ROLE OF THE PILOT EXAMINER

Pilot and flight instructor certificates are issued by

the FAA upon satisfactory completion of required

knowledge and practical tests. The administration

of these tests is an FAA responsibility normally

carried out at the FSDO level by FSDO inspectors.

The FAA, however, being a U.S. government

agency, has limited resources and must prioritize

its responsibilities. The agency's highest priority

is the surveillance of certificated air carriers, with

the certification of airmen (including pilots and

flight instructors) having a lower priority.

In order to satisfy the public need for pilot testing and

certification services, the FAAdelegates certain of these

responsibilities, as the need arises, to private individuals

who are not FAA employees. A designated pilot

examiner (DPE) is a private citizen who is designated

as a representative of the FAAAdministrator to perform

specific (but limited) pilot certification tasks on behalf

of the FAA, and may charge a reasonable fee for doing

so. Generally, a DPE's authority is limited to accepting

applications and conducting practical tests leading to

the issuance of specific pilot certificates and/or ratings.

A DPE operates under the direct supervision of the

FSDO that holds the examiner's designation file. A

FSDO inspector is assigned to monitor the DPE's certification

activities. Normally, the DPE is authorized to

conduct these activities only within the designating

FSDO's jurisdictional area.

The FAA selects only highly qualified individuals to

be designated pilot examiners. These individuals must

have good industry reputations for professionalism,

high integrity, a demonstrated willingness to serve the

public, and adhere to FAA policies and procedures in

certification matters. A designated pilot examiner is

expected to administer practical tests with the same

degree of professionalism, using the same methods,

procedures, and standards as an FAA aviation safety

inspector. It should be remembered, however, that a

DPE is not an FAA aviation safety inspector. A DPE

cannot initiate enforcement action, investigate accidents,

or perform surveillance activities on behalf of

the FAA. However, the majority of FAApractical tests

at the recreational, private, and commercial pilot level

are administered by FAA designated pilot examiners.