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:

FAA regulations explicitly state that flight training should not be tailored 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/Practical Test Standards (ACS/PTS) to ensure overall pilot proficiency and safe flying, not just test passage.
Schools can pursue "examining authority" to administer FAA-approved tests themselves, which can improve efficiency by reducing delays for check rides and preventing skill degradation that might lead to failed 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.”