Lisa Buswell Dahl DPE Checkride Gouges

As of this writing, only one report is on file for Lisa Buswell Dahl, and it covers a Commercial ASEL ride. The pilot passed and called her a fair and reasonable DPE. She is a big advocate for confident and logical ADM and CRM throughout the checkride. The checkride fee was 900 dollars, which the applicant thought was a good price.

Before the flight, she asks you to fill out background information on some spreadsheets. That includes your hour requirements and your aircraft maintenance information. The ground portion was not crazy, but she checks that you know your material. She wants to see that you actually read through your aircraft maintenance logs, your POH, and your flight manuals.

She assigned a cross country to Joseph State, KJSY, for the planning task. The applicant used an electronic navlog with no trouble. She cares that you picked a logical and safe route. She wants you to explain and calculate your headings, altitudes, and performance data.

The flight departed KSLE on the simulated cross country. She then had the applicant divert to Independence State with failed avionics and EFB. That forces all estimates using a paper sectional, so bring one and know how to use it. The maneuvers were standard commercial: steep turns, slow flight, and power on, power off, and accelerated stalls. She may assign either chandelles or lazy eights, so prepare both. The ride also included an emergency descent into a forced landing and eights on pylons.

The applicant returned to KSLE for landings. She required a go around on the first short field approach. She then let the applicant choose the order of the landings. The pilot flew short field, soft field, and the power off 180 to finish.