Checking your examiner's licences?

[FlyingGoat]

Before starting a skills test, or IR renewal with a CAA examiner (staff or otherwise), is it a risky idea to ask to see his/her licence?

Or is it a routine mutual check of each other's documents and qualifications?

[IRRenewal]

Or is it a routine mutual check of each other's documents and qualifications?

Where on earth did you get that idea from?

[FlyingGoat]

In a recently published IR Skill Test briefing by a highly experienced instructor.

[Agaricus bisporus]

I can only think that it was either April 1st or that you've deeply offended this instructor sometime in the past...

[DFC]

One has to ask why does one need to check the true qualifications of the examiner?

If Mr A claims to be an examiner, you do a test, you get a result and you pay them for the pleasure then you would be out of pocket if they were not who they claimed to be - assuming you did not fail ;).

Therefore, if doing an initial at a CAA test centre (where you do not pay the eamminer direct) I can not see any need to check identity / qualifications.

However, if you decide to do a test at some random place 11 months later then you are well within your rights to check that the person who you are going to pay several hundred pounds to is indeed authorised to do what they claim.

The problem is that if a person is going to these lengths and taking such a risk to rob you of s few hundred pound then they will have a good forgery of an examminer certificate, an STD authorisation for their FNPT 2 and probably some dodgy paperowrk for the aircraft - but how are you going to check everything? Are you going to ring the insurer and confirm that they really do have appropriate insurance?

Don't waste your money - go to a reputable provider for renewals and not some unknown back-street place that you have never heard of.

[3 Point]

I'm responsible for crew training at a UK AOC holder. I'm required (by the CAA) not only to inspect the licences and examiner authorisations of the examiners who check my pilots but also to hold copies of their certificates on file. The CAA ask to see them at audit time.

So, if you feel you want to ask the examiner for evidence of his qualification go ahead; I'd be very surprised if he took offence - I wouldn't!

That said I agree with DFC's points. Use a reputable provider and you should be fine, but still ask to see the certificate if you like.

Happy landings

[FlyingGoat]

Many thanks for the responses - very helpful.

I wasn't thinking from the angle of being conned by someone, maybe from the point of view of an examinee attempting to get it right.

[the beater]

I actually offer the candidate my licence for their inspection. It is probably best if you only inspect your examiner's licence if it is offered to you, but I am aware of at least two examiners who did not have the authority to conduct tests as their authorisation had expired. In one case, the examiner was unaware that he could not examine with a lapsed instructor rating!:ugh: