Question: Why the hell should it cost me $400 to take my PP checkride with the FAA??? $400 is absolutly ridiculous! These FAA examiners can fix their own prices which is just turd as far as im concerned. I thought governemt employees were suposed to be underpaid? I don't like it!!

 

Not sure which government's employees you are referring too. Russia maybe?
Seriously though, your "FAA examiner" is more than likely a DPE (designated pilot examiner) and is NOT employed by the FAA. These guys are actually independent contractors and are free to set their own rates. As far as reasons they charge so much, the story I have heard is that:

a) you are buying their time. Figure the average PPL checkride takes 4 hours (2 hour oral, 1.5 hour flight with .5 pre and post) your examiner is charging you roughly $50-60/hr to be there.

b) The examiner probably has a real job or is retired and would rather be on his boat or on the golf course but instead he has to drag himself down to the airport and go fly with someone who may or may not try and kill him. cha-ching, please pay another 100 bucks for inconvenience factor, cost of getting out to do your checkride (gas, food, etc) and the occasional new pair of underwear.

c) DPE's are subject to some liability if you take your shiny new certificate out and crash your C152 into someones house. Most carry additional insurance to cover their a$$es just in case because most have significant assets (ex-airline, -military, -corporate, etc). Cha-ching, another $100 to cover insurance and aggravation costs as well as recurrency training, etc.

So there you have it. Seems very reasonable to me. That being said, one of the advantages of a 141 program is not having to pay those costs. Now, if your examiner REALLY was from the FAA, they do NOT charge a fee because they are being paid by the FAA (or so I've been told). What's the downside? From what I've heard, checkrides given by a true FAA examiner are much more difficult and most people have difficulty passing on the first try. In addition, they are difficult to schedule.

I guess the bottom line is, if you haven't figured it out by now, FLIGHT TRAINING COSTS A LOT OF MONEY!!!

 

So far, I haven't noticed any bad attitudes towards MAPD graduates. So far, we've got a pretty good comradery going- study groups, helping each other out. We have everything from a 5,000 hour 1900 captain going to ERJ captain to 1,000 hour CFI new hires to a few MAPD graduates and a few Delta Connection academy grads. Everyone has been awesome, no complaints here at all.

With regards to the $400 checkride with the FAA, I guess I should count my blessings. I paid $200 for my checkrides in Midland, and I heard that checkrides with the FAA in Lubbock were free.

As for the upgrade time, looks like it's taking two years on the ERJ right now. Could be different on the CRJ, I'm not sure. That is from a seniority perspective. However, we MAPD grads being low hours, we could be waiting a bit longer to meet the ICAO minimums, or doing a lot of safety piloting.

 

Not that it relates to this thread but ALL FAA checkrides are free except the cost to get the plane there or other odd fees. The DPE's are the ones that charge you. HOWEVER, if it takes you 3 times to pass that FAA ride due to the questions are restrictions they hold you too at the FSDO then the plane will end up costing you the same. Usually the only rides taken with FAA are the CFI or CFII due to the required scheduling of these before going with DPE. Another thing, 141 rides are NOT free. They may be included in tuition
(That 80K you spent), but someone is paying. At the 141 school I taught at they were taken out of your loan.

On another subject, MAPD , are not always looked down upon, but I have NEVER heard of them being placed on a pedestal thats for sure. Remember that the biggest problem pilots have with them is that they are willing to work for less. I think at least 60 or 70% would drop the gripes if you MAPD types would push for a higher wage.
The trouble here is that a 300 hour guy just can't push for this because he really doesn't have any power to push for it. I mean what options does he really have if the airline says go ****** yourself when he asks for a reasonable wage. The mngmt also knows that these types took their training agreements in the first place because they are the type that like to take shortcuts. These are the best targets for scabs the mngmt can find.

XtremeF150

 

The $400 bucks makes much more sense now. And as far as going to a 141 school, you still have to do an FAA checkride. In fact, you do one for the school, then you do another one with the DPE. I'm hemoraging money. It's a good thing I don't have to pay ta...never mind.

It's a long way to the top if ya wana rock and roll


Stanrhintx let me know if you have any down time when you're doing your sim training. There ain't whole lot to do out here at the dump they call the ASU polytechnic campus. If you want to have lunch some time let me know.

 

That is incorrect. If your 141 school has examining authority then you DO NOT do a seperate ride with a DPE. I have done exactly 2 checkrides with a DPE, one was my PPL at a 141 that did NOT have examining authority and the other was for my MEI which I did part 61.

As far as it being included in tuition, that is also incorrect. The guy who did my Comm/Multi/Inst checkride was just a normal line instructor and I just paid the normal $35/hr for the instructor and $180/hr for the airplane. So it didn't cost me any more than a normal training flight. That is a good question to ask when you are checking out 141 schools (wether or not they have examining authority and for which courses they have authority).

 

I hope you knew that getting in! That is one of the reasons some of us are on these boards, to offer you advice and information before you take the plunge. If you think your little PA28 is pricey wait till you start your multi training! You will see your money disappear faster than a dress on prom night. I love it when I have students who complain about plunking down $8 for a new sectional every 6 months. Just tell em to get used to it.

 

Careful now not all 141 schools have self examining authority.

 

Hence the qualifier IF, meaning in the even that or on the condition that the 141 school DOES have examining authority, you will NOT have to do a seperate checkride with a DPE. That is why I recommended it was a good idea to ask the 141 school you are thinking about attending IF they have examining authority and for what certificates.

 

I went part 141, had to pay $200 plus the aircraft time. Like freezingflyboy said, the IF qualifier...

I guess the examiner cost can vary quite a bit. I've heard anywhere from $200 - $400 a pop.