How long did you wait for the CFI ride?

Ajax

Ajax

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I'm calling the FSDO next Friday to schedule my ride, and I've heard that I can expect 6-8 weeks. I've heard people that wait weeks, but my instructor only waited a few days.

Any advice on what I can expect? It's the Ft Worth FSDO, for what it's worth.
 
I recently had an applicant go the week after I called. Then I've had an applicant that has been trying to go since Christmas. He has had a bad string of wx cancels and some cancellations by the FSDO. This is the OKC FSDO however. Though the two are pretty similar i've heard. I would plan on about a month.
 
Submitted Paperwork on a Thursday.
Heard back the following Thursday.
Checkride scheduled the Thursday after that.
 
I can't remember if I did mine with the DAL FSDO or the FTW FSDO, but as I recall 3 weeks is probably an absolute minimum and 6-8 weeks more normal, especially for just 1 person.
 
damn I guess I was lucky. It only took me three days and that was because we had to wait for the day the airplane wasn't being used.
 
I scheduled with the FSDO for about 2 weeks after I called- then had to reschedule for a week later because of a mx issue with the airplane.
 
Thanks for the replies guys. As soon as I heard from the chief instructor yesterday that we are going to go ahead and schedule it my heart skipped a beat. I know this is probably the hardest checkride I'll have, and I'm just going to go up there and do my absolute best. I constantly hear horror stories about the initial. I'm doing my MEI, so I haven't heard too much about what to expect for the flight portion. I've heard it's more of a CMEL checkride, but I also expect to do all of the ground reference from private as well, and lately I've been told to expect an approach too.

I guess they weren't kidding when they told me, regarding this checkride, "If you've done it, expect to be tested over it"

This will be a big monkey off of my back, to say the least. :)
 
Ajax BU said:
Thanks for the replies guys. As soon as I heard from the chief instructor yesterday that we are going to go ahead and schedule it my heart skipped a beat. I know this is probably the hardest checkride I'll have, and I'm just going to go up there and do my absolute best. I constantly hear horror stories about the initial. I'm doing my MEI, so I haven't heard too much about what to expect for the flight portion. I've heard it's more of a CMEL checkride, but I also expect to do all of the ground reference from private as well, and lately I've been told to expect an approach too.

I guess they weren't kidding when they told me, regarding this checkride, "If you've done it, expect to be tested over it"

This will be a big monkey off of my back, to say the least. :)
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It's difficult but thats why we do it. Don't let it become a beast of burden for you. Do you homework and when the night before the checkride comes don't even think about looking at a book. If you don't know it by then you won't know it when it counts. Rest up and put your best effort to it.

Then when they bust you for some knicky-knack item don't let it ruin your day. The do-over will be much easier.
 
I think it varies with each FSDO, when I made my request at 4pm I had an answer about 10am the next morning, but I did mine with the Orlando FSDO
 
Use this to your advantage. If the FAA can't get you scheduled with-in two weeks you are allowed to ask for a DE so you don't have to delay your check ride and they have to give it to you. A lot of times they want to do this because it's practically a free vacation day for them so they won't tell you this.
 
jhugz said:
Use this to your advantage. If the FAA can't get you scheduled with-in two weeks you are allowed to ask for a DE so you don't have to delay your check ride and they have to give it to you. A lot of times they want to do this because it's practically a free vacation day for them so they won't tell you this.
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Yeah they can release to a dpe but the list they often will allow is a small one. And those DPEs know it's a small list and charge accordingly. At least that is how our fsdo works. We have two DEs that can do rides when the feds let them. They both share an office very far away, so that turns into about a thousand dollar checkride after you pay the 600 dollar examiner's fee. The feds aren't THAT scary and the students of mine who have been given have all opted to wait. Can't blame them.
 
i was going to suggest that as well! just get a DE... if they're bogged down, they have to give u one.... but then you gotta shell out the $$$
 
ntbjounin said:
i was going to suggest that as well! just get a DE... if they're bogged down, they have to give u one.... but then you gotta shell out the $$$
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Do they HAVE to give you one? Who exactly sets the policy for this? The way our fsdo acts it is not up to us.
 
poser765 said:
Do they HAVE to give you one? Who exactly sets the policy for this? The way our fsdo acts it is not up to us.
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You're right it is a short list, but they have to give you one of them...I would take the DE over the inspector everyday of the week for an extra 500 or so dollars.
 
The next day after I was signed off.
But I did the "purchase CFI plan" and had is scheduled way before I started.
 
I waited around 8 weeks for the Alliance FSDO, but once I got the call I was doing the ride 2 days later.

My understanding was that IF it is beyond THEY have the option to send you to a DE of THEIR choice. Could be wrong though
 
:bandit:
jhugz said:
You're right it is a short list, but they have to give you one of them...I would take the DE over the inspector everyday of the week for an extra 500 or so dollars.
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They don't have to assign it to a DPE, unless they are too busy to do it.

http://fsims.faa.gov/PICDetail.aspx?docId=A6018EF51590B0008525734F0076665F

5-499 FAA CONDUCT OF INSTRUCTOR PRACTICAL TESTS.

A. Contact With Flight Instructor Community. The General Aviation Safety Audit and other sources indicated that the FAA needed closer contact with the flight instructor community. Therefore, the FAA resumed the responsibility of conducting practical tests for initial issuance of flight instructor certificates. Flight instructor examiner (FIE) designations were withdrawn for the purpose of conducting these practical tests. However, the FAA still authorizes the FIEs to conduct practical tests for the renewal, reinstatement, and addition of a rating to a flight instructor certificate.

B. Public Complaint. After this policy was implemented, the FAA received complaints from the public and some Regional Flight Standards Division (RFSD) managers that applicants for flight instructor practical tests were experiencing excessive delays in obtaining appointments at some Flight Standards District Offices (FSDO). An investigation of these complaints revealed that such delays had occurred.

1) The FAA intends to continue conducting initial flight instructor certifications, but recognizes that conditions sporadically occurring at some FSDOs may cause lengthy or unacceptable delays in administering flight instructor practical tests.

2) RFSD managers may authorize individual FSDOs to designate highly qualified FIEs to conduct practical tests for the initial issuance of the flight instructor certificate according to the following procedures:

a) FSDOs may designate to conduct flight instructor practical tests for the initial issuance of the flight instructor certificate with RFSD manager’s approval. When an appointment cannot be made with an FAA ASI within 2 weeks, the FSDO may direct an applicant to a selected FIE, in accordance with the following:

1. The FSDO must:

· Review the qualifications of FIEs or other examiners whom it deems highly qualified,
· Create a pool of the most qualified examiners to administer initial flight instructor practical tests,
· Notify the examiners that they are being considered to administer the tests, and
· Inform the examiners that administering the tests is subject to approval by the RFSD manager and to cancellation, at any time and without cause, by the FSDO.

2. The examiner must consent to conduct such tests.

3. When allowed, the FSDO will direct applicants to an FIE nearest the applicant’s location. When several examiners are available within a 50-mile radius of the applicant, the FSDO should select examiners on a rotating basis.

b) Each FSDO must obtain advance approval from the RFSD manager before designating examiners to conduct the initial flight instructor practical test. FSDOs must submit justification for the request, including enough information on ASI resources and applicant demand, to enable the region to determine if that FSDO cannot serve the applicants within 2 weeks. Before approving the request, the region should determine whether other FSDOs adjacent to that office are also unable to conduct the tests.

c) When conditions indicate only a short-term demand for testing services, such as completion of a semester or training class, the region may limit the period when a FSDO may refer applicants to FIEs .

d) RFSD managers will maintain documentation for such authorizations granted. In addition, they will review FSDO policies on this subject at least annually to determine if existing FIE designation procedures are needed.

3) This initiative is deemed necessary to ensure that the FAA continues to meet its obligations to initial flight instructor applicants in a timely manner while providing the highest level of safety.

4) It must be emphasized that the use of this policy is limited to those instances when an applicant cannot be scheduled for a practical test within 2 weeks of the original request. FSDOs are expected to conduct initial flight instructor certification practical tests whenever resources are available.
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To the OP, let me know which inspector your get at the FSDO. There are about 3 really straight forwards guys over there.
 
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