Tom Guthrie DPE Checkride Gouges

Oral Emphasis

Guthrie covers a wide range of topics but leans heavily into a few key areas:

• Commercial Privileges & Regulations: Expect detailed questions about what you can and can't do as a commercial pilot. He distinguishes between flying for hire and holding out, and wants you to provide specific examples of each.
• Weather: He'll ask where you got your weather briefing (e.g., flight service), then have you interpret METARs, TAFs, fronts, crosswind components, and AIRMETs. He also checks your familiarity with the imagery tab in ForeFlight.
• Charts & Airspace: Heavy emphasis here — MOAs, restricted areas, warning areas, SATRs, wilderness areas, and VFR weather minimums for different airspace classes. He'll have you read airport information directly off the sectional (KPSP came up) and may ask what airspace you're currently sitting in.
• Aircraft Systems: Engine type, fuel system, electrical system, vacuum system, and pitot-static system all came up, mostly through scenario-based questioning. He also asked about using GPS to navigate to a VOR and about electrical failure procedures.
• Flight Planning & Performance: Fuel burn, fuel reserve, VFR fuel minimums, ground roll distances for takeoff and landing versus available runway length, and weight and balance — all scenario-driven.

Common Questions

• He asks you to explain the difference between flying for hire and holding out, with a concrete example of each.
• Scenario involving a passenger with a medical condition (e.g., epilepsy) who is on proper medication — can you take them flying?
• Diversion scenario involving a sick passenger: where do you go, and why?
• He asks you to convert Zulu time to local time.
• Questions about how to communicate with FSS over a VOR.
• Scenario-based questions on what happens if specific instruments or systems fail (vacuum, pitot-static, electrical, magnetic compass).
• Checkride eligibility, logbook, endorsements, maintenance logs, required inspections, and ADs are covered early.

Practical Focus

• Takeoff is your choice — one pilot reported choosing short field.
• You'll depart following your planned route and simulate getting flight following.
• Expect a diversion scenario during the flight: one pilot reported being told the destination was closed and the engine was overheating, requiring a divert to an alternate airport with specific instructions (e.g., avoid overflying a lake).
• Short field landing to a full stop at the diversion airport.
• Soft field takeoff and landing.
• He gives you a choice on where to perform the power-off 180 — either at the diversion airport or back at the home field.

Examiner Style

Guthrie's oral is heavily scenario-based rather than rote Q&A. He builds situations and asks you to work through them, which keeps the flow conversational and practical. He gives pilots options during the flight portion (choice of takeoff type, choice of where to do the power-off 180), which suggests he values pilot decision-making and wants to see you exercise command authority. Reports indicate a structured but not rigid approach — he covers all the ACS areas but does so in a way that feels like a real flight planning and flying session rather than an interrogation.

What Surprised Pilots

• The passenger scenario involving epilepsy and medication caught pilots off guard — it's not a typical checkride question, but the answer is straightforward (yes, you can take them if they have proper meds).
• The level of chart detail he expects: reading airport info off the sectional, identifying SATRs, wilderness areas, and warning areas — not just the usual airspace classes.
• Being given a choice on where to perform the power-off 180 was unexpected and appreciated by the reporting pilot.