Stephen Michael Graham DPE Checkride Gouges

As of this writing, one report is on file for Stephen Graham, and it covers a commercial checkride. He works out of Kentucky Flight Training Center and has done PPL, IFR, and CPL rides. The fee listed was $1000. The applicant who flew with him said he makes you feel comfortable and less nervous on the test.

The oral moves quickly if you answer fast and accurate. He will not probe your knowledge for no reason if you show you know your stuff. The applicant prepared a binder for all three rides with his FTN number on the cover. It held copies of the plane inspections, his medical, his ID, and his test results. He scored 100% on the written, so Graham skipped reviewing it.

Graham wants you building your own systems and checklists in ForeFlight. He values knowing how to get the answer over pure memorization. The oral covered required documents to fly, including photo ID, pilot certificate, and medical privileges or BasicMed. Expect A AV1ATE, ARROW, and NWKRAFT, and know where each item is and what is legal versus safe. He ran a compensation scenario about Mom paying for the flight and dinner, testing operational control and common purpose.

Inoperative equipment came up with a dead tail beacon. Know the MEL, KOEL, 91.205, and ADs, then the inop equipment process for that operation. Older aircraft before August 11, 1971 can differ, so verify the same way. Weather topics included isobars and pressure gradient, troughs, highs, and lows. Decode METARs and TAFs, read millibars on a surface analysis chart, and know NOTAMs for your route.

For the flight portion, use a checklist for absolutely everything. Graham has failed applicants for not using landing and taxi checklists, so do not skip them.