EAA to Co-Chair ARAC DPE Reforms Working Group

September 12, 2019 - EAA Vice President of Advocacy and Safety Sean Elliott was named industry co-chair of a congressionally mandated FAA working group tasked with designated pilot examiner (DPE) reform. Congress has directed the group to review how the FAA "selects, trains, and deploys" DPEs with a goal toward ensuring there are enough DPEs active nationwide to serve the needs of applicants, flight schools, commercial operators, and all other players in the industry.

The group is also required to advise the FAA on the policy and/or regulatory changes needed to allow DPEs to perform up to three checkrides per day (the current limit is two), an unlimited number of partial checkrides, and the ability to operate across FSDO districts.

The group, officially titled the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee's Designated Pilot Examiner Reforms Working Group, will have regularly scheduled meetings, with a recommendation report due to the plenary Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee one year after the first meeting, which is in late October.