Community Guidelines

Our Philosophy

"We rate consistency and professionalism—not pass rates or feelings."

flyPIREP exists to help applicants prepare, not to predict outcomes. Good observations focus on how the checkride was conducted, not whether you passed or failed.

Respectful Community Behavior

flyPIREP is built on the idea that the pilot community is better when we help each other. Every member—whether a student pilot, CFI, or DPE—deserves to be treated with dignity. These principles govern all interactions on the platform:

Assume Good Faith

Examiners are professionals executing FAA-mandated standards. Most conduct checkrides fairly and thoroughly. Approach your observation with the assumption that the examiner was doing their job, not targeting you personally.

Describe, Don't Judge

Describe what happened objectively. Leave character assessments out entirely. The community benefits from your observations, not your verdict on someone's personality.

Consider Your Audience

Your review will be read by nervous applicants preparing for one of the most important tests of their aviation career. Write something that genuinely helps them prepare rather than something that increases their anxiety unnecessarily.

Upvote Thoughtfully

Use the upvote button to surface observations that are accurate, balanced, and genuinely helpful—not observations you simply agree with. Community votes influence how prominently reviews are displayed and their algorithmic weight.

The North Star Test

Before submitting, ask yourself:

"Would this help me prepare if I were taking a checkride next month?"

If the answer is yes—your observation is on track. If the answer is no—revise to focus on preparation-relevant details.

✓ DO Write About

Checkride Structure

• Was the oral linear (following ACS) or scenario-based?
• How long did each phase typically last?
• What was the general flow or sequence?

Example: "The oral started with a cross-country plan review, then moved into scenario-based questions about weather decision-making and systems. Lasted about 2.5 hours."

Expectations and Standards

• Were requirements explained upfront?
• How were ACS tolerances applied?
• What level of depth did questioning reach?

Example: "Standards were clearly explained at the start. ACS tolerances were applied as published. Questions went deep on a few topics rather than surface-level across many."

Preparation Advice

• What topics should applicants prioritize?
• What specific skills or knowledge areas were emphasized?
• What would you study more thoroughly next time?

Example: "Be ready to explain weather decision-making in depth, including personal minimums and how you'd handle deteriorating conditions mid-flight. Know your aircraft's systems beyond just memorizing numbers."

Observable Behaviors

• How was communication style (direct, conversational, formal)?
• How was time managed during the checkride?
• How was the debrief conducted?

Example: "Professional demeanor throughout. Debrief was thorough with explanations of what went well and areas to improve."

Flight Emphasis and Maneuver Focus

• Which maneuvers received the most attention during the flight portion?
• Were emergency procedures or unusual attitudes included?
• What was the approximate flight duration and general routing?

Example: "Flight was about 1.2 hours. Slow flight and stalls were evaluated thoroughly. One simulated engine failure to a field. No hood work but asked about instrument interpretation during pre-takeoff checks."

Pacing and Scheduling Logistics

• How far in advance should applicants typically schedule?
• Were there any notable scheduling or location logistics worth sharing?
• How quickly did the checkride proceed from one phase to the next?

Example: "Scheduled about three weeks out. Checkride started on time and moved efficiently between oral and flight phases with a short break in between."

✗ DON'T Write About

Outcome-Focused Complaints

❌ Bad:

• "Out to fail me" / "Power trip" / "Wanted me to fail"
• "I deserved to pass" / "Shouldn't have failed"
• "Impossible to pass" / "Rigged" / "Money grab"

✓ Better:

• "ACS tolerances were applied strictly"
• "Failure reason was clearly explained" or "...not clearly explained"
• "Standards were more demanding than I expected"

Personal Attacks or Character Judgments

❌ Bad:

• "Terrible person" / "Jerk" / "Arrogant"
• "Incompetent" / "Worst DPE ever"
• "Mean-spirited" / "Bully" / "Sadist"

✓ Better:

• "Communication was direct and formal"
• "Little small talk during the evaluation"
• "Expectations were not clearly explained upfront"

Emotional Overreactions

❌ Bad:

• "Nightmare" / "Worst experience" / "Traumatized"
• "Never fly again" / "Avoid at all costs"
• "Ruined my life" / "Destroyed my confidence"

✓ Better:

• "Checkride was more demanding than I anticipated"
• "Questioning depth exceeded my preparation level"
• "Would prepare differently for a retest"

Profanity or Offensive Language

Any profanity, vulgar language, or offensive content is automatically rejected. Keep observations professional and family-friendly.

Guidelines for DPE Responses

If you're a verified DPE responding to observations, the same standards apply—plus these additional considerations:

✓ DO

• Provide additional context that helps applicants prepare
• Clarify factual inaccuracies professionally
• Explain your methodology or approach
• Acknowledge constructive feedback

✗ DON'T

• Attack the reviewer's character or competence
• Use dismissive or condescending language
• Make assumptions about preparation or study habits
• Use phrases like "clearly didn't," "obviously unprepared," "typical student"

The 72-Hour Cool-Down Period

You must wait 72 hours after your checkride before submitting an observation. Here's why:

• Emotion fades: Immediate reactions are often not representative
• Reflection improves accuracy: You remember details more objectively after a few days
• Better preparation advice: Time helps you identify what really mattered

Observations submitted 7+ days after the checkride receive higher algorithmic weight due to increased reliability.

Guidelines for Applicants

Whether you're preparing for your Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial, or CFI checkride, your observations are most valuable when they focus on what the next applicant actually needs to know.

✓ Preparation-Focused Specifics

• Describe the oral exam topics that were emphasized—not just that it was "hard"
• Note whether maneuver standards matched published ACS tolerances or felt stricter/more lenient
• Share which documents, endorsements, or logbook entries received the most scrutiny
• Mention the aircraft used and any aircraft-specific knowledge that was tested

✗ What Applicants Should Avoid

• Do not disclose specific test questions verbatim—this compromises checkride integrity
• Do not post outcome-focused complaints disguised as preparation advice
• Do not speculate about a DPE's motives, past behavior, or reputation beyond your own experience
• Do not compare examiners to each other in a way that encourages "shopping" for easy DPEs

Guidelines for CFIs

As a Certificated Flight Instructor you play a key role in shaping how applicants approach their checkrides. Your observations carry extra weight in the community—use that responsibility carefully.

✓ How CFIs Can Add Value

• Verify your CFI credential to unlock the CFI badge—it adds credibility to your observations
• Share trends you notice across multiple students tested by the same DPE
• Describe how DPE standards compare to published ACS from a professional perspective
• Highlight areas where your students consistently needed more preparation

✗ CFI-Specific Prohibitions

• No second-hand reviews: Only submit observations for checkrides you personally witnessed (e.g., as an observer) or accompanied as a second-in-command
• No student proxy reviews: Do not submit a review on behalf of a student, even with their permission—only the applicant may review their own checkride
• No competitor disparagement: Do not use reviews to promote your school or disparage competing flight schools
• No retaliation: Do not submit or encourage negative reviews in response to DPE decisions that affected your business

Checkride Integrity: No Verbatim Test Questions

Important Policy

flyPIREP is a preparation platform, not a question bank. Posting verbatim or near-verbatim oral exam questions or flight scenarios undermines the integrity of the practical test process and may violate FAA testing security standards.

✓ Allowed

• "The oral covered weather decision-making in depth—know your personal minimums cold"
• "Systems questions focused on the fuel system and electrical system"
• "Scenario-based questions about diverting mid-flight were common"

✗ Not Allowed

• Quoting specific questions word-for-word as they were asked
• Reproducing exact maneuver scenarios or navigation planning problems
• Describing DPE "gotcha" techniques in a way that defeats the purpose of the test

One Experience, One Review

Each account may submit one review per DPE per checkride type. This prevents gaming the system through duplicate submissions.

• If you retook a checkride with the same DPE, you may update your existing review to reflect the new experience—not submit a second separate review
• Creating multiple accounts to submit additional reviews is a serious violation and may result in permanent bans and review of all associated submissions
• Coordinated review campaigns (e.g., organized groups submitting negative reviews) are prohibited and will be investigated

Report Policy Violations

If you see content that violates these guidelines:

• Use the "Flag" button on DPE responses
• Contact us at [email protected] for review content
• Provide specific details about the violation

reCAPTCHA and Abuse Prevention

flyPIREP uses Google reCAPTCHA on account registration and review submission to protect the community from bots, spam, and coordinated manipulation campaigns. This keeps the review data trustworthy for every pilot who relies on it.

How reCAPTCHA protects the community:

• Prevents fake accounts — Stops automated scripts from creating bulk accounts to flood the platform with fabricated reviews
• Deters review manipulation — Reduces the ability of bad actors to artificially inflate or suppress a DPE's overall rating
• Preserves data integrity — Ensures the observations you read were submitted by real people with genuine checkride experiences
• Protects DPE reputations — Prevents targeted negative review campaigns driven by bots or coordinated groups

reCAPTCHA works mostly invisibly in the background by analyzing your interaction patterns. Most users will never see a challenge prompt. If a challenge does appear, simply complete it—it takes only a few seconds and directly benefits everyone in the community.

Privacy note: reCAPTCHA transmits behavioral and device signals to Google LLC for analysis. By using flyPIREP, you consent to this processing as described in our Terms of Service.