As I read Order8710-7 "Sport Pilot Examiner's Handbook"

"Need for service. AFS-610 is responsible for ensuring that
an adequate number of examiners are designated to serve the public.
The demand for practical tests at various locations determines if the
designation of an examiner is justified. Examiners are authorized to
conduct practical tests without regard to FSDO or regional boundaries."

So why not get some people to apply for Sport Pilot examiner
status? You don't have anyone who has 100 hours of dual given?

And hey, not much of a stretch to get a FSDO to let this guy get
a "one-time LOA" every time you want a private or commercial
test done. And after a year, ask for "one time LOAs" for every
CFIG (non-SP) applicant.

In any case, some examiner is better than no examiner.

"But we only have a Grob 103 and L-23, and they aren't
Sport Pilot eligible Light Sport Aircraft" I hear the cry...

You really think the 120 knot glider Vne will hold up?
I don't. With a tiny nudge this will be changed to
"120 knots maximum under power (during launch)."

Additionally, you gotta think a little outside the box here.
Guy applies for glider SP examiner. He's accepted. He goes to the
training, and mentions he also has all the requirements to
be a full glider DPE. He even does the same training with some other
full DPEs. Bada bing, bada boom, a coupla phone calls,
and even if it doesn't pan out, you got some ammo for when
you ask for a waiver to do the higher level checkrides...

I say make it easyyyy for the FAA to pick the guy because hey, he's already
an examiner, right?

And what's the downside? Sending in an application?
Come on...

In article ,
F.L. Whiteley wrote:

"Mark James Boyd" wrote in message
news:41ce5918$1@darkstar...
Burt Compton wrote:

So if your site doesn't have an examiner, try to find / cultivate /
become a
DPE. It's good for your business - and good for soaring!

Burt Compton
Soaring Safety Foundation

Keep in mind there are some entire FSDOs that don't even HAVE
a glider-DPE. It sure would be great to fill
that up so there'd be more examiners.

Burt is absolutely right about this. There are about a 1000 DPEs
in the system, and maybe less than 100 glider DPE's. Even if
you can find one, they are often a LONG way away, so somebody ends
up travelling a lot.

So look into this. I think the minimums are 250 hours of glider
instruction
given, or thereabouts, and some other hour requirements.
If you've been CFIing for 4-5 years or more, you probably qualify
for the minimums, at least...

Cheers!
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Mark J. Boyd
From my local perspective, there are precisely two glider DPE positons in
our FSDO and no others allowed. We did have a DPE (lives in Washington
state but can only do check rides in Montana) try to get authorization for
Colorado earlier this year, before the lastest appointment, and they
wouldn't take him on. Our most experienced DPE quit last year and the
subsequent appointment took several months. One is out of state for about
four months during the winter, the other is a bit heavy for the larger pilot
and does not yet have enough experience to do CFIG checks. We had an FAA
staffer from an adjacent FSDO in our club doing check rides, but he was
stopped from doing this and is now retired in any event.

You are right that there are some states without glider DPE's and there are
likely several good candidates lurking out there. However, unless they have
the required experience, there may still be limits on what services they can
provide in the near term also.

Frank Whiteley




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Mark J. Boyd