Jay Brentzel DPE Checkride Gouges

Oral Emphasis

Jay covers a wide range of oral topics but consistently zeroes in on several key areas across certificate levels:

• Logbook and Endorsements: He scrutinizes your logbook in extreme detail — hours, endorsements, and instructor signatures. Have everything color-tabbed and ready. He expects endorsement verbiage to match the advisory circular precisely. For CFI applicants, he digs deep into endorsement scenarios (initial solo, commercial practical test, flight review) and wants you reading directly from AC 61-65H and the FARs.
• Airworthiness and Required Inspections: He'll have you demonstrate airworthiness using the aircraft logs ("blue book"), find specific ADs, and walk through AV1ATES. He doesn't care much about VOR checks for PPL but expects you to locate actual AD compliance entries.
• Weather (IFR): For instrument candidates, expect surface analysis charts, prog charts, PIREPs, METARs/TAFs, and alternate filing requirements. He'll test whether you understand the nuances — such as weather improving later in the day but still requiring an alternate based on forecast timing.
• Constant-Speed Propeller Systems (Multi): He wants a thorough explanation using the McCauley propeller pamphlet diagram. Understand governor operation in detail, including how blades maintain constant speed during descents. Know that multi-engine props push oil to increase RPM — opposite of singles.
• Critical Engine and Vmc Factors (Multi): Teach from the Airplane Flying Handbook photos. Be ready to explain each P-A-S-T factor and how each one individually affects Vmc and performance.
• Pilot Qualifications and Privileges: Scenarios involving common vs. private carriage, pro-rata share, compensation rules, and medical certificate requirements come up frequently across PPL and CPL checkrides.
• FOI (CFI): He goes line by line through the PTS PLT codes, with emphasis on areas you missed on your written exam. Major topics include defense mechanisms, Maslow's hierarchy, RUAC, REEPIR, types of critique, Thorndike's laws, training methods (pros and cons of each), and the DECIDE model. He expects real-world examples to support your definitions.

Common Questions

• Scenario-based questions on the ground — e.g., a broken nav light during day VFR, a broken fuel gauge leading to a discussion of special flight permits and MELs.
• Governor operation questions for multi-engine: what happens to the blades during a descent, and how does the system maintain constant speed?
• For IFR: reading a PIREP aloud, determining whether an alternate is required based on a specific TAF, and explaining the difference between AIRMETs and SIGMETs.
• For CFI: "What endorsements would you give for a student's initial solo?" then having you read each one directly from AC 61-65H. He gives weight-shift and structural damage scenarios during weight and balance lessons.
• Proficiency vs. currency — he wants a clear, concise distinction without referencing notes.
• He checks whether you know the makeup of the Mode C veil and ADS-B requirements when teaching airspace.

Practical Focus

• PPL: He emphasizes VOR usage, flight plan activation, ATC communication with TRACON, flap management decisions, and diversion planning. He is not heavily scenario-oriented in the air but expects good situational awareness and decision-making.
• IFR: Reports indicate standard instrument approaches and procedures. He tests your ability to think quickly in the practical portion.
• Multi-Engine: Certain items may be skipped (reports mention slow flight, power-on/off stalls, simulated instrument OEI, OEI instrument approach, and go-arounds not being tested), but do not count on any omissions — be prepared for everything.
• CFI: Teaching demonstrations are a major component. He typically assigns lessons based on subjects you missed on your written exams. Runway Incursion Avoidance and Weight and Balance are very common teaching topics. He expects each lesson to hit every task in the PTS, stay under 30 minutes, and use proper FAA publications (PHAK, POH, Chart Supplement) — not informal checklists.

Examiner Style

• Friendly but straight to the point. He values efficiency and does not tolerate delays. Show up early, look professional, and have everything organized before he arrives.
• He has a checklist of items he wants to cover and checks them off as you demonstrate sufficient knowledge — he won't dwell on areas where you're clearly solid.
• He does not like candidates referencing notes during the oral; he wants answers off the top of your head.
• For CFI checkrides, the ground portion typically runs 2.5 to 3+ hours. FOI is conversational in some cases but can also be rigorous line-by-line questioning depending on your written test performance.
• He will rush through or cut short a lesson if he's seen enough — don't take it as a bad sign. Multiple reports mention him saying "let's move on" once he's satisfied.
• He does not dive deep unless he senses a weakness in a particular area — then he will push harder.
• He was strict about COVID protocols when those were relevant (mask wearing, no handshaking, not touching personal belongings), and candidates should follow any current protocols he requests.

What Surprised Pilots

• The level of detail expected on logbook endorsements caught several candidates off guard. He wants exact verbiage from the advisory circular, and every entry must be properly signed and logged — including ground training, not just the endorsement itself.
• For CFI applicants, he may stop your teaching lesson partway through once he's satisfied, even if you're only 75% done. Multiple reports describe him cutting lessons short — it means you passed that section, not that something went wrong.
• He specifically told a CFI candidate not to teach radio communication procedures during the Runway Incursion Avoidance lesson because it wasn't in the PTS. He holds strictly to PTS task boundaries.
• He wants a physical book open in front of him during CFI lessons — PHAK, POH, FAR/AIM — so he can follow along. Don't just reference publications; put them in his hands.
• Multiple candidates noted that having documents pre-organized with color-coded tabs, exact cash payment counted and laid on the table, and all materials ready before he walks in made a strong positive first impression and set a good tone for the entire checkride.
• He expects you to pay in exact cash and to count it out in front of him before he collects it.