Originally Posted by
rickair7777
2) Examiner: Regardless of what anyone says, some or many examiners do have "unofficial" failure quotas, ie they cannot pass every checkride applicant or they will come under FSDO scrutiny. This is ESPECIALLY true for CFI initial checkrides. Make sure you know the reputation of the examiner, and your local FSDO culture. Ideally the examiner will have a close relationship with your school or instructor, this will prevent him from busting you for no particularly good reason just because he thinks he has a quota to meet. Also if at all possible use the same examiner for all of your checkrides. This way you'll have a personal relationship with him, so much less likely to be used as quota cannon-fodder.
I converse and fly with DPEs regularly. This is hyperbole. While it may happen in some isolated instances, I'd say the "rumors" and "scuttle" is really what you are hearing, not reality. People love to dramatize and our imagination sometimes runs away. There are no quotas, there are no secrets. If someone is passing everyone they may get an observation with an inspector, but I fail to see how that is the end of the world. That simply means the inspector is validating that every applicant is prepared, which may well be the case. If ANYONE has knowledge a DPE that is not abiding by the standards they need to document it and bring it forward. It should be dealt with.
The far more important thing is to know the standards forwards and backwards. Know what the valid questions and topics are. Know what is in the material so in the unlikely chance you are asked something that is outside the "bounds", you can show specifically the question does not relate to the standards. That is how you protect yourself, and the more checkrides you take, the more you'll realize this and prepare for it, but you should start doing this in your career as soon as possible.
The big issues with CFI checkrides is applicants not really knowing how to apply part 61 rules for endorsements, training, logging, etc. Not being prepared with the various ACs that describe those things. Not being able to teach and simply "telling". Not having methods that help students learn and achieve repeatable performance. Letting the student take a maneuver or situation too far and endangering the flight. Not understanding the underlying aerodynamics and principles of the maneuvers they intend to teach. It's not meant to be easy and what slid before as a commercial applicant may not cut it when you are required to demonstrate the "instructional knowledge". It's a big step up to be the one teaching someone how to fly, but reference back to the standards and the materials.