Yes the DPEs are approved by ATP. All that mean is that they have personally met with our VP, and they are personable. ATP has had some bad experiences with DPEs smoking in the plane, and doing some things outside of the PTS. You cannot tell me that other flight schools use different DPEs all the time. Every flight school in the country knows exactly what kind of checkride you are going to get. I was gouged up when I took my PVT checkride at a different flight school. You make is sound like people pass just because they come to ATP. What you don't know is how many people are removed from the program. You opinion is that if you pay, you pass which is nothing further from the truth. I am not saying that ATP is perfect in any means. But your side of the story is wrong. These students do not continue with the program if they cannot pass the checkride. Usually they get 2 shots at it, sometimes 3. ATP is not in the business to make unsafe pilots. The DPEs get no paybacks from ATP, they have no contract, and do not have an obligation to pass the student. The guys who run ATP are pilots themselves. So why would they want people out there flying in their airplanes, who don't know what they are doing? And about you hanging out here, sorry about that, I just have never seen you in the flight training section of the forums, and I am hanging out here because I am a current CFI in my profession. When it comes to 300 hour guys in the right seat, I don't totally disagree with that. Look at the military, guys are put in the seat at less than 300 hours and landing on an aircraft carrier by themselves.