Must initial CFI checkrides be done with FSDO?

[Sam Snead]

My friend wants to get his initial CFI.

In my experience, there are DE's that have been "blessed" by their FSDO to give initial CFI checkrides. This appears to be no more.

Is there some sort of FAA rule out on this? Is this a regional procedure?

I would love to tell my friend that he can do the ride with a DE.

Help?

 

[Prof. ATP]

[...]
Is this a regional procedure?

I would love to tell my friend that he can do the ride with a DE.

There are regional differences, of course; we're talking FAA, right?

But the rule stands that the initial CFI ride must be with the FSDO. If the FSDO doesn't feel like it, though, they'll authorize a DPE to give the initial check. I had a student take his initial CFI with a DPE a couple of weeks ago under this: our FSDO just doesn't have enough people to give them. You have to call them and ask, though.

 

[veneratio]

At the 141 flight school where I used to instruct the 141 check airman were allowed to give the initial CFI checkride.

Each time an applicant is ready to take the initial CFI practical test, the Chief Flight Instructor would call the local FSDO and tell them that an applicant is ready for a checkride, the FSDO examiner would either:

1) Allow the 141 Approved End of Course Check Airman to do the checkride
2) Allow a DPE to do the checkride
3) Send an examiner from the FSDO to the flight school to do the checkride

The FSDO would base their decision on several things:

1) If the flight school has a high student end of course pass rate 80% +, then they would generally allow the 141 end of course check airman to do the checkride.
2) If they were busy, they would either allow the end of course check airman of a DPE

At my old flight school, when our pass rate for the initial CFI checkride went down to about 70 percent, the FAA implemended a policy that for the next 6 months, they would do 50 percent of the initial CFI checkrides and 10 percent of all other checkrides.

 

[bizicmo]

Go to the state of florida.
I have never heard of someone doing an intitial at the fsdo. Only with DE. Not saying its impossible to do it with the fsdo, just don't know anyone who has.

 

[flyer172r]

It varies from FSDO to FSDO. When I did my CFI the DPA FSDO would assign you a random DPE to do it with. The IND FSDO only required you to call them and tell them who you wanted to do the checkride with, and they would fax an authorization form to the examiner.

 

[flyf15]

Here in Colorado, for my initial CFI checkride in 2003, I called the FSDO and was prompty given a list of DPEs with which I could select one. Ended up being the first initial CFI applicant my DPE had ever done.

 

[mattpilot]

In Oklahoma, the FSDO insists on doing them. If they can't schedule you within 2 weeks, they'll assign a local DPE.

I called them a week ago to schedule mine. Since i'm such a lucky SOB, they could squeeze me in 2 weeks from the day i called. :/

Another thing that blows, the FSDO insists on you coming to them (either rent a plane at a local FBO, or fly one in from your school). They don't drive to your city.

 

[FDAFCFI]

Oklahoma and Texas both insist on the FSDO doing the checkrides. By the way, not all FAA examiners are bad or difficult. If you've been prepped well enough it doesn't matter who does your ride. Get to know the examiner before you start the checkride and the whole ride should be much smoother.

 

[av8rbama]

You can always try telling the FSDO you work a full-time job and the only time you have available is early Sunday mornings... Rumor around here is that will always guarantee assignment to a DPE.

 

[RichardRambone]

The KC FSDO was backed up for me so I did mine with our 141 schools CPE.