Jose Moreno DPE Checkride Gouges

Oral Emphasis

Moreno's oral exam hits all the required subjects, but pilots consistently report he goes deepest on a few core areas:

• Aircraft Systems — This is his top priority. Expect thorough, detailed questioning on how your airplane works.
• Airspace & Symbology — He wants you to read the sectional confidently and explain what you're looking at.
• Weight and Balance — Be ready to walk through your calculations and understand the implications.
• Flight Planning — Your cross-country plan needs to be tight. He scrutinizes your nav log, timing, and waypoints.

Common Questions

Pilots report that Moreno asks pointed, practical questions rather than obscure trivia. Expect him to drill into how systems function and why, not just recitation of facts. He'll walk through your flight plan in detail and may ask you to explain airspace boundaries and symbology directly from the chart. His questioning style is direct — he wants clear, confident answers.

Practical Focus

• Briefings: He places heavy emphasis on your passenger briefing, taxi briefing, and emergency briefing before you even leave the ramp. Don't skip or rush these.
• Cross-Country: Your initial departure will be the first leg of your planned XC. He'll have you set a timer and prefers you hit your first waypoint within a minute of your planned time (ACS allows up to five minutes).
• Stalls: Expect at least one stall performed in a turning configuration.
• Steep Turns: If you nail the first one, he may cut the second short — but he'll still have you start it.
• Ground Reference Maneuvers: He holds a high standard here and expects near-perfection. Don't treat these as throwaways.
• Emergencies: He may throw both an engine fire scenario and an engine failure at you in different locations and at unexpected times. Stay ready throughout the flight.

Examiner Style

Moreno is consistently described as a "no BS," by-the-books examiner who is also genuinely nice and professional. He's not trying to trick you — he just expects solid, thorough knowledge and precise flying. He's strict on standards but fair. One important note: his line of questioning doesn't end when the oral is over. He continues evaluating your systems knowledge and decision-making throughout the flight portion, all the way until he hands you your certificate.

What Surprised Pilots

• The fact that knowledge testing continues during the flight caught pilots off guard. Don't mentally "check out" of the oral when you walk to the airplane.
• His high standard on ground reference maneuvers surprised some — he expects precision that goes beyond just staying within ACS tolerances.
• Emergency scenarios came at unexpected moments and in varied locations, so pilots recommend staying mentally prepared for a pull-the-throttle moment at any point in the flight.