Beginning October 19th, 2004, FAA began accepting applications from the Ultralight and Light Sport Community for Designated Pilot and Instructor Examiner positions. These individuals, when chosen, will be tasked with providing the practical test examinations for prospective Sport Pilots, and Sport Pilot instructors- a very important, and essential role within the Sport Pilot system. The eleven page application, (including four pages of instructions), solicits information concerning the applicant's overall flight experience (Ultralight and any General Aviation experience held), training experience as a BFI/AFI with an FAA recognized Ultralight Training organization (such as USUA), and FAA ratings held by the applicant.
The application (which was released almost two weeks early, according to a recently updated FAA Sport Pilot timeline), has been greatly anticipated by many USUA instructors, and has been met with a highly favorable response from the ultralight community. While Ultralight instructors are excited about the prospect of becoming a DPE, existing General Aviation DPEs are receiving this new post rather coolly. "Instructors and Examiners of GA aircraft have long felt no great kinship with the smaller, less complicated airplanes we have been intimate with over the years" comments USUA EVP Dale Hooper. He went on to say "In fact, when several existing DPEs around the country were polled regarding their willingness to provide the services required to create Sport Pilots, a reluctance was evident. This could, however, lead to a positive situation for our instructors- especially the existing AFIs. And, since Sport Pilot/Light Sport Aircraft rules include such exotic (to General Aviation pilots) looking (and flying) aircraft such as Trikes and Powered Parachutes, many GA Instructors and Examiners are tending to shy away from them especially."
Discussions with FAA have given USUA some insight into the DPE selection process, and the role of the application in this procedure. Each answer provided by the DPE candidate on the application will be afforded a point value. Applicants with the greatest number of points will be selected into the initial cadre of DPEs. This unique group will be required to provide all the necessary elements of pilot and/or instructor evaluation. This being the case, along with the appropriate flight and training experience as an Ultralight examiner (AFI), there will be a need for the candidate to possess a working knowledge of FAA procedures as well. This means that an AFI who is also a CFI will accumulate more points, and therefore will have the best chance of obtaining a spot in, at least, the first batch of DPEs. Also, a favorable recommendation from the FAA recognized training organization, under which the candidate has been operating as an AFI will award additional value (added points) to the application. USUA will be pleased to offer recommendations for qualified instructors. There will be no charge for this service, and all who feel qualified are encouraged to apply.
USUA instructors requesting a recommendation from USUA to become Sport Pilot DPEs should:
Copies of the completed application with recommendation requests can be mailed to USUA at:
You may also FAX your application and request to USUA at: (717) 339-0063
If you wish to send your application and request electronically to USUA, you may scan the entire completed application, and e-mail it to us at usua@usua.org.
After receiving the copy of the completed DPE application, the request will be sent to the USUA Safety And Training Committee for recommendation. Recommendations will be mailed to the applicant's address via USPS 1st Class mail at no charge. If an expedited reply is required, the applicant must include appropriate return-mail postage payment.
"Applicants can be assured that USUA will treat all requests for recommendations equally, and that a reply will be returned quickly. We are pleased to be able to provide this service at no charge to the exceptional individuals who have supported – and continue to support – USUA throughout the years, and who have maintained the high level of integrity and safety that has set USUA apart from all others" said Hooper.