AvSport of Lock Haven: Designated Pilot Examiner Services

DPE Services through AvSport LLC, 353 Proctor Street, Lock Haven PA 17745

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Examiner Responsibilities

The Designated Pilot Examiner is an independent contractor, empowered by the FAA to represent the Administrator in matters of pilot certification. He or she serves a Quality Control function, and as the final QC Inspector, is responsible for ensuring that the Applicant performs all assigned tasks in accordance with published Practical Test Standards. Although all DPEs are Certified Flight Instructors, in their role as Examiner they are not permitted to provide any instruction or advice, and are not (except in cases of emergency) expected to fly the aircraft.

When an Applicant contacts the Examiner to schedule a practical test, a date will be chosen at the mutual convenience of the Examiner, the Applicant, and the Recommending Instructor as appropriate. The Examiner must submit a scheduling proposal for approval via the FAA Designee Management System not later than 24 hours prior to commencement of the test. The Examiner must next examine the application forms filed on IACRA, which he can access only after the Recommending Instructor has e-signed the application on IACRA. The Examiner will then develop a custom Plan of Action unique to the Applicant, based upon information found in the application.

In preparation for conducting a practical test, the Examiner will prepare a custom Plan of Action (PoA) tailored to the individual applicant's background and experience. The PoA will be built around a specific scenario, which the Examiner will convey to the Applicant at the time the practical test is scheduled. This scenario will guide the course of the oral and flight portions of the practical test. The applicant will be required to prepare in advance a cross-country flight plan to a specified destination. All this should be discussed between the Examiner and the applicant when their schedule is being set.

The Examiner conducting a practical test (or Authorized Instructor conducting a proficiency check) is responsible for determining that the Applicant meets the acceptable standards of knowledge and skill of each TASK within each appropriate AREA OF OPERATION. Since there is no formal division between the “oral” and “skill” portions of the practical test or proficiency check, this oral portion becomes an ongoing process throughout the test. Oral questioning, to determine the applicant’s knowledge of TASKs and related safety factors, should be used judiciously at all times, especially during the flight portion of the practical test or proficiency check. Examiners and Authorized Instructors shall test to the greatest extent practicable the applicant’s correlative abilities rather than mere rote enumeration of facts throughout the practical test or proficiency check.

If the Examiner or Authorized Instructor determines that a TASK is incomplete, or the outcome uncertain, the Examiner may require the applicant to repeat that TASK, or portions of that TASK. This provision has been made in the interest of fairness, and does not mean that instruction, practice, or the repeating of an unsatisfactory TASK is permitted during the certification process. When practical, the remaining TASKs of the practical test or proficiency check phase should be completed before repeating the questionable TASK.

The Examiner or Authorized Instructor shall use scenarios when applicable to determine that the Applicant can use good risk management procedures in making aeronautical decisions. Examples of TASKs where scenarios would be advantageous are weather analysis, performance planning, and runway/landing area selection.

Please note that, in the event of an actual inflight emergency, the Practical Test is immediately suspended (a Discontinuance will be issued), and the Applicant and Examiner will work together, doing whatever it takes to resolve the emergency.

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This page last updated 1 January 2024

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