The DPE checkride: what to expect on your practical test

The FAA practical test — universally called the "checkride" — is the final evaluation required to earn a pilot certificate or rating. It is administered by a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE), an experienced pilot authorized by the FAA to conduct practical tests on its behalf. DPEs are private individuals, not FAA employees, though they act under FAA authority and must adhere to FAA standards.

The practical test is governed by the Airman Certification Standards (ACS), which replaced the older Practical Test Standards (PTS). The ACS defines every task the examiner may evaluate, the knowledge elements within each task, the risk management considerations, and the skill standards (altitude tolerances, heading tolerances, airspeed tolerances). The examiner selects which tasks to evaluate — not every task is tested on every checkride, but every area of operation must be covered.

The checkride has two distinct parts: the oral examination (ground portion) and the flight test. Both must be completed satisfactorily. The examiner may end the test at any point if a disqualifying action occurs, such as unsafe operation or failure to meet ACS standards on a task. A passed oral portion is preserved if the flight portion is failed — the applicant only needs to retake the failed areas.

The FAA publishes the authoritative DPE roster at designee.faa.gov, searchable by location, certificate type, and examiner name. Your flight instructor will often recommend specific examiners based on their experience, but you are free to choose any DPE authorized for your certificate level and geographic area. Some DPEs have waitlists of several weeks or months, so scheduling early is important. AeroCopilot is evaluating DPE roster ingestion for a future release — until then this page indexes the publicly available designee listings.

DPE fees are set by the individual examiner and are not regulated by the FAA. For a private pilot checkride, fees typically range from $700 to $1,000. Instrument rating and commercial checkrides often cost $800 to $1,200. ATP practical tests conducted at airlines are generally covered by the employer. The fee is paid directly to the DPE, usually before the test begins, and is non-refundable if the applicant fails. However, if the test is discontinued (not failed) due to weather or maintenance, the continuation is typically covered under the original fee.

When scheduling, ask the DPE about their preferred format: some conduct the oral and flight on the same day, while others prefer to split them. Confirm the location (the DPE may come to your airport or may require you to fly to theirs), expected duration, payment method, and any specific items they want you to prepare (such as a cross-country flight plan to a specific destination).

Arriving prepared with the correct documents is essential. Missing a single required item can result in the examiner being unable to conduct the test. The standard checklist includes:

Personal documents:Government-issued photo ID (driver's license or passport), current medical certificate (or BasicMed documentation), knowledge test results (must be within 24 calendar months), and your pilot logbook with all required CFI endorsements — pre-solo, cross-country, knowledge test, and practical test readiness endorsements per AC 61-65.

Aircraft documents (AROW): Airworthiness certificate (must be displayed), Registration (current and valid), Operating limitations (POH/AFM), and Weight and balance data (current, including any modifications). The aircraft must also have current maintenance records showing compliance with annual inspection (within 12 months), 100-hour inspection (if used for hire), AD compliance, transponder check (within 24 months), pitot-static check (for IFR, within 24 months), and ELT inspection (within 12 months).

Flight planning materials: A completed cross-country flight plan (the DPE will typically assign a destination), current sectional charts (paper or EFB), current Chart Supplement (formerly A/FD), weather briefing documentation, weight and balance calculations for the checkride flight, and takeoff and landing performance data. Bring a plotter, E6B (mechanical or electronic), and any other tools you use during planning.

IACRA application: Your CFI must initiate the IACRA application before the checkride. The DPE will access it during the test to complete the certification process. Ensure your FTN (FAA Tracking Number) is active and that all information in IACRA is accurate.

The oral exam is a conversation, not an interrogation. The DPE will evaluate your aeronautical knowledge across the ACS areas of operation, typically using scenario-based questions that test your ability to apply knowledge rather than simply recall facts. A typical private pilot oral lasts 1-2 hours, though complex discussions can extend it.

Common topic areas include: pilot qualifications and currency requirements, airworthiness requirements and aircraft documentation, weather theory and interpretation (METARs, TAFs, prog charts), national airspace system and airspace classifications, navigation and flight planning, aircraft systems and performance, weight and balance, aerodynamics and principles of flight, aeronautical decision-making (ADM) and risk management, emergency procedures, and applicable regulations.

The DPE will often begin with your cross-country flight plan and use it as a springboard for questions. "You planned to fly at 5,500 feet — what are the VFR cloud clearance requirements at that altitude?" "Your route passes near Class C airspace — what do you need to enter it?" "The weather at your destination shows a ceiling of 1,800 broken — can you complete this flight VFR?" This scenario-based approach tests practical application, not rote memorization.

If you do not know an answer, say so honestly and explain where you would find the information. DPEs appreciate intellectual honesty far more than guessing. The ACS allows the examiner to prompt and redirect — the oral is evaluative, not adversarial.

The flight portion evaluates your ability to safely operate the aircraft to ACS standards. For a private pilot checkride, this typically includes: preflight inspection, engine start and taxi, normal and crosswind takeoffs, departure from the traffic pattern, navigation along the planned cross-country route (the DPE will typically divert you after the first checkpoint), pilotage and dead reckoning, VOR or GPS navigation, slow flight, power-off and power-on stalls, steep turns (45 degrees bank), ground reference maneuvers, emergency procedures (simulated engine failure, systems failures), and normal, short-field, and soft-field landings.

ACS standards define specific tolerances. For private pilot steep turns: maintain altitude within +/- 100 feet, airspeed within +/- 10 knots, bank within +/- 5 degrees, and roll out within +/- 10 degrees of entry heading. For landings: touch down within a specific zone (400 feet for short-field), maintain centerline, and demonstrate proper technique for the landing type.

The DPE evaluates not just whether you hit the numbers, but how you manage the overall flight. Aeronautical decision-making, situational awareness, radio communication, scanning for traffic, and smooth coordination all factor into the evaluation. A pilot who hits every tolerance but appears rushed, task- saturated, or unsafe will not pass. A pilot who slightly exceeds a tolerance but recognizes it, corrects it, and demonstrates sound judgment may receive the benefit of the doubt.

Pass: The DPE completes the IACRA application, issues a temporary pilot certificate (valid for 120 days), and you walk out as a certificated pilot. The permanent certificate arrives by mail from the FAA within several weeks. This is the goal, and with proper preparation, the vast majority of applicants achieve it.

Disapproval (failure): If you fail one or more tasks, the DPE issues a Notice of Disapproval (form 8060-5). This is not the end — you retain credit for all tasks passed. To retake, you must receive additional training from a CFI on the failed areas, obtain a new endorsement stating you are proficient in those areas, and schedule a retest with a DPE (same or different). The retest covers only the failed tasks and areas, not the entire checkride. There is no mandatory waiting period, but adequate additional training is expected.

Discontinuance:A discontinuance occurs when the test cannot be completed for reasons beyond the applicant's control — weather deterioration, aircraft mechanical issues, or examiner scheduling conflicts. A discontinuance is not a failure. All tasks satisfactorily completed are preserved, and the test resumes from where it stopped. No additional endorsement or training is required for continuation. The DPE issues a Letter of Discontinuance documenting which tasks were completed.

Common failure areas: FAA data consistently shows that landings (particularly short-field), stalls, slow flight, and emergency procedures are the most common areas of disapproval. On the oral exam, weather interpretation, airspace rules, and weight and balance calculations are frequent stumbling points. The best preparation combines thorough ground study with dedicated practice flights in the specific maneuvers evaluated on the checkride.