Don’t Limit Your Training: FAA’s Stance on Flight School DPEs

‘Comprehensive training’ remains paramount, so a single Designated Pilot Examiner shouldn’t dictate your flight instruction.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, January 14, 2026 at 12:13 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Flight instructor and student inside small Piper aircraft [Credit: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA explicitly states that flight training regulations are not designed for pilot schools to tailor instruction to a specific Designated Pilot Examiner's (DPE) testing style.
Flight schools are mandated to provide comprehensive training that meets or exceeds FAA Airman Certification Standards (ACS) or Practical Test Standards (PTS), focusing on preparing students for safe flying, not just passing a test.
While pilot schools may choose particular DPEs or seek examining authority for efficiency, all administered tests must be approved by the FAA and meet or exceed the scope, depth, and difficulty of comparable FAA practical tests.

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Question: The flight school I attend uses a particular Designated Pilot Examiner for the private pilot through commercial check rides. I wanted to go with another DPE who was recommended by a friend but was told that wasn’t possible, as the flight school only uses a particular DPE. Is it common for schools without examining authority to tailor students’ flight training to the testing style for preferred DPEs?

Answer: According to the FAA, “[agency] regulations are not designed to tailor flight training to a preferred DPE’s testing style. It is essential for pilot schools to ensure that students receive comprehensive training that meets or exceeds the applicable FAA ACS/PTS standards, aeronautical knowledge, flight proficiency, and aeronautical experience, and that best prepares them for safe flying beyond just passing the practical test.”