DPE as primary Iinstructor

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SybTiger

Filing Flight Plan
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SybTiger
Getting started on my PPL and I have the opportunity to use a DPE as my instructor. Wondering if there is any downside to this?
 
Well, he certainly will be able to tell you if you are ready for the checkride or not!
 
SybTiger said:
Getting started on my PPL and I have the opportunity to use a DPE as my instructor. Wondering if there is any downside to this?
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DPEs are usually excellent instructors which is why they were selected for DPE (as I understand it).

Only possible downside is that if you want to use that DPE for the check ride then another instructor has to sign you off for the ride. No big deal at all but may cause an increase in overall cost.

Some DPEs are extremely busy so scheduling may be tough and require a lot of flexibility on your part. The DPE I used for private and instrument rides had a day job driving a Gulfstream so his availability was limited to days off. The plus side of working with him was his very practical approach to flying developed over years of making a living at it. Flying with him was a learning experience even when he didn't mean it to be.
 
My initial feeling was "I'd guess you will be better prepared for the checkride."

But then I got to thinking it probably has more to do with his personality meshing with yours than titles he has held. There are good and bad CFI's and there are Good and Bad DPEs so just having the title may not mean a lot.

He won't be able to give you your check ride if he is your instructor so you will be getting tested by someone else.

If the price is right and you like the guy, I say fly with him and keep us posted.


Also, Welcome to the forum!
 
Clark1961 said:
Only possible downside is that if you want to use that DPE for the check ride then another instructor has to sign you off for the ride.
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I stand corrected. I thought he would be off limits.
 
I did that for my Glider add on, it worked very well. I have also done the recommendations for several DPE's students so they could perform the check ride.

There really aren't any significant downsides to using the DPE as your instructor.

Brian
 
Thanks for all the advice. Working on booking my intro flight.
 
...if you guys mesh well, I'd do it. As others said, you will definitely be prepared. For me though, picking my CFI was more about the 'vibe'. I wouldn't pick him just because he was a DPE.
 
Clark1961 said:
DPEs are usually excellent instructors which is why they were selected for DPE (as I understand it)..
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Chortle. "Excellence" is not a criteria either by policy or practice.

DPEs are high time instructors with sufficient political connections to get the designation.

Get references whether he's a DPE or the most junior CFI in the school.
 
flyingron said:
Chortle. "Excellence" is not a criteria either by policy or practice.

DPEs are high time instructors with sufficient political connections to get the designation.
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Pretty negative there Ron. Question: how did they get to be high time instructors.
 
Clark1961 said:
Pretty negative there Ron. Question: how did they get to be high time instructors.
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They teach a lot, but that doesn't mean they're good instructors either.
I've seen exceptional CFI's who have just started and I've seen complete idiots who have been teaching for 20 years.

The negativity comes from watching the political games surrounding people attempting to get designations and the arbitrary, capricious, and absolutely recourseless removal of such designations.
 
There is really no down side to choosing a DPE for instruction. Check out the persons qualifications,just like you would a CFI. Getting enough time scheduled may be a problem,if he's a busy examiner.
 
flyingron said:
They teach a lot, but that doesn't mean they're good instructors either.
I've seen exceptional CFI's who have just started and I've seen complete idiots who have been teaching for 20 years.

The negativity comes from watching the political games surrounding people attempting to get designations and the arbitrary, capricious, and absolutely recourseless removal of such designations.
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Yeah, I'm witnessing some of the latter, unfortunately.
 
Ah, yes. I believe he just got the Stearman shortly before I started taking lessons, maybe earlier that year.
 
I started my IR with my DPE. He's great, demanding but fair. But the reality is that good DPE's are very much in demand, and I can't compete financially with what check rides bring in, so I couldn't get any consistency. He was simply too busy. In the end I went with PIC's 10-11 day IR course, which I'm right in the middle of now.
 
I did this when finishing up my IR and for the ASES rating (two different DPEs) and it went well both times. Most DPEs love to teach and don't get much opportunity to do so.
 
I haven't yet taken my checkride(soon, really) but the CFI I fly with regularly knows where I'm weak and where I screw up. He will intentionally put me in situations where I'm likely to to test me all the time.

When I go up with someone else, they don't know my weak spots... they don't notice them or know to look for them and generally have a very good opinion of my piloting ability.

If the guys I hadn't flown with regularly had been my DPEs I'd be a private pilot right now. The CFI who knows where to push me? Probably not....
 
Downsides might be that if you don't mesh with the guy and decide to use someone else he might get offended and could make the check ride awkward if you use him. And someone already mentioned the fact that those guys do 4+ hour check rides every nice weekend. Could be tough to schedule.

The DPEs around here (the two I know anyway) are outstanding CFIs and one is an airline captain. They are *great* guys to have on a check ride and they'd be great instructors if they did instruction as their 9 to 5.
 
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