Recommend DPE in the FNT/PTK area

[Joshrk22]

Can anybody recommend a good DPE around the FNT/PTK area? My instructor told me I need to contact one and start planning to take my checkride. I asked my instructor if he had anybody in particular and he said no but he did give me a list of names in the area. I'm just trying to find a good one in the Detroit FSDO area.

 

[RedGuy]

Go with Barry Sutton, he's a great guy, and a very fair examiner. He doesn't make you nervous either, just that kind of personality. He used to be out of Lapeer, but now he's out of PTK, pretty sure he's at the Aviation Station. He's a big tail wheel/ aerobatic guy too so if you want to get your tail wheel after wards he can do that in his Citabria. He also does CFI's.

 

[Joshrk22]

I just googled him and he owns Sutton Aviation out of PTK. He does do aerobatic instruction, and as a matter of fact I was looking for aerobatic instruction as soon as I finished my private. I will probably go with him because he sounds like a good guy and it will give us something to talk about with the aerobatic stuff. Thank you!

 

[Limeyflyer]

Try Mary carpenter. I sent most of my students up with her. She is very fair and easy to get along with. As far as I know she just does private through commercial. Leigh Stanley also does rides for all certificates. Barry Sutton is an excellent one to go to also.

 

[Joshrk22]

My instructor and another instructor that I've flown with both said that Mary Carpenter was a good one. They said she's very nice and she's been doing this for a long time. Hmm, now I'm not quite sure which one to pick.

 

[RedGuy]

I think you'll find Barry to be a less intimidating examiner. He also has tens of thousands of hours of real life instructing and has been an examiner for several years now. He can tell if your ready or not. I've heard Mary can be pretty nit picky, and I just don't really like Leigh Stanley, not for any particular reason there's just something about his personality that bothers me. Other than that I don't know how Leigh examines. If your ready you won't be sorry if you go with Barry. Even your check ride becomes a learning experience with him.

 

[Joshrk22]

Redguy,

That's who I think I'm going to take my check ride with! Can you give me any gouge on him? Such as how long is the oral portion? What's the flight portion like? How much he charges?

I picked up the ASA Oral Exam Guide and I have been studying like crazy (anything I can get my hands on). I feel I am confident enough to pass the ride right now but I just need to get my last 7.5 hours of solo done with.

 

[RedGuy]

Redguy,

That's who I think I'm going to take my check ride with! Can you give me any gouge on him? Such as how long is the oral portion? What's the flight portion like? How much he charges?

I picked up the ASA Oral Exam Guide and I have been studying like crazy (anything I can get my hands on). I feel I am confident enough to pass the ride right now but I just need to get my last 7.5 hours of solo done with.

It's been about 5 years since I took a check ride with him, but I remember my private oral taking about 1.5 hours and according to my log book my flight took 1.3, but it went by REALLY fast. He's really good at making you feel comfortable and the oral seems more like your just BS'ing with him than taking a check ride, which I like. He'll want you to plan a cross country before you come in, pick a point not to far from the airport, because he'll have you fly to that first point, then you'll go into maneuvers after that. He just wants to see that your safe, responsible and have good judgment after all your PPL is really a license to learn. That's really all I can think of right now, like I said, it's been a few years. But I took my PPL, instrument and commercial with him. Then he taught me for my CFI and I instructed for him for a summer up in Lapeer. He's a great instructor and examiner.

 

[Joshrk22]

I'm sold. Hopefully he isn't too booked during the month of September. With his aerobatics and the flight school that he runs, it'll give us something to talk about, also. Thanks for the info!

 

[RedGuy]

I'm sold. Hopefully he isn't too booked during the month of September. With his aerobatics and the flight school that he runs, it'll give us something to talk about, also. Thanks for the info!

You do want to book him at least 2 or 3 weeks out becasue he does get booked up.

No problem on the info BTW