Quinton Smith DPE Checkride Gouges

Oral Emphasis

The oral exam is overwhelmingly centered on your cross-country flight plan. Multiple pilots report that the nav log and associated planning dominated the majority of the oral session. Key topic areas include:

• Performance calculations: Takeoff and landing roll, density altitude adjustments, max rate of climb adjusted from POH charts, and whether your climb rate is actually acceptable for the departure environment. He wants you working through the actual performance tables in the POH or ForeFlight — not just ballparking it.
• Weight & balance: Expect him to adjust the scenario (e.g., picking up 200 lbs of loose baggage at an intermediate stop) and have you recalculate W&B multiple times to prove you can adapt on the fly.
• Aircraft airworthiness: He typically opens by asking how you know the aircraft is legal to fly. Pilots report walking through logbooks, inspections (using AAV1ATES or similar), AD compliance, TBO, and engine/propeller logs. He doesn't dig excessively deep here if you're organized and confident.
• Currency and qualifications: He'll confirm you meet the requirements to take the checkride, asking to see specific logbook entries (long IFR cross-country, complex training, 300nm flight, etc.) and currency items (landings, BFR/checkride, IFR currency).
• Commercial privileges and limitations: For CPL rides, expect scenario-based questions about what you can and cannot do as a commercial pilot — friends asking you to fly for hire, splitting costs, etc.
• Weather: He wants you to review observed and forecast weather and discuss specific factors affecting your flight, particularly for IFR. He provided weather info and expected precise answers tied to performance.
• Lost communication procedures and emergency scenarios: Reported on the IFR ride, with emphasis on decision-making rather than rote recitation of regulations.
• Multi-engine theory (CMEL): Critical engine factors, systems knowledge, OEI climb performance at different altitudes, accelerate-stop and accelerate-go distances from the POH, crossfeed system procedures, and baggage compartment weight limits.

Common Questions

Pilots consistently reported these question styles and topics:

• How do you know this aircraft is legal to fly today? (Expects you to walk through the logs methodically.)
• How do you know you can complete this flight — takeoff, climb, and land safely at each airport? (He wants takeoff roll, climb rate from POH charts adjusted for conditions, and a reasoned go/no-go decision.)
• Are you comfortable with that climb rate? How do you know it's acceptable? (He pushes you to justify your numbers, not just state them.)
• What are TBO intervals, and when was the last overhaul? How can you verify it?
• What do you do with inoperative equipment? Difference between MEL and KOEL?
• Scenario-based commercial operations questions — can you legally do this flight for compensation?
• On IFR rides: lost comms procedures framed as decision-making scenarios, not just regulatory recitation.
• Baggage compartment weight limits — reported on both single and multi-engine checkrides.

Practical Focus

• IFR rides: Pilots reported a published hold (e.g., VOR-A into OKB), multiple approaches including RNAV with circle-to-land and LPV approaches, and equipment failures during the approach phase (e.g., failing the PFD/navigation source, requiring use of the magnetic compass). He tested pilots on following ATC instructions without over-narrating the flight.
• CMEL rides: Standard air work (slow flight, stalls, steep turns), followed by engine shutdown and feathering, restart, and Vmc demonstration. He seemed to appreciate pilots who ran the checklist after feathering rather than relying solely on memory.
• General flight notes: He is comfortable departing IFR if weather requires it. He respects PIC authority — if you decide to stay VFR due to equipment limitations, he'll support that as long as you explain your reasoning. He doesn't want you narrating every action during the flight but does expect you to verbalize key decisions.

Examiner Style

• Personable and fair: Universally described as a nice guy who is not looking for gotcha questions. Multiple pilots used words like "casual" and "fair."
• Scenario-based approach: He frames the oral around a realistic flight scenario rather than firing off disconnected regulatory questions. He wants to see how you think through real-world decisions.
• Values concise, confident answers: He expects direct responses — not padded with unnecessary information. A simple yes or no with a brief justification is preferred over a lengthy explanation. Pilots who were confident and thorough up front found he didn't probe as deeply.
• ADM-focused: He cares more about your aeronautical decision-making process than memorized answers. He wants to see that you understand the "why" behind your planning choices.
• Open book with restrictions: He allows ForeFlight, a tabbed FAR/AIM, and your checklist, but discourages outside notes, study guides, or unofficial resources. This was noted on multiple rides.
• Pacing: Oral exams ranged from about one hour (multi add-on) to two hours. He moves efficiently and doesn't dwell on topics once he's satisfied.
• Note on question rephrasing: One pilot reported that he can struggle to rephrase questions when asked for clarification, sometimes fixating on a specific way of asking. Worth being aware of — if you're confused, try to work through the question as stated rather than asking him to reframe it repeatedly.

What Surprised Pilots

• Depth on climb performance: Multiple pilots were caught off guard by how adamant he is about verifying that your adjusted rate of climb (from POH charts, not just ground roll) is acceptable for the departure. He doesn't just want the number — he wants to know how you determined it's safe, including referencing IFR departure procedures or obstacle clearance requirements.
• Baggage compartment limits: He asked about this on both single-engine and multi-engine rides — a detail many pilots don't think to review.
• Equipment failure timing on IFR ride: Failing the PFD during the approach phase, especially when it also served as the primary navigation source, was a notable surprise. Be prepared to fly with minimal instrumentation.
• He doesn't over-inspect the logbook: Several pilots noted he didn't do a deep dive into total logged hours — he mainly wanted to verify specific required entries and endorsements.
• Fees increasing: At least one pilot noted he mentioned upcoming fee increases — worth confirming current pricing when you schedule.