The FAA is seeking public comments on a proposal to survey pilots who take a check ride on the conduct of the Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE).
Designated Pilot Examiners: Post-Activity Survey, posted to the Federal Register Dec. 19, 2025, is required by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, in which Congress mandated that the FAA enhance its oversite of DPEs, including “deploying a survey system to track the performance and merit of such examiners.”
“Because such a survey will necessarily constitute a time burden on pilots,” the FAA is seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to collect feedback on the proposed survey system, which led to the request for public comments, agency officials explained.
Once approved, the FAA will ask pilots to complete a survey following practical examinations, which will consist of approximately 12 yes-or-no questions regarding the DPE’s level of professionalism, the suitability of the exam environment, the content of the exam, and the duration of the ground portion and the flight portion of the exam.
The FAA will use the information collected to track the performance and merits of DPEs, according to agency officials.
The FAA estimates that approximately 49,000 pilots will complete the survey each year and that it will take about seven minutes to complete the survey.
Public comments are being sought “on any aspect of this information collection, including (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for FAA’s performance; (b) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) ways for FAA to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (d) ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of the collected information.”
The agency will summarize and include comments in the request to OMB.
The comment period ends Feb. 27, 2026.
As of Jan. 5, 2026, 18 comments had already been received.
You can find out more and post a comment on the Federal Register at Docket No. FAA-2025-5568.
We’ve had SEED Inspections for years. FSDO calls to applicants after the Checkride are not new. These new proposed surveys are absolutely not necessary.… they will only consume the applicants’ time responding to the survey. The Applicant is NOT the evaluator! Applicants who pass will almost certainly give a favorable review. Those who do not meet the Standard would lean toward blaming the Examiner who “wasn’t fair”. This will turn into an opportunity to complain about… It took too long to get scheduled… Examiners take too long… Examiners charge too much… on and on. Checkrides are fluid (WX, Mechanical, Ilness). It is not unusual for an Examiner to re-schedule half of the applicants on his/her Calendar every month. In addition to the actual Checkride, the Examiner spends countless hours scheduling, reviewing, prepping… and significant personal expenses of which applicants have no knowledge. After the completion of every Checkride, I facilitate a self brief by the applicant… what did you feel was better, the Ground or the Flight, I ask the applicant… what did they feel was really good or, what they could’ve done better. I ask them what I could do better and listen to their suggestions. I’ve never walked out of a Checkride doubting the opinions of the applicant. These proposed surveys are NOT necessary.
I am an active CFI and believe feedback regarding DPEs is a good idea. I keep hearing stories of 4+ hour orals for Private Pilot applicants; DPEs displaying an intimidating attitude; DPEs demanding cash up front ($1200 in our area) and then discontinuing for legitimate, but technical reasons that might be corrected on the spot. DPEs who simulate inflight emergencies by raising their voice (applicants unsure if the message is actual or simulated). There may be a lack of standardization. I am hearing these stories from applicants who passed. The pass/fail data is only one part of the equation. If I was a DPE, I would welcome feedback on my performance positive or negative. These tests do not have to be inquisitions.
The survey must include exam score data for comparison against other DPEs’ averages. Otherwise the risk is that the survey becomes a popularity contest instead of the intended skills assessment.
Does the FAA want DPEs to be liked, or do they want their DPEs to turn out safe pilots?
In my experience, people that have failed a test, especially young applicants, blame it on the DPE versus the fact that they themselves weren’t prepared.
But in 2026, we pander to the least common denominator it seems.
I’ll be interested to see what other commenters have to say on this one.
The FAA wants thorough tests conducted with fairness. The DPE is an evaluator and should not inject attitude or manner that adversely impacts performance of the applicant or safety during the test. A DPE is not an arbiter of safety. The measure of safety is accomplished by an applicant’s meeting the test standards and receiving an objective evaluation by the DPE. No guarantees IMO. Instructors have an equal responsibility given the breadth of time spent training these new pilots. They certify an applicant is ready to hold the rating. Having said all the above, my experience with DPEs and CFIs is that most follow the above approach to training and testing and I have high respect for those who do.