Sport Pilot Talk

Hoping someone can clarify something for me. I’m about ready to take my practical. I’m flying a CTLS. Does the DPE have to be a “Sport” DPE or can any DPE who is willing to give the exam in the CTLS do my practical test??

Also, need some references, like something from the FAA website.

Which rating are you testing for?

The airplane doesn't really matter, except it must be a LSA for a sport pilot checkride. The FAA issues a letter to the DPE authorizing them to perform certain practical test. As long as the DPE is authorized to perform the test you wish to take you are good to go. The airplane just needs to meet the requirements for the practical test. You can do a private pilot checkride in the CT with a DPE authorized to do private pilot checkrides. You can do a sport pilot checkride in the CT with a DPE authorized to do sport pilot checkrides. The DPE does not need to be a sport pilot examiner just because you are using a LSA for the checkride.

All DPEs receive an annual Letter of Designation via the new FAA Designee Management System, specifying their particular authorizations. Obviously, all Sport Pilot DPEs are authorized to perform initial SP ratings within their rated category and class. Not all DPEs who do higher ratings are also designated for SP, so you have to ask. The rules are covered In FAA Orders, not FARs. For further info, see http://designee.faa.gov .

It may interest you to know that, when the Sport DPE authorization was implemented in October 2004, it had a distinct advantage over the conventional DPE. Prior to that, all examiners were managed out of their local FSDO, and only permitted to give checkrides within their own district. Since Sport DPEs were few in number, and managed out of OKC, theirs was a nationwide appointment, and they could do checkrides anywhere. That's one of the reasons I opted for SP-only designation.

Late last year, FAA removed all geographical restrictions for all examiners. So now, you're free to import an examiner from anywhere in the country, regardless of the level of designation. This should help to mitigate the long-standing DPE shortage.