Brandon Ayers

FAA Designated Pilot Examiner

FAA Examining Authorizations and Prices - All Checkride Fee’s must be paid in Cash

  • Private Pilot- ASEL - $1000

  • Instrument Rating Airplane - $1000

  • Commercial Pilot- ASEL - $1000

  • Sport Pilot - ASEL - $1000

Retest Fees-

  • Flight Retest Only - $400

  • Flight and Ground - $800

Additional Charges:

A $300 Fee will be charged if the applicant shows up and we are not able to conduct the practice test due to paperwork errors or not meeting the eligibility requirements based off of the FAR’s. Remember it is you and your instructors responsibility to go through the FAR’s line by line and verify that all requirements are met, and all paperwork is correctly completed.

Typically an average of 1 out of 5 checkrides are not able to start due to paperwork issues.

My October and November are currently Full. I will start to schedule checkrides for December starting on November 25th.

Currently I am only scheduling checkrides if you are already 100% signed off by your instructor, and ready to go. (Including a fully completed 8710 that is signed off by your instructor)

IF YOU ARE NOT 100% Signed off by your instructor, Or can not complete the paperwork documents like I asked, Then you will get pushed to the back of the line. Im having to spend and incredible amount of time communicating with people back and forth to get the documents submitted correctly, or find out they are not even signed off by their instructors.

CHECKRIDE APPLICATIONS/PAPERWORK HAS TO BE PERFECT WHEN YOU SUBMIT IT.

There is a lot of behind the scenes paperwork on my end, before and after each checkride, it does not go smoothly for me when I do not receive the documents completed correctly.

Thank you For your help in this Matter. Its our Job as examiners is to administer the checkride. And I'm doing everything that I can to make sure there are no hiccups in the paperwork prior to the checkride.

to schedule a checkride with me, please complete the following in order:

  1. Call, Text, or email me (email is perfered) to discuss your checkride needs and my availability.

  2. Complete this fillable Checkride Request PDF Form on a Laptop or Desktop Computer, save the document and email it back to me with a copy of your airmen knowledge test results. * Note - I will not accept hand written or missing information on a checkride application. Take your time completing this form, I have to have all this information to submit to the FAA’s DMS website to schedule your checkride.

  3. I will then contact you to schedule a date and time for your check ride.

  4. Please download the App “TurboScan” This is a fantastic app that will automatically capture and crop Images and will be able to put all the documents into one PDF file.

  5. Click here for -“Sample of Applicant Checkride Documents -Scanned with the Turboscan Phone App” I will then ask for pictures of your Pilots Logbook,Endorsements, Pilots Certificate, Medical, Photo ID, And Aircraft Inspection Sign offs/AD list to review prior to your check ride to ensure there are not any mistakes or issues that would prohibit the check ride to even begin. “its better to catch issues several days before a check ride and have you and your instructor fix them, then to show up the day of the check ride and not be able to start the exam and have to postpone it.”

  6. Please add All of your Documents in this order, Photo ID , Pilots License (front and Back) Medical (front and Back) , Logbook Endorsements, Pages of your Flight Times, If needed the Aircraft documents can be added to a separate PDF. But Please Limit everything to One or Two PDF Files. I save these files to my scheduling application so everything is under your appointment. If I have 10-20 different PDF files, it’s a pain to keep track of them all, and also harder to review all of the documents.

  7. Make sure all of the documents are right side up, and not rotated to the left, right or upside down.

  8. Checkrides are hard to come by these days based off of Examiner availability, weather, etc. The last thing you want to have happen is show up to a checkride and realize you do not meet the eligibility requirements of the FAR’s. So help me help you.

Tips for a Successful Checkride:

Pilot Logbooks/ Documentation -

  • The checkride cannot begin until I have reviewed all information and have verified all the required documentation and find that you have met all the requirements and are eligible to begin the test. Please show up with your Pilot Logbook times totaled and all endorsements and important training requirements tabbed. This is really important. Examiners don’t want to have to dig through logbooks trying to find items and add up your times. Also don’t forget to sign each page of your logbook stating that all the information on that page is correct.

  • Go through the FAR’s with your instructor line by line to verify you have completed all the required knowledge , aeronautical experience requirments, and endorsements. ( It’s even better to have an additional CFI triple check just to make sure nothing is missing) Remember a check ride can not begin until all requirements have been completed and verified.

  • Have your IACRA username and password written down. If we can’t log-in to IACRA or we are locked out due to failed log-in attempts, it delays the process.

  • Make sure your Form 8710 has the name of the Medical Examiner including his title behind his name……….. >

    Example - Jefferey Griffin, DO

  • Don’t forget you have to have ground training logged. I personally prefer a final entry logged such as this example for the Private Pilot “ I certify that I have given (name of student) (Amount of Hours) of ground training covering the areas of 61.105(b) 1-13ii. (Date, instructor name, CFI #, expiration date, and Signature)”

  • Commercial Pilot Applicants - Just because you may hold an instrument rating doesn’t necessarily mean that you meet the instrument training requirements of 61.129. The wording in 61.65 and 61.129 are different. If your instructor didn’t reference the instrument training for each flight by 61.65 & 61.129. I suggest writing an endorsement stating that your instructor provided (blank) amount of instrument flight training in accordance with and meets the requirements of 61.65 and 61.129. Please see the FAA’s Legal Interpretation Letter Theriault 2010

  • Logging time as a Safety Pilot - Be careful logging flight time as a safety pilot. Chances are you are not logging it correctly. Please see the FAA’s Legal Interpretation “Glenn 2009” for more clarification.

  • Take the time to type up and print off (using peal and stick paper) the correct endorsements (AC 61-65H) so they are legible. Lots of the endorsements in the back of logbooks are outdated or are not correct. So please be careful.

  • Wificfi also has a great list of endorsements that you can use.

  • Charts & Supplements - It is your personal choice to use paper charts or electronic charts such as Foreflight. Either are fine to use on your check-ride. If you are using an electronic program such as foreflight, be very familiar with it. Foreflight has hundreds of training videos on YouTube . Electronic Flightbags are pretty amazing but you have to know how to use them, and they can fail, Batteries Die, iPads overheat, so be sure you have a back up source such as another iPad/phone or paper charts.

  • Aircraft Logbooks - Have all required aircraft logbook inspections tabbed.

  • AD Compliance - Have a completed list showing AD compliance ( an endorsement stating that “All AD’s are Current and complied with” does not meet the requirements of 91.417(2)(v)). Your mechanic should have a completed list showing AD compliance, or a logbook system such as ADlog will have a sheet of paper listing each AD and its information and a section to show what method of compliance and a section for a mechanics signature.

  • Weight and Balance - Be sure you have an actual aircraft Weight and Balance, a “Sample Aircraft Weight and Balance” listed in a POH is not an “Actual” weight and balance for that specific aircraft.

  • IFR/ Instrument - If you are using an aircraft for an Instrument check ride. It must be certified for IFR Flight with all required inspections, and the GPS Navigation Database has to be up-to-date.

  • Simulator Time - If you are using Simulator time to meet the Simulated Instrument Time - You must bring a copy of the LOA “Letter of Authorization” from the school that states that Simulator is authorized to be used towards Instrument/ Commercial training. Example If someone shows up for an instrument checkride and they only have 30 hours of Instrument Training in an Airplane, and they have 10 hours Instrument training in a simulator to reach the 40 hour minimum. If we are not able to verify that the Simulator is FAA approved and for what hours are approved to be used to which rating/license then we can not start the checkride.

  • Be familiar with the ACS or PTS for your test - Seth Lake has some fantastic videos on his Youtube Channel - VSL Aviation walking you through the ACS and how it is used.

  • Weather Briefing/ Nav Log/ W&B - Show up to the checkride with your weather briefing, navigation Log, and Weight and Balance already completed. Have a separate Weight and Balance for the checkride flight portion. My weight including my iPad/headsets/etc is 200 Lbs.

  • Flight Plans -You are expected to simulate Filing, activating, and closing an VFR or IFR Flight plan.

  • Snacks/refreshments - I have coffee, water, and some sodas available. Feel free to bring some snacks/food incase you get hungry. The checkride will average around 5 hours in length. It is better to come prepared incase you get hungry.

  • REST UP! - Eat a good dinner and get as much rest as possible the night before. It is never a good idea to show up mentally and physically exhausted.

Listed below are “Scenario” options for (you to choose from) to use to plan your cross country, and to use for your checkride. Complete the Routing and Altitudes for the entire trip for discussion. Complete a Navigation Log (winds, Fuel, Headings, Times, Etc) to the first fuel stop or to the destination if able. Do not flight plan for a return flight. Only for the Cross country to the destination.

Private Pilot Checkride Scenarios -

Option #1 - You plan to fly to Oklahoma City with a friend to attend a concert that evening. Your friend weights 200 Lbs. You plan to fly home at night following the concert, but just in case you do decide to spend the night, you and your friend both have overnight bags that weight 15 pounds each.

Option #2 - You plan to fly to College Station, Texas to attend a 7pm Texas A&M Football game with a friend. Since hotel rooms are limited, you plan to return home late that evening. Your friend weighs 200 Lbs, and you choose to bring a Yeti cooler with plenty of tail gate food/snacks that weighs 25 pounds.

Option #3 - You plan to fly to Amarillo, Texas with a friend to visit and eat dinner at the “Big Texan Steakhouse” and to attend a country concert. Your friend weighs 200 Lbs and you both have overnight bags that weigh 15 Lbs each in case you spend the night.

Instrument Checkride Scenarios -

Option #1 - You and a friend plan to fly to Houston Hobby KHOU to attend the Houston Boat Show Convention. Your friend weighs 200 lbs. You both have luggage that weights 15 lbs , plus a small cooler full of snacks and bottled water that weighs 15 pounds.

Option #2 - You and a family member decided to fly to Kansas City KMKC to watch the Kansas City Chiefs Football Game. Your family member weighs 200 Lbs. You both have hotel reservations and have overnight bags weighting 15 pounds each, plus a small cooler full of snacks and bottled water that weights 15 pounds.

Commercial Checkride Scenarios -

Option #1 - An Individual hires you to fly him after a business meeting to Pagosa Springs, Colorado - where his family is already there on vacation. He weighs 200 Lbs and He has a briefcase that weights 20 Lbs along with your overnight bag that weighs 15 Lbs.

Option #2 - An Individual hires you to fly him to Las Vegas, NV (KHND) to attend a business convention. He weights 200 Lbs and he has 40 pounds of luggage along with your 25 pound bag..

 

Checkride Location

Currently I am conducting checkrides out of my hanger/office at KGLE - Gainesville, Texas.

My Hanger is a large gray hanger located right in front of the Self Serve Fuel Station, and is also the first building to the north of the Airport Terminal Building.