I have been flying airplanes since before I could drive. I soloed at 16, got my Private ticket at 17, and my Commercial ticket at 18. Other endorsements and ratings (tailwheel, glider, multi-engine, seaplane, instructor) came later.
Flying has been a lifelong obsession...a real sickness! Those of you who are already licensed know what I mean. Those of you just starting out will find out very quickly that flying becomes a part of your DNA!
My background includes:
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IMPORTANT!!!
I am going to be out of town for part of June '23 and, as of now, I don't have any more June availability. I'll start taking requests for July check rides on June 15th.
Thank you.
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As you can imagine, the FAA is quite specific in its requirements for a check ride. They are also quite specific as to what we, as DPEs, must do prior to doing check rides.
There are four application forms below. Please be sure to select the correct one, complete it and scan/email it to me at Pat@HoustonDPE.com
Read the instructions CAREFULLY. If any information is missing, or illegible, it will only delay the process!
I will reply via email with a suggested date/time. Once confirmed, I will send you an email with your cross-country, or other, assignment(s).
Scroll down to the next section for some helpful hints on how to prepare for your ride.
FOREIGN PILOTS…PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!
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There's no way around it...check rides can be stressful. There's not much I can say to change that, but these tips should help keep it to a manageable level. They are in no particular order.
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ANSWERS TO THE ACS is an excellent resource for Private, Instrument, and Commercial applicants. Take some time and check it out here.
Here is a link to an article written by my good friend and follow pilot, Jolie Lucas. In it, she interviews a couple of DPEs who offer some solid insight into passing that check ride! Check it out here
Here is another link you may find of interest...some typical questions asked of DPEs. Click here.
Here's an excellent (and short) article from BOLDMETHOD on common reasons for check ride failures. Click here.
NOTE TO COMMERCIAL PILOT CANDIDATES
Please make sure your instrument training logbook entries make reference to 61.129(a)(3)(i). If it doesn't, you may not be qualified for the Commercial check ride. Please refer to this letter of interpretation from the FAA.
It refers specifically to the Commercial requirement for at least 10 hours of instrument instruction using
a view limiting device.
AND FINALLY...
If you do not have a Wings account with www.FAASafety.gov please consider registering for one using the email on your check ride request form. At the successful completion of your ride, I'll issue you WINGS credit. For information on the FAA's WINGS Program, click here.
Before you take your check ride, take a few minutes to look at these very common errors I see on almost every check ride. IFR common errors coming soon. (Scroll down to "BEHIND THE PROP" for a live discussion on common check ride errors)
If you are a student pilot, a CFI (new or experienced), or a flight school owner, you'll find these guides to be very helpful. Feel free to download them and share them. They're free of charge!!
That's AOPA's Dave Hirschman and me following an afternoon of aerobatics in Mike Filucci's sweet Epsilon. A memorable experience to be sure!
(photo credit: Kay Sundaram)
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AOPA SCHOLARSHIP WINNER WEBINARS
2023 Webinars
2022 Webinars
What should a typical lesson look like and what you can expect on your check ride? Click here.
Tips on using IACRA. Click here.
A discussion on airspace. Click here.
What to expect on your check ride. Click here.
Ten Tips For Flight Training Success. Click here.
The ACS (Airman Certification Standards) and How To Use Them. Click here.
What Should A Typical Lesson Should Look Like? Click here.
Stretching Your Flight Training Dollars. Click here.
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MISCELLANEOUS FUN STUFF
AOPA's David Tulis and I sat down a while back for a fun conversation, and the tape was rolling. You can listen here!
(Note: Scroll down to Episode 54, then forward to about 19 minutes into the podcast.)
Jeremy Walters invited me to be a guest on his "Breaking The Chain" safety seminar series. It was an honor to participate. Click here to watch.
Jeremy Walters invited me to guest (again) on his Breaking The Chain series. Click here.
In this video, Jeremy Walters and I spent some time knocking the rust off my seaplane rating, including transitioning from the front seat to the rear seat. Click here.
Dan Millican and Christy Shafer host a wonderful program called In The Hangar. I had the pleasure of sharing one of my favorite stories when them. You can see it here.
Christy Shafer and I discuss AOPA's You-Can-Fly program "In The Hangar". Click here.
In this video, Jamie Beckett and I discuss his upcoming 800 mile cross country flight in a Cessna 152...challenges, potential hazards, and more. Click here.
Many of AOPA's ASK AN AMBASSADOR programs can be accessed through this single link. For links to individual programs, keep scrolling down!
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BEHIND THE PROP
Here's a fun podcast from United Flight Systems in Houston. It's hosted by owner Bobby Doss and DPE Wally Mulhearn. I've had the pleasure of doing a couple of them and....here they are!
Common Check Ride Errors (Part 1) Click here
Common Check Ride Errors (Part 2) Click here
Common Check Ride Errors (Part 3) Click here
Common Check Ride Errors (Part 4) Click here
Pet Peeves and other stuff. Click here.
A visit with 3 DPEs. Click here.
Traffic Pattern Etiquette. Click here.
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"DON'T GET RUSTY" WEBINAR SERIES
AOPA does these monthly, and occasionally I drop in for a visit. Join me and my AOPA colleagues Chris Moser, Pablo Maurelia, and Stephen Schroeder at the links below.
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ASK AN AMBASSADOR
Over the course of 55 episodes, my fellow Ambassadors showed up on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month for "Ask An Ambassador"...a little thing we started during Covid. While we're no longer doing them "live", the recorded evidence remains!!! We're a diverse bunch...an A&P/CFI, an aeronautical engineer, and me. And, we have a lot of fun.
Creative Ways To Finance Your Flying Habit
Cross Country Flying For Fun and Adventure
Long Cross Country Flights (Live from Sun n Fun)
Paperwork, FAA Forms, Recordkeeping
Sims and Flight Training Devices
Fuel Starvation, CFIT, VFR Into IMC
$100.00 Hamburgers (and other stuff)
Memorable Destinations (And how I got there)
Flying Goals/Staying Proficient On A Budget
Things I've Learned As a CFI (Part 2)
Preventing Loss Of Control Accidents
Setting, And Using, Personal Minimums
TFRs and Intercepts and How To Avoid Them
Over The Hills And Far Away (Part 1)
The Cold Hard Facts - Winter Flying Hazards
Over The Hills and Far Away (Part 2)
What's The Deal About Upgrades
Bob Hoover and me. What a thrill!
Prior to the Rod Stewart Show