Agency Shares DPE Utilization and Authorization Growth Effort

This year’s Flight School Association of North America (FSANA) Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) Symposium began with a presentation from FAA senior leadership. It discussed the agency’s work to increase the DPE pool and how it has paid off so far.

The presentation was led by Trey McClure, the FAA's Acting Manager of the General Aviation and Commercial division, and Everett Rochon, the agency’s Manager of Airmen Training and Certification.

The pair explained that, from October 2023 to now, over 100 more DPEs are available. The agency is continuing the effort to grow the number of DPEs that are allowed to receive initial training in 2025. This aims to increase the examination system capacity by growing DPE appointments, authorizations, and utilization.

The FAA’s new Centralized Airman Testing Office will play a large role in ensuring the agency’s success. It has already started to streamline oversight of around 25 FAA staff members that will supervise DPEs in action. Currently, they are responsible for managing 120 DPEs nationwide.

The agency is also putting work into increasing the DPE pool using legislation and other recommendations. This includes the FAA FAA Reauthorization Bill of 2018, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (DPE ARAC) report, and the recent FAA Reauthorization Bill of 2024.

If you’ve tried to schedule a checkride recently, you likely know how important this goal is. The staggering DPE shortage delays student certification by months and can impact commercial pilots attempting to begin their professional careers. This is not only extremely frustrating for those who have worked for months or years to earn a license, but can also generate additional costs or deficiencies in proficiency.

“The incorporation of FAA staff into the DPE Symposium is a key part of the bi-directional communication process between DPEs and the FAA who designates them to conduct FAA work,” a FSANA statement explained. “FSANA greatly appreciates the FAA taking the time and organizational resources to be a part of this critical discussion event.”

FMI: www.fsana.com