Donovan Burns DPE Checkride Gouges
Designated Pilot Examiner • (Donovan Stephen Burns)
Preparing for an FAA checkride with Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) Donovan Burns? GougeHub has a first-hand Donovan Burns checkride gouge report from a pilot who tested. Read oral exam questions, flight test patterns, and examiner insights.
↓ View 1 available gouge reportDonovan Burns flies a scenario-based PPL checkride. The pilot who reported says he frames questions around real situations instead of dry recall. He listens for the keywords that show you understand the concept. You do not need to recite a textbook word for word, but you do need to hit the ideas he wants to hear.
The oral leaned on practical knowledge a private pilot uses every flight. The pilot noted emphasis on the aircraft systems and on the POH. Knowing where to find numbers in your POH mattered, and so did knowing what they mean. Weight and balance and planning came up as part of the scenario approach. Burns wanted to see you think through a real trip, not just answer trivia.
The one critical lesson the pilot passed along centered on the POH. Treat that document as something you can open and read with confidence. Know your limitations, your performance numbers, and where each item lives in the book. The report frames this as the place a weak applicant could get caught.
On the flight, Burns valued proficiency over perfection. The pilot said he was not hunting for a flawless ride. He wanted to see safe, competent flying and good decisions in the cockpit. Fly the airplane well, recognize your own errors, and correct them, and you are in good shape.
As of this writing, only one report sits on file for Donovan Burns. So treat this as a single pilot's honest account rather than a broad pattern. Study your POH cold, practice talking through scenarios with the right vocabulary, and fly with steady proficiency. If you check with this examiner soon, add your own report and help the next applicant.
Examiner Patterns
Preliminary insight — based on 1 report
- Oral style: 1 pilot reported the examiner used scenario-based questioning throughout
- Oral duration: 1 pilot reported — 1.5 to 2 hours
- Navigation tools: 1 pilot reported the examiner accepted but did not require paper charts
- Go/no-go discussion: 1 pilot reported the examiner discussed go/no-go as part of a scenario
- Preflight briefing: 1 pilot reported the examiner gave a brief overview before flight
Based on self-reported pilot submissions. Data methodology
Analyzed across 113 site-wide Private Pilot checkrides in the GougeHub database, the same questions keep coming up. Here’s one of the 37 in the guide:
“What documents must be on board the aircraft before you fly?”
📋 Examiner Insight: You’re nearly guaranteed this — nail it cold. Remember ARROW.
⚠ Common Pitfall: The registration must be valid — they expire after 7 years. The weight and balance data must be the latest, signed by an A&P. If the aircraft has any STCs, the POH/AFM must carry the appropriate supplements.
All 37 questions, ranked by frequency, with Examiner Insights and Common Pitfalls from 113 real checkrides — written and reviewed by Andrew Gray, CFI-II.
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Ratings & Checkride Types
- PPL (Private Pilot)
FAA Designee Information
FAA Oversight Office: Los Angeles FSDO
Status: Active Designee
- Private Pilot Examiner: Airplane Single Engine Land
Source: FAA Designee Management System · Verify on FAA.gov →
Transparency Disclaimer: This page summarizes patterns reported by applicants. It is not an endorsement, prediction, or guarantee of checkride outcome. Every checkride varies based on the applicant and circumstances.