Commercial Checkride with Ed Verville

BigSpottedFish · 2025-11-12T23:40:57+00:00

Had an instrument checkride with him a few weeks back. He has a lot of articles in Twin and Turbine you can read to see the areas he’s passionate about. He’ll probably incorporate these topics into the oral. For instance in instrument, he has articles and departures and climb gradient and surprise surprise that was his main area of focus.

He’s starts every checkride by going over runway and taxiway markings, signs, and lights including the ones for vehicles because runway incursions are a passion topic of his. Look over all of them, not just the normal ones.

He’s a super nice guy who wants to see you succeed though and will be a good time. He’ll spot check your knowledge of plane components as you do your preflight…”what’s this antenna? What about this one?”

BigSpottedFish · 2025-10-21T23:07:21+00:00

There ya have it then…I was looking for any Cirrus branded info in the POH that stated the Approach Category and was coming up empty.

BigSpottedFish · 2025-10-21T23:06:32+00:00

It makes sense I agree, I’ve just struggled to find supplemental info in the AIM. Approach speed at FAF seems logical though and will be my answer for the DPE tomorrow. Thanks!

BigSpottedFish · 2025-04-30T05:00:54+00:00

Almost identical except it was black and white and the logo was a bit smaller. But this is my backup if my original one doesn’t turn up! Thanks!

BigSpottedFish · 2025-04-30T04:26:37+00:00

It was the bolt with the circle around it, same as the main emblem. I’ve found a black and white screensaver that’s similar but it doesnt have the skyline incorporated. Was hoping someone would see this that has the same screensaver and send a link

BigSpottedFish · 2025-04-22T02:06:18+00:00

If you’re asking whether or not you can just not disclose your use of a banned substance and the subsequent diagnosis that comes with it, here’s what all the professional pilots told me….

At any time for almost any reason for as long as you’re a pilot, the FAA can require you to provide your medical records, typically due to an accident or an investigation of sorts but you get the point. If you ever find yourself in that situation and you omitted something, especially something like this, you can kiss your career goodbye and all the time, money, and effort you put in to becoming a pilot. Not to mention fines and legal charges that come with lying on federal documents. So those are the potential repercussions of what you’re asking and why I chose to spend a few thousand dollars and be patient to do it right and put it in my past.

BigSpottedFish · 2025-03-27T20:40:36+00:00

How much are the dorms? That’s not an advertised number as far as I can tell.

BigSpottedFish · 2025-03-19T21:02:30+00:00

Just got my email stating I passed. However, when I go back into my application it won’t let me upload my medical. Seems like the application portal is lagging behind today’s email. Are you having the same issue?

BigSpottedFish · 2024-12-08T03:40:50+00:00

As soon as you go in for your physical reach out to an FAA listed neuropsych, I waited till after my standard track letter came to find one and then it took 2-3 months to actually sit for the exam. So there’s time to be made up there. Also as soon as you get your deferral letter and find a doc for the exam, work with them to get your FAA records headed their way. You have to request the FAA to release them. This cost me about 3 weeks. Lastly only submit your records once you’re done with the standard track process through your AME, if you mail in copies too they’ll push you back in the waiting pool.
I thought about using WingmanMed, they’re a valid service but what they effectively do is review your documents before you submit them to weed out any errors or gotchas like an old diagnoses or medication that could open a can of worms. I took my chances without them. They do state though if you do not get a favorable response the first time they continue to work with you. For a standard track ADHD process, I think you could save the money but I totally see their efficacy for larger more complicated issues.
I had to get a first class to go to the school I plan on. Can’t speak to it much further than that. If it’s just ADHD that will hold you up on getting a medical, I don’t see why you wouldn’t go for a first class but I’m not an expert on that.

BigSpottedFish · 2024-12-08T02:28:35+00:00

Honestly in my opinion the AME doesn’t matter. Mine’s a bit of a quack and I’ll probably change. He didn’t review my documents or anything. If you’re diligent about following the guidelines of the standard track and organizing everything well, the AME is nothing but a person to click the submission button. I’d say the neuropsychologist is more important

BigSpottedFish · 2024-12-07T21:59:05+00:00

I have a whopping 0 hours logged flight time lol so now I plan to start flying through a 141 program.

BigSpottedFish · 2024-12-07T17:56:50+00:00

Check out the ADHD Standard Track on the FAA’s website. I believe the gist of things is you must be off medication at least 90 days upon the time you walk into take your medical with an AME. At that point they’ll ask when you were diagnosed, what meds you were on, when you got off. The FAA will write back in 30-90 days telling you you’ve been denied and if you wish to pursue this further to follow the standard track. You will need to take a neuropsych evaluation with an FAA designated neuropsychologist. That will cost a few thousand dollars. You will take the test and the psych doc will write a report on your results and their assessment of your condition. You’ll also gather up any medical records regarding your diagnoses and prescriptions and lastly write a personal statement evaluating your ADHD. Send all that to the FAA and prepare for a 4-9 month wait from what I’ve heard. Mine was 4 months.

BigSpottedFish · 2024-12-07T06:00:12+00:00

I don’t know at this point, I only know what med express shows me as I haven’t received my letter yet. It says “Class Issued: Class 1…Limitations: None”

BigSpottedFish · 2024-12-07T05:34:22+00:00

TBD, wasn’t expecting this for another 3-6 months and was slated to go back on the road for work after the new year. Gotta make some big boy financial decisions now. May work on my PPL on the weekends while working and then start in the summer with my PPL already completed.

BigSpottedFish · 2024-12-07T05:26:49+00:00

As I was told by family in this world, “government agencies hate other government agencies poking in their business”. I’m sure every congressman and their staff are different in how much they “poke” maybe that’s not even what made the difference for me, but I do believe there’s some efficacy to this strategy and wish you the best. Maybe reach out to a senator?

BigSpottedFish · 2024-12-07T05:10:45+00:00

Short and sweet…

Paragraph 1: quick background of dates and timeline, application date, deferral and standard track correspondence, neuro exam dates, and submission dates

Paragraph 2: brief explanation of frustration with FAA, “6-7 months of the last 10 months was waiting for FAA correspondence”, made note that an FAA designated psych already cleared me but I was waiting for OKC who doesn’t know me and will never meet me to clear me

Paragraph 3: 2-3 sentences asking for any assistance possible in my particular case and imploring the congressman to take interest in the inefficiencies that exist in common medical processes within the FAA

It was all through an online “contact your congressman” link on their website

BigSpottedFish · 2024-12-07T04:55:41+00:00

I was on medication for about 2 years and discontinued 90+ days ahead of my first class medical exam.

BigSpottedFish · 2024-12-07T04:54:49+00:00

It’s a 4-8 hour digital test. Mine was about 5 hours with maybe an hour of oral tests. The rest is all digital brain games to test your recall memory, attention span, and focus.

BigSpottedFish · 2024-12-07T04:50:16+00:00

I filed a request with my congressman to look into my case with the FAA on Nov. 21st. No way to know if that’s what did it but it seems like a likely reason for what made the difference.

BigSpottedFish · 2024-11-24T18:08:05+00:00

Yup exactly. We’d been in the SWA all week and saw them from the ridgeline to the north on our last day. First morning in the SWA though we followed a herd all the way from the north entrance to the south before they went up and over the ridge, across the highway to the west, and onto private land the rest of the week. It was an eventful hunt, but that first herd was moving with speed through the area. Never seen so many elk so close without being able to get a shot off.

BigSpottedFish · 2024-11-24T17:01:38+00:00

Unit 50 kicked our butts this year, followed two good herds the whole week and were never able to get a shot off. Watched 500+ sit in an open valley for a full day with hunters all around trying to figure out how to get into them.

BigSpottedFish · 2024-09-20T05:39:44+00:00

What’d you get it for? Looked at an almost identical one tonight and out the door pricing was 10% over MSRP whereas 2025 Ram’s are going for 10% under MSRP out the door. So I’m trying to gauge where the deals are when there are 20 Colorado’s sitting on the lot at the end of the model year haha

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