Episode 17: Testing vs. Teaching Maneuvers.

When I was a DPE for the FAA I did basically every test you could do except type ratings and warbirds. I did Recreational, Sport, Private, Instrument, Commercial, ATP, Multi-Engine ratings, Initial CFI airplane, CFII and MEI tests. I gave around 3000 flight tests over 11 years and I have always had a strong opinion about the maneuvers that were to be tested in almost every one of the practical tests I conducted. So, what am I getting at? I have no idea why I needed to test ground reference maneuvers, Chandelles, Lazy Eights, and so on. I was also a Flight Examiner for the CAA in the United Kingdom. Ground reference maneuvers were not tested. Not a Lazy Eight or Chandelle in sight.