Eric Cook DPE Checkride Gouges

Six reports are on file for Eric Cook, covering instrument, commercial, and private pilot checkrides. Several pilots describe him the same way: fair, consistent, and relaxed, but thorough. He is stern and kind of hard to read, but he will not be out there to get you. He gives some leeway and values understanding over perfection. Know your stuff and do not commit to a wrong answer.

His biggest emphasis is paperwork. Before the oral, he checks IACRA, endorsements, your logbook, and the aircraft logbooks. He wants maintenance logs in order, and tabbing them out earns goodwill. He goes beyond the annual and 100 hour and looks for logbook entries for the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness on every STC. With G5s, he wants the 12-month battery capacity test, which his FSDO highlighted at a recent DPE conference. Make this perfect first.

He also handles the pilot bill of rights, his fees, and the cost breakdown up front. The fee ran $1000 at his PRB office, and it costs more in SNS. He sometimes meets applicants partway at SNS and may send the route to plan ahead of time.

The oral follows the ACS sections in order. For instrument, expect ADM and hazardous attitudes with signs and antidotes, personal minimums, icing, VOR charts, holding procedures, and Lost Comms. He uses scenario-based problems and will clarify a question if it is unclear. He allows reference to notes during the oral.

The flight is straightforward and consistent with his briefed Plan of Action. One instrument ride included a JEDGI2 departure, the VOR-B approach with published missed, the RNAV 19 with alternate missed, unusual attitudes high and low, and a simulated PFD failure. With dual G5s, he only fails the top one. He may modify instructions in the air, so write everything down and do not get rushed.