Five months waiting for a checkride

Database of DPEs:
http://av-info.faa.gov/DesigneeSearch.asp

Select "Pilot Examiners."

For "Designee Type," choose PE for private pilot examiner.

For "FAA Office," choose NM07 for Salt Lake City.

DPEs_SLC.jpg
 
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Luigi said:
Lynn French DPE, also, I believe the manager of the Crawford (99V) CO airport, nice guy.
970.921.7700
Crawford is in Western CO., not far from the Utah border.
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Rob Duncan is a CFI in Crawford. I've flown with him (he owns a Cessna 185). Good guy.
 
Here is an update. This morning I called Lynn French in Crawford, Colorado and left a message. I looked up the airports near Crawford, Colorado and there has been a TFR issued due to fire in Crawford. Thank you Luigi and Murphey for the recommendation. At this time I bet Lynn has a other things to attend to with a fire in his backyard. I gave an incentive to my flight instructors to get a check ride. They have been diligently trying to find an examiner. One of my examiners called almost everyone on the Database of DPEs. Thanks eetrojan. Also called the FSDO. They gave me some suggestions on the best 4 examiners to call. We have called those examiners several times.
 
I just had a similar situation. SoCal is notoriously bad for examiners. There are 8 in my area and I was calling all of them almost every week for months with no response. I was ready for my checkride in April and it didn't happen until July.

I ended up flying home to Michigan for a week and did the checkride there. I spent a week learning a new airplane (did my training in a PiperSport, learned a 172 in MI) and 3 days before the checkride called up the local examiner and he scheduled me. Was it hard doing it in a new airplane in new airspace? Absolutely, but it pushes you to be a better pilot and I learned that at this point it shouldn't matter the airplane or airport, I should be a safe pilot. Come checkride day I was very nervous and didn't perform as well as I knew I should have, but I flew within standards and got it done. I learned alot from the CFI in Michigan and also from the DPE. It was definitely stressful, but I wouldn't change that situation, the experience was worth it.
 
The long lead times seems to be universal but eventually you will get scheduled. Sounds like you have received sufficient advice from the group. I will simply say best of luck to you! Keep us posted.
 
New plan, I've decided my chances are better to find a check ride in Las Vegas. Therefore I started a new thread trying to find a CFI with a Cirrus in Vegas.
 
Goornogo said:
The long lead times seems to be universal but eventually you will get scheduled. Sounds like you have received sufficient advice from the group. I will simply say best of luck to you! Keep us posted.
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According to Senator Jim Inhofe, part of the problem will be fixed with the next aviation revitalization act (which he says will be signed, and go into effect at the end of September.) Right now, DPEs can only do two check rides in a day, and cannot work outside of their geographic areas. Both of those items will be fixed.
 
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