scope:

Purpose of This Order. This order provides policy and mandatory standardized procedures for those who administer all aviation mechanic, parachute rigger, or pilot oral and practical tests and issue temporary airman certificates. This order does not apply to check airmen/check pilots and Aircrew Designated Examiners (ADE) serving in programs approved under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) parts 91 subpart K, 121, 125, and 135. It also does not apply to Training Center Evaluators (TCE) who serve at training centers certificated under 14 CFR part 142. Compliance with these standardized procedures ensures that airman applicants meet a satisfactory level of competence and workmanship required for certification. This order does not relieve Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) personnel from instructing and guiding designees.

a. General Aviation Airman Designee's. This order includes FAA policy emphasizing the general aviation airman designee's (referred to in this order as designee or examiner) knowledge of oral and practical tests, as well as the administration of airman knowledge tests; it also concerns the administration of such tests and the issuance of airman certificates. For the purposes of this order, designee refers to Technical Personnel Examiners (TPE), Designated Pilot Examiners (DPE). TPE will refer only to Designated Mechanic Examiners (DME) and Designated Parachute Rigger Examiners (DPRE). DPE will refer only to Private Pilot Examiners (PE), Commercial and Instrument Rating Examiners (CIRE), Commercial Pilot Examiners (CE), Airline Transport Pilot Examiners (ATPE), Flight Instructor Examiners (FIE), National Designated Pilot Examiner and Flight Engineer Examiners (NDPE/FEE), Sport Pilot Examiners (SPE), and Sport Pilot Flight Instructor Examiners (SFIE), as well as pilot examiners with administrative privileges only including Airman Certification Representatives (ACR), Flight Instructor Renewal Examiners (FIRE), Foreign Pilot Examiners (FPE), Ground Instructor Examiners (GIE), Military Competency Examiners (MCE), Military Competency/Foreign Pilot Examiners (MC/FPE), and Proficiency Pilot Examiners (PPE).

b. Guidance Questions. While the Flight Standards Service (AFS) Regulatory Support Division (AFS-600) coordinated this consolidated handbook, questions regarding the specific guidance relating to each type of designee should be directed to the policy division that owns the policy for that type of designee.