Scott Alan Eslinger DPE Checkride Gouges

Oral Emphasis

Eslinger sticks tightly to the ACS and expects you to have read the entire document — including the back sections that many applicants overlook. He specifically asks whether you've reviewed those appendices. Reported topic areas include:

• Sectional chart knowledge, particularly how Maximum Elevation Figures (MEFs) are calculated
• Weather — decoding the remarks section of METARs, especially the all-numeric pressure change groups that many pilots gloss over
• TFRs — with a focus on stadium TFRs: their dimensions, altitudes, durations, and how they're published (hint: they don't always show up where you'd expect in the NOTAM system)
• Aerodynamics — left turning tendencies, specifically what's happening during the takeoff roll versus in flight

Common Questions

Pilots reported being asked to explain the "why" and "how" behind concepts, not just definitions. Expect questions like:

• Walk me through the math or process behind a chart feature (e.g., how an MEF value is derived step by step)
• Decode a specific piece of weather data you might normally skip over in a briefing
• Explain the aerodynamic forces at play during a specific phase of flight — and which specific tendency dominates and why
• Describe TFR details beyond just "check NOTAMs" — he wants specifics on dimensions, applicability, and where to find them

Practical Focus

The flight portion was reported as efficient, coming in at around 0.9 hours. No unusual maneuvers or non-standard requests were noted — he follows the ACS task list and keeps things moving.

Examiner Style

Eslinger is described as very fair and approachable. He follows the ACS closely, which makes the checkride predictable if you've genuinely studied the document. When applicants get tripped up on a question, he'll take time to explain the concept rather than just moving on or marking it as unsatisfactory. He encourages having your resources (FAR/AIM, charts, supplements) available and accessible during the oral. The overall pace is brisk — ground portions have been reported around 45 minutes — but it doesn't feel rushed.

What Surprised Pilots

• The depth of detail on topics most applicants consider minor — MEF calculation methodology, METAR remarks decoding, and the specific NOTAM publication process for stadium TFRs caught pilots off guard
• How fast the overall checkride went — pilots expected it to take longer but found that his ACS-focused approach keeps things efficient
• He explicitly asks whether you read the back section of the ACS — it's not a trap, but you'd better have actually read it