CHECKRIDE CHECKLIST The briefing is something that should certainly consider METARs and TAFs, maybe even forecast discussions; sourcing of airmets, sigmets, and convective sigmets; pireps; and a look at radar summaries and applicable notams at your airports of intended use and alternates. A good practice is to look at this weather for your route and at least 50 miles to either side of the route. If you do this in training-and for a practical test-this is a really good starting point. Don't assume that a single-point weather data item is going to be enough to give a good picture of weather that might affect your intended flight-even if it's just a local flight. Q A IS THERE ANY WAY TO REPORT A DPE YOU FEEL IS BEING UNFAIR? Reporting an " unfair " DPE is absolutely something you can do. There are two good ways to do this. One is to contact the local managing office for the DPE. There is a " DPE Focal Point " in each office and each DPE is assigned a " Managing Specialist. " They can certainly take any direct concerns. A second way-if you are worried about talking with the local office about your concerns-is to email feedback concerns about FAA practical tests to 9-AMC-Designee-Questions-Comments-Concerns@faa.gov. This will go to a national-level team that will evaluate the concern and properly address it. Just be honest with yourself and fair about your complaint-failing a practical test is different than having a DPE do something they aren't supposed to. Be clear about your concerns, base them on professionalism and the ACS/ PTS standards, and convey them clearly. A good practice is to write them into a communication you could share. A DPE should never be asking you to fly unsafely or outside the standards for the practical test you are taking. The FAA and all of the industry associations take this very seriously and they need to have inappropriate activity reported. In some cases, it will result in retraining the DPE. In worse cases, DPEs are terminated for cause when their actions are more egregious. This feedback loop is important to the system having consistent and fair testing. Sometimes, applicants underperform and they just don't want to come back to us. There is nothing saying that you have to use a particular examiner for an initial test or a retest. If you are more comfortable with a particular examiner but your CFI or flight school typically uses a different one, that's OK. It's your choice. Pick the service provider (the DPE) like you would any other service. HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you have a question you'd like to ask a DPE? Email cfinewsletter@aopa.org to post your question.