Checkride Cost?

Snaggletooth

Snaggletooth

Line Up and Wait
Joined
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Dustin
I have been meaning to post this for a while, and always forget to ask my CFI as well, but....

How much does the PP-ASEL Checkride Cost? I'd have to guess it's not cheap to have the Examiner come out!
 
Is there a FSDO out there that even does PP checkrides anymore?

Around here, they only do CFI initial and might squeeze in a CFII if you know somebody in the Ops dept.
 
dmccormack said:
Is there a FSDO out there that even does PP checkrides anymore?

Around here, they only do CFI initial and might squeeze in a CFII if you know somebody in the Ops dept.
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They can't refuse if you request it. Some offices will claim due to lack of Inspectors they can't, but with a call to a congressman ( in FAA lingo it's called a "congressional") they will work you in.
 
I called the FSDO when I was ready to take my PP exam. IIRC, they said they were so backed up schedule-wise that it would just be better for me to use a DPE. My CFI told me I should have called their bluff, and said, "So, when can you schedule me for that ride?"

Around here, the DPE I have gone to charges $325 for the Private, and $350 for Instrument or Commercial. Sounds like that is a bargain compared to some other parts of the country!
 
Mine was $300 in 2006. The retest :blush: was $180.

John
 
Our FSDO is one of the.. ahem.. least productive... that I know of, and will gladly schedule your PP checkride if you call their numerous bluffs about how gol durn busy they are... they will give you a date 6 months down the road, and will pick a highly inconvenient time such as 7am on a Monday.

Having just done 3 checkrides this month, I can comment on some regional fees:

Los Angeles/Inland area: $500 cash for all non-CFI initial rides; $800 for an initial CFI.

Jacksonville FL: $400 cash for all non-initials; $550 for an initial.

...sounds like you've definitely got some inexpensive DPEs in your area. Lucky. :)
 
So about how much am I looking at down here in South Texas (KBYY) for a DPE?
Or can I get it for free?
 
Mine was $300 in 2005. Your CFI should know the ones in the area, that's your best bet for pricing.
 
Snaggletooth said:
I have been meaning to post this for a while, and always forget to ask my CFI as well, but....

How much does the PP-ASEL Checkride Cost? I'd have to guess it's not cheap to have the Examiner come out!
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My last checkride was my IFR, and it cost me $400. Looks like the DPE I used charges the same for all checkrides: http://www.check-rides.com/FEES.html

Chris
 
It's $300 here. Prices will vary depending on examiner, location, and sometimes certificate.
 
Rotor&Wing said:
They can't refuse if you request it. Some offices will claim due to lack of Inspectors they can't, but with a call to a congressman ( in FAA lingo it's called a "congressional") they will work you in.
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Thats a great way to ensure your plane never leaves the ground for the checkride. Rusty seatbelt.... low propwash...

Houston FSDO had a rep for the CFI rides of starting with one person going over your logs and 3 people going over the plane and the pink slip coming within an hour. Without leaving the ground.
 
We had an especially hard time in oklahoma with all of the flight schools. Some students were waiting up to two months for a CFI checkride with the Feds.
 
Here in the Chicago area, figure $450 +/- $100 for PP-ASEL or instrument from a DPE. Higher ratings may be more.
 
As R&W said, it will probably take a Congressional inquiry to get anything other than an initial CFI ride with the FSDO, and as noted above, they can make it really inconvenient. Other rides the FSDO does are retakes after a successfully appealed bust with a DPE, "709" rides (reexamination after your competency has been called into question), or a ride that there's no DPE in the district qualified to give. Anything else? Figure on using a DPE.
 
Snaggletooth, I know a good DPE in El Paso who I believe charges $150.00 for a PP ride. You could always fly crosscountry up here and do your ride w/ him. If your CFI will sign you off to fly that X/C.
 
I just emailed him to ask for sure what he charges. Could be I remembered it wrong.
 
Ron Levy said:
Don't post that around where other DPE's can see it -- they'll lynch him!
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So, Ron, are you saying that there's collusion among DPEs to fix prices (in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act...using a near-monopoly granted by the federal government to do so!) for checkrides? :yikes::D
 
JeffDG said:
So, Ron, are you saying that there's collusion among DPEs to fix prices (in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act...using a near-monopoly granted by the federal government to do so!) for checkrides? :yikes::D
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Not only that, their insistence on cash only really makes the DPE system look awfully suspicious.
 
Lance F said:
Not only that, their insistence on cash only really makes the DPE system look awfully suspicious.
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And don't forget...if you take more than one checkride with the same DPE in a year (and the total exceeds $600)...1099, although I'd save that piece of paper until after the IACRA paperwork is finished. :yikes:
 
Yep, I was wrong... It's $250.00 till July 1st and then it's $300.00. It did seem a little low :).... But still it beats 400.
 
JeffDG said:
So, Ron, are you saying that there's collusion among DPEs to fix prices (in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act...using a near-monopoly granted by the federal government to do so!) for checkrides? :yikes::D
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Heavens to Betsy -- of course not! But you won't find much variation in price in any particular geographic area.
 
Lance F said:
Not only that, their insistence on cash only really makes the DPE system look awfully suspicious.
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I know of no DPE that won't take a check. In fact, some say they prefer checks so there's no question about how much they were actually paid (affects both taxation issues and charges of selling certificates), and they have ways of holding your certificate hostage if the check doesn't clear (although that was easier in the paper days before IACRA).
 
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Hi there,
I am looking for an affordable examiner in San Diego for my ppl checkride.
Any recommendations, I would appreciate?
 
What the others said

300-600 depending on your state color, coastal states you're looking more at 600, closer to the middle of the country it's going to be less.

On a side note, my last student asked for a receipt for tax reasons after paying the DPE cash, the whole mood of the ride changed after that :mad:
 
peter8620 said:
Hi there,
I am looking for an affordable examiner in San Diego for my ppl checkride.
Any recommendations, I would appreciate?
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Have you searched for DPEs here?

http://av-info.faa.gov/DesigneeSearch.asp

Has your instructor made a recommendation? It's always good to use a DPE who knows your instructor or flight school. As far as costs, most DPEs charge about the same (or within $50 or so) so it's better to choose based on reputation and personality.

Interestingly, some DPEs are hard to book, while others are booked for weeks solid. I've often asked for recommendations from the booked up DPEs...they'll generally give you a good recommendation, and they all pretty much know each other, at least within that FSDO.
 
Flymeariver said:
Wow lol. Did the student still manage to pass?
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Nope,

Funny the DPE had this long talk about how he books a whole day for each ride, incase the student doesn't pass that way the CFI can address area and the student can retest same day, DPE also mentioned his retest fee about 3 times.

Sure enough the ride took all day and the DPE got that retest fee, student made a few mistakes but nothing cut and dry per PTS. Never used that DPE again.
 
James331 said:
On a side note, my last student asked for a receipt for tax reasons after paying the DPE cash, the whole mood of the ride changed after that :mad:
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If either the FAA or the IRS find out an examiner is reluctant to give receipts, the whole mood of the government towards that examiner changes after that.
 
warthog1984 said:
:dunno:Well, they sure don't seem to care about examiners not following the PTS or giving honest checkrides.:no:
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The record seems to disagree with you in cases where they find out about it. The problem is some people are reluctant to file complaints with the FSDO about such things.
 
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