Moonlight

Ladies and Gentlemen,

A online 8710 was filled out and signed in the Fall of 2019. The DPE said he has an opening for the checkride in three weeks. Checkride day came and after a 5.5 hr oral, adverse meteorological conditions existed so the flight portion was canceled.
The flight portion was rescheduled three more times and had to be canceled due to adverse weather on the checkride date.
On the fourth checkride attempt, the recipient flys to the airport to meet with the DPE, notes wind condition aloft and decides to cancel. DPE verbally criticizes, angrily puts pressures on recipient to fly, offering shortcuts and threatens to not reschedule again.
Recipient politely declines, mentions Risk Management and says goodbye. DPE says angrily “have it your way” and storms back to his room without speaking.
ATIS was reporting winds 14G19, ceiling 2800 AGL at 35kt. Performance maneuvers have the requirement to be 1500’ AGL, plus cloud clearance 500’ below leaves 800’ for maneuvers.
DPE does not respond or return phone calls in the following three weeks.
As 60 day window closes, should the recipient request half of the 900.00 fee be returned as the flight portion was never started?

Is this how the DPE typically treats the CFI recipient?

Thank you!

toolowgoaround

I'd compain to the FSDO that uses that DPE. That examiner shouldn't be pressuring the applicant to fly like that. I would also not do the checkride at all with that examiner and consider flying with an ASI at that point.

PerfInit

Did you receive a “Letter of Discontinuance” from the DPE? If not, that is another data point to bring to the attention of the FSDO.

TiredSoul

Yeah definitely report to the FSDO.
This is typical “ace of the base” behavior.
Once and only once did I have a student go with a guy like this and that was on the students request.
Capt A-hole eventually got his DPE ness revoked.

V1 McFlyerson

Wow, good luck getting it squared away. An expensive pita!

TiredSoul

Current rate for initial CFI.

60av8tor

This^^^. Frustrating behavior, certainly not professional, and could be viewed as taking advantage of a position. Certain positions with perceived or actual deference can make some go a bit looney - lose perspective on right vs wrong. Hearsay at best, but I heard talk several years ago of some attempt at breaking up a DPE mafia, I believe, in the MCO FSDO.

DontLookDown

I could understand if a DPE offered reassurance, such as “I understand it’s gusty today. Don’t worry, if your landings aren’t perfect I have the authority to use my judgement and won’t hold that against you.”

That’s a bit different than actually pressuring someone as in “you either fly now or not at all. It’s VFR, the winds are calm enough, I’m busy and I’m not rescheduling this.”

Reassurance I’m okay with, pressuring I’m not.

I will say though, I can see this from the DPE perspective and understand the frustration. All DPE’s are extremely busy right now. A CFI candidate should feel pretty comfortable landing in 14 knot winds, even if it’s a direct crosswind. PPL checkride would be a different story.

I’d still call and ask for a refund. Despite understanding his frustration he still didn’t handle it the right way. Since the DPE is obviously screening the calls, you could end the voicemail with “if I don’t hear back from you by the end of the week I’ll be reaching out to the FSDO regarding your inability to finish a checkride that you started among other things” that will prob get him to perk up enough to give you the time of day.

joepilot

I strongly disagree with this advice. You do NOT want to take a checkride with this jerk. Send him a letter requesting your money back by registered mail.


Talk to the FSDO, see what they say.


Joe

Moonlight

Several regulations were violated by the DPE which won’t be mentioned here on a public forum, as the DPE is not here to defend themselves.

Thanks to all who commented and shared their insights above. Hats off to you!