Tony Gallegos DPE Checkride Gouges

Oral Emphasis

Tony builds much of the oral around your flight plan and the planning materials you bring in. Pilots reported questions focused on:

• Weight and balance calculations — know where to find empty weight and CG/moment in aircraft documents, and be ready to walk through every number you present.
• Fuel calculations and cross-country planning details.
• High-altitude considerations: mountain flying awareness, hypoxia, and physiological effects of altitude changes on descent (ear congestion, the Valsalva maneuver and why it can be dangerous).
• Airspace — specifically Bravo avoidance and how it factors into route planning.

Common Questions

Rather than running through a checklist of textbook questions, Tony asks about items that arise naturally from your flight plan and the scenario of the day. Pilots noted he will:

• Ask you to explain calculations you brought in — don't just print them, understand them.
• Pose real-world scenario questions tied to your specific route (e.g., why you chose to avoid certain terrain or airspace).
• Stump you on occasion, but then rephrase the question to make sure you understand what he's really asking before moving on.
• Look for answers that go beyond the bare minimum — he wants to see genuine understanding, but warns against going too deep. There's a sweet spot he's looking for.

Examiner Style

• Described as incredibly fair and conversational. He lets the checkride flow naturally rather than following a rigid script.
• He follows the ACS but wraps it in realistic scenarios rather than rote question-and-answer.
• He offers a break between the oral and flight portions and lets you come to him when you're ready to fly — no pressure to rush.
• Pilots recommend writing out the learning statement codes you missed on the written exam ahead of time so he doesn't have to look them up. It speeds things along and he seems to appreciate the preparation.

What Surprised Pilots

• Despite flying out of Colorado on a warm day in a C152, one pilot received no direct density altitude questions — Tony may infer that knowledge from context, though this shouldn't be taken as a guarantee.
• The emphasis on physiological topics (hypoxia, ear congestion on descent, dangers of the Valsalva maneuver) caught at least one pilot slightly off guard.
• The oral moved quickly — finished in a little under the expected time — partly because the conversational flow kept things efficient.