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Understanding the Private Pilot Check Ride Gouge

Profiles are created from a debrief of applicants who have taken check rides with a particular DPE.

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 02:15 PM ET

Verified

A private pilot check ride gouge is a profile of the things a DPE is known for asking, or the scenarios they often give an applicant. [Credit: Daryl LaBello/Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University]

Key Takeaways:

“Do you have a private pilot check ride gouge for (insert name of local designated pilot examiner)?” read the text sent.

The CFI—an acquaintance—was reaching out in hopes of better preparing their flight student.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.