Airline Pilot Central Forums - Delayed CFI Checkride, other options? (2024)

Good afternoon everyone,

I am reaching out to seek advice or information regarding methods to accumulate flight hours without obtaining my Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) certification.

To provide some context, I am currently a student at a university and enrolled in a CFI course. While the CFI and CFII certifications are not required for graduation, passing the End-of-Course (EOC) assessment is mandatory. Unfortunately, I have been informed that the wait time for a checkride is several months due to DPEs being hesitant to conduct initial CFI check rides. This delay poses a significant setback in my efforts to build flight hours hoping to be at my hours when I graduate in May.

I have considered alternative options such as enrolling in an accelerated CFI course outside of my university or applying to Mesa's Pilot development program time-building program. However, I am curious if there are other viable options that I may be overlooking.

If anyone has insights or experiences related to this issue, I would greatly appreciate your input.

I find it hard to believe that a designated examiner with the power to charge whatever he likes would turn down an initial ceretification, if authorized to give one.

If local examiners/inspectors are too busy, then go to a location that isn't; shop around. As an instructor, you may have to do th same thing for your students, and your instructor or program should be doing that for you. If they don't, then you take charge and do it.

I'm deeply opposed to "building hours," and would rather see someone build experience. If you want hours, theen falsify them. Write them in your book. That's what they're worth; no more than the effort to scribble them in place. Experience can't be bought or falsified, and it's what makes you an aviator. Not hours.

If you want experience flying airplanes and can't get it locally, then look beyond locally. Whether that means seeking an inspector or examiner, or finding work towing banners, tossing jumpers, doing pipeline patrol, or any number of other things, then do that. Tens of thousands of us have.

The industry tends to winnow out those without the commitment, who won't do what it takes: that puts the ball in your court. How badly do you want to fly?

Perhaps they don't want to administer checkrides that take much longer than a normal checkride and have a high failure rate. More trouble than it's worth if you already have a line out the door just for "regular" pilot checkrides.

[QUOTE=JohnBurke;3827024If you want hours, theen falsify them. Write them in your book. That's what they're worth; no more than the effort to scribble them in place. Experience can't be bought or falsified, and it's what makes you an aviator. Not hours.

?[/QUOTE]

Ade you saying falsifying log book entries? Is that what you're saying?

I think he's saying that you don't learn much from your 500Th 152 pattern that you didn't know from your 499th pattern and it's maybe time to go fly freight in Alaska or something. You know, do something MORE than accumulate ink in a logbook.

You need to be elevating this matter if you can't get a checkride. You need to contact the Regional FAA office and find out what is going on and why you can't get a checkride. If that doesn't get you one soon, you need to contact your federal elected representative's office. This is what they are for.

People contact me asking whether there is a need for DPEs and I tell them that there is always a need. If you can't get a checkride, there is obviously a need.

I disagree. Every time you think you've seen it all, a student finds a new way to do something that you have to learn from and overcome. The amount of personal-interaction can be over-the-top, compared to pounding out hours not talking to anyone or interfacing with anyone. Everyone always thinks they know better, based on what they did. You can be the best stick in the world, but you have to operate in a crew environment in an aircraft that requires a crew.

Is it a reading problem that you have, or a comprehension problem?

Not likely. Examiners set their fees.

Examiners who fail students get to charge theem again for the next checkride. Think about it.