AlphaPilotFlyer
Line Up and Wait
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2020
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- AlphaPilotFlyer
Following up on earlier post RE finding DPE for experimental check rides….
Buddy passed his initial CFI ride today in our experimental C172. We had others take their training and successful check rides in it for private and commercial, but this is a first for CFI so kind of exciting as only certificate remaining is ATP…not sure many get the SE ATP anymore.
We found a number of DPEs willing to do it but most more-local DPEs that could do an initial CFI ride were booked out over 2 months. Found one that had availability less than a month but had to fly it from Denver to Dallas for the check ride…. Buddy needs to build time anyway, and it’s cheap enough to fly so no complaints, especially considering he is reducing his training time by about 2 months if he waited for local appointment.
Doing a CFI-instrument ride next but got to fix the glide slope indicator first.
From our experience, there is a fair amount of DPEs willing to do rides in experimentals, so don’t dismiss the option if you have access to someone’s experimentals or looking to buy a plane for training. It could save you a lot of money compared to certified aircraft, especially renting, and far less expensive to build time in. I have seen some seeming good deals on some exp AB planes around $40k to $70k that would be decent trainers. Suggest something that can burn MOGAS, ( which reduces our operating fuel cost by about 60% compared to AVGAS in our area). I have heard some exp owners paying bit more for insurance , but our rates remain about same as standard c172.
I would suggest, regardless of aircraft used, if traveling a fair distance for checkride, take a CFI with you just in case you goof something up on ride. This may allow immediately redo some training for that portion to get an re-do endorsement and maybe repeat that portion of the ride that same day or next. Otherwise, long and expensive flight home, then back on a waiting list.
Buddy passed his initial CFI ride today in our experimental C172. We had others take their training and successful check rides in it for private and commercial, but this is a first for CFI so kind of exciting as only certificate remaining is ATP…not sure many get the SE ATP anymore.
We found a number of DPEs willing to do it but most more-local DPEs that could do an initial CFI ride were booked out over 2 months. Found one that had availability less than a month but had to fly it from Denver to Dallas for the check ride…. Buddy needs to build time anyway, and it’s cheap enough to fly so no complaints, especially considering he is reducing his training time by about 2 months if he waited for local appointment.
Doing a CFI-instrument ride next but got to fix the glide slope indicator first.
From our experience, there is a fair amount of DPEs willing to do rides in experimentals, so don’t dismiss the option if you have access to someone’s experimentals or looking to buy a plane for training. It could save you a lot of money compared to certified aircraft, especially renting, and far less expensive to build time in. I have seen some seeming good deals on some exp AB planes around $40k to $70k that would be decent trainers. Suggest something that can burn MOGAS, ( which reduces our operating fuel cost by about 60% compared to AVGAS in our area). I have heard some exp owners paying bit more for insurance , but our rates remain about same as standard c172.
I would suggest, regardless of aircraft used, if traveling a fair distance for checkride, take a CFI with you just in case you goof something up on ride. This may allow immediately redo some training for that portion to get an re-do endorsement and maybe repeat that portion of the ride that same day or next. Otherwise, long and expensive flight home, then back on a waiting list.
