Carol Zerbe DPE Checkride Gouges

Oral Emphasis

Weather is a major focus area with Carol. Expect to spend significant time on weather briefings — not just knowing the types, but being able to interpret and explain what you're looking at. Flight planning also comes up heavily; she wants to see that you've thought through your cross-country plan thoroughly and can explain your reasoning, not just fill in the blanks on a nav log.

Common Questions

• She'll ask you to walk through your weather briefing and explain what the information actually means for your flight — not just recite METARs and TAFs.
• Expect questions about how weather conditions would affect your go/no-go decision-making.
• Flight planning questions go beyond the basics — she wants to understand your thought process for route selection, fuel planning, and alternates.

Examiner Style

Carol is conversational and approachable. The oral feels more like a discussion than an interrogation. She's not trying to trick you or catch you off guard — she genuinely wants to see that you understand the material. That said, she does probe deeper when she senses you're reciting memorized answers rather than demonstrating real understanding.

What Surprised Pilots

• The depth she goes into on weather briefings caught some pilots off guard. It's not enough to pull a standard briefing — you need to be able to interpret every piece of it and explain how it factors into your planning.
• Her relaxed demeanor can be disarming. Some pilots were surprised at how comfortable the checkride felt, but that conversational style doesn't mean she's going easy — she's listening carefully to your answers.