schedule from them, call him and find out when that is and you can probably get in quickly.

Matt Quillen only does check rides a couple of days a week so he's booked out for a couple of months but, you should be able to at least get a date while you see if you can get something sooner.

Those are the only 2 I have any direct knowledge about.

The easiest way to get in contact with any of them is usually to Google their name and DPE to find a phone number or direct website.  I've never tried contacting any of them through the website I shared, I just use it as a way to find them.

[redbaron1982]

Hey thanks all for the comments, at the end as mentioned by many of youm, I started looking for a DPE and finally got one that had an opening on Christmas Eve. And all this happened the 23rd at 9pm. So I worked during the night and start early the 24th to prepare de XC, review some of my week spots, go to the airport, look at the aircraft log books, etc.

Was quite stressful and rushed, but finally at 230pm on the 12/24 I started the checkride, which finish 630pm and with the debrief/paper work we ended up leaving the airport at 7pm on the 24th.

And... I passed! So an unexpected Christmas gift was my instrument rating!

Thanks all for the suggestions/comments!

[Fly Boomer]

3 minutes ago, redbaron1982 said:

And... I passed!

Congratulations!  Lots of work -- lots of reward.

[RobertGary1]

I’m in California and going to outside Portland Oregon for my helicopter cfi checkride just to get an examiner. 
Nowadays as a cfi if a student comes to me for a rating the first thing I think about is coordinating a dpe. They can be months out. 

[carusoam]

Congrats RB on the IR!

Big step complete!

DPEs have been in short supply for a couple of years already…

Some flight schools (All American Aviators) have a training syllabus strong enough to not go the DPE route in the end…

PP thoughts only, not a CFII…

Best regards,

-a-

[RobertGary1]

1 minute ago, carusoam said:

Congrats RB on the IR!

Big step complete!

DPEs have been in short supply for a couple of years already…

Some flight schools (All American Aviators) have a training syllabus strong enough to not go the DPE route in the end…

PP thoughts only, not a CFII…

Best regards,

-a-

Any part 141 school can apply for a examiner authority. It’s an advantage today with the dpe crisis.  But they can only give checkrides for 141 graduates and you can’t convert 91 training to 141 unfortunately. I know a couple fbos that are going this route. I also know some who fly dpes in for checkride weeks. 

[carusoam]

8 minutes ago, RobertGary1 said:

Any part 141 school can apply for a examiner authority. It’s an advantage today with the dpe crisis.  But they can only give checkrides for 141 graduates and you can’t convert 91 training to 141 unfortunately. I know a couple fbos that are going this route. I also know some who fly dpes in for checkride weeks. 

Thanks for the additional details Robert!

a decade or more ago, the huge population of DPEs left over from the WWII era were ‘retiring’…

There doesn’t seem to be much of a replacement program for them…

It is such a specialty skill, with not much oversight… other than the internet….  
 

The DPE I used for my PPL got an intersection named after him…posthumously…

He was a great pilot…and teacher… he showed me how to fly a C152 with authority… unlike the CFI(s) I flew with in the preceding two years…. Soooo much experience in one person. 
 

Best regards,

-a-

[RobertGary1]

1 minute ago, carusoam said:

Thanks for the additional details Robert!

a decade or more ago, the huge population of DPEs left over from the WWII era were ‘retiring’…

There doesn’t seem to be much of a replacement program for them…

It is such a specialty skill, with not much oversight… other than the internet….  
 

Best regards,

-a-

Each fsdo is responsible for overseeing their dpes (although dpes are no longer limited to their region). The issue I see is too many inactive dpes taking up slots and the fsdo unwilling to supervise more. 
The other issue is the current faa culture of mistrust of dpes. Many dpes have lost their authority and others are scared. A few bad Dpes kind of ruined it and now they’re all under a microscope. 

[Southernpilot]

I am desperately seeking a DPE for my private pilot candidate. Many DPE even refuse to respond to inquiries. Can I get any help for my Mooney brothers and sisters?

Vince Smith

[McMooney]

On 12/19/2022 at 7:49 AM, redbaron1982 said:

Hey, not strictly Mooney related, but is anyone aware of a huge shortage of DPEs in the Houston area?

I finished my instrument training 2 months ago and at that point my instructor start looking for a DPE, after two months, I don't even have a date. For me it's absurd, I mean, I totally get that there can be 2 months backlog, but not even having a date?

My main concern is that it may be that my instructor is just not trying hard enough, he is already getting close to 1500 hours so he has his mind more on getting the ATP license than doing CFI stuff.

I do have my IACRA signed off, is there any way around this or any suggestion?

if you have the signoff, call up dpes until you find one thats available.  all you needed from the cfi was the signoff.  

[hammdo]

I had to book 3 months out and asked to be on the their list for any cancellation before that time. I received a call a week later and asked if I could take a last minute cancellation ( 2 days notice). I sure did take it…

May be worth doing that while searching DPEs…

-Don

[Fly Boomer]

2 hours ago, Southernpilot said:

I am desperately seeking a DPE for my private pilot candidate. Many DPE even refuse to respond to inquiries. Can I get any help for my Mooney brothers and sisters?

Vince Smith

https://designee.faa.gov/designeeLocator

[bcg]

On 12/18/2023 at 6:38 PM, Fly Boomer said:

https://designee.faa.gov/designeeLocator

That's how I ended up finding one.  I downloaded a list of every one in the state and started texting and emailing.  70% never replied, 25% were booked for 6+ weeks, some 12+, 4.9% weren't testing anymore for one reason or another, .1% got me in 2 weeks after I contacted him.

 

Robert Steenbock in Brownsville seems to have better availability than most.

Robert Baldock in Coleman is who I used but, he's booked until Feb/Mar right now.

[Yetti]

On 12/18/2023 at 4:30 PM, Southernpilot said:

I am desperately seeking a DPE for my private pilot candidate. Many DPE even refuse to respond to inquiries. Can I get any help for my Mooney brothers and sisters?

Vince Smith

Consider checking in San Antonio and or Austin and flying there to do it.  College Station too.