The Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) shortage is improving, according to officials from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
During this year’s 2024 annual Flight School Association of North America (FSANA) Designated Pilot Examiner Symposium, FAA leaders highlighted ongoing efforts to expand the DPE pool— noting that more than 100 DPE’s have been added to the system.
The increase in DPE’s is good news for the industry as DPE numbers have become stagnant in recent years causing delays in student certification, creating a bottleneck affecting aspiring commercial pilots trying to advance in their careers.
In September, FSANA collaborated with several members of Congress to draft a letter urging the FAA to provide more clarity on its plans to optimize the use of DPEs. “While the FAA currently authorizes 935 DPEs to administer tests, 75% of tests are administered by only 350 examiners, with 50% of tests administered by roughly only 200 DPEs. This gross lack of active examiners is exacerbating an already significant pilot and examiner shortage that threatens the stability of our national air service network, particularly for regional airlines and the communities they serve,” the letter stated.
The FAA says it is working to expand the number of DPEs eligible for initial training in fiscal year 2025, with the goal of further increasing the overall capacity of the testing system.
