Checkride

Anyone who’s ever taken an FAA practical test knows that a designated pilot examiner (DPE) will often do some role playing to help facilitate a particular scenario or enhance the practical nature of the test. Applicants typically observe these chameleon-like changes as DPEs shift from acting as an examiner to being a passenger, a safety pilot, an air traffic controller, or even a certificated flight instructor. While most of these roles are desirable or even necessary in administering any practical test, others are not.

For instance, a DPE may act just as a passenger might as he or she boards the aircraft, to check the applicant’s ability to provide a meaningful passenger briefing. Or he might begin to talk inappropriately during taxi to see how the applicant will react to the unwanted chatter when the cockpit should be sterile. The examiner’s role will change again—into the safety pilot when the applicant dons the hood to demonstrate flight by reference to the instruments, or to the role of ATC during a scenario involving inadvertent flight into clouds.

On the other hand, a role the applicant should not see the DPE play is that of CFI, especially while the checkride is still in progress. Because the FAA requires that all DPEs maintain currency as CFIs, one might conclude that CFI skills are necessary or even desirable during a practical test. This is actually not the case—the roles of DPE and CFI are quite different, and the FAA states in Order 8900.2, General Aviation Airman Designee Handbook, that DPEs shall not provide training or instruction to an applicant during any practical test.

Since most DPEs have accumulated thousands of hours as a CFI over the years, it can be very easy to slip into that role, especially when an applicant who had been doing a good job of performing the tasks required in the practical test standards (PTS) begins to show some deficiencies. At this point, if the DPE gets an uncontrollable urge to see the applicant through to a successful checkride conclusion, the dormant CFI role could come to life as the DPE begins to demonstrate a maneuver, allows the applicant to practice, or offers tips on how to correctly complete a task before allowing the applicant to “try it again.” Allowing this to occur during a checkride creates a serious conflict between the DPE and the FAA with respect to examiner responsibilities and professionalism.

As stated in the PTS, a DPE can permit a repeat of any maneuver for only two reasons: The task was incomplete (possibly because of a traffic conflict), or the outcome of the task was uncertain.

However, failure to meet the stated PTS tolerances is not an allowable reason to repeat any maneuver. Whenever PTS tolerances are not met, the only permitted course of action is to receive additional training from a CFI before retesting.

FAA aviation safety inspectors across the country cringe whenever they hear a pilot recalling a recent checkride experience by saying something like, “Well, I really messed up that first one, so my DPE let me try it again.” Or worse yet, “The DPE gave me a few pointers and let me start over again.” More appropriately, the only suggestions, helpful hints, or instructor-like behavior on the part of the DPE that would be tolerated by the FAA during a checkride might occur during the debrief phase, after the checkride is completed, whether the test was passed or failed. In fact, a thorough debrief is always required after every checkride and is a great opportunity to learn the most about our flying abilities, or lack thereof.

Having said all that, nearly 100 percent of applicants for any FAA practical test will agree that they found their checkride to be a learning experience. And there is nothing unusual or wrong with learning something every time we fly, especially during a checkride. After all, as we all know, a good pilot is always learning! But that learning should not come in the form of instruction provided by an examiner during a checkride to successfully achieve PTS requirements.

Because DPEs are not employees of the FAA, their success in running a sustainable DPE business is determined in large part by their own ability to generate a line of willing applicants—which can lead to another potential conflict. The fact is, checkride failures are bad for business. This conflict has the potential of leading a DPE into accepting lower standards in an effort to increase business activity. After all, what CFI wouldn’t be eager to send students to a particular DPE whose reputation is that he will frequently overlook PTS tolerances or even provide a little extra help or instruction during checkrides? In spite of the fact that DPEs who behave this way are acting irresponsibly, the sad reality is that applicants are usually drawn to them like ticks to a fat dog.

To make matters even worse, the relative popularity these DPEs often enjoy will generate a higher activity level that allows CFIs to quickly discover every nuance of their checkrides, further decreasing the effectiveness of their tests. These DPEs are often called Santa Clauses because a well-briefed applicant will find the predictability of every aspect of the test makes them seem more like a Christmas gift than a checkride (see “Preflight: Doing My Part,” September 2009 AOPA Flight Training).

And what applicant wouldn’t want to make sure he has the best chance of passing the checkride? If there are several DPEs in the area to choose from, it’s only human nature to “shop” for the examiner who provides the quickest, easiest, most painless way to achieve checkride success, right? Of course! But doing that is like visiting the clinic for a health check and then choosing the doctor who only tells you what you want to hear, instead of the doctor who tells you the truth. You decide.