Terms of Service

1. Agreement to these Terms

These Terms of Service govern your access to and use of DPE Connect (the Service). By creating an account, publishing a listing, submitting a review, or otherwise using the Service, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

2. What DPE Connect is

DPE Connect is an independent directory of Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs) that also lets pilots send scheduling requests to examiners and share structured feedback about their checkride experience.

DPE Connect is not a pilot examiner, flight school, training provider, or certifying authority. We do not administer practical tests, do not determine airman certification, and do not provide aviation, regulatory, safety, legal, or tax advice. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the Federal Aviation Administration or any other government agency.

3. Accounts

You must provide accurate information, keep it current, and maintain the security of your credentials. You are responsible for activity that occurs under your account.

You must be at least 18 years old, or the age of majority where you live, to hold an account. Accounts may not be shared or transferred.

4. Examiner listings

Listings are submitted by examiners or by someone authorized to act for them. The examiner is solely responsible for the accuracy and currency of the published information, including location, checkride authorizations, fees, aircraft, contact details, and availability.

A DPE designation is issued and overseen by the FAA. Publication on DPE Connect does not constitute verification, endorsement, certification, or any guarantee by DPE Connect that a listed person holds a designation or is permitted to administer any particular practical test.

Examiners are responsible for complying with all applicable FAA requirements and regulations, including those governing scheduling, fees, and the conduct of practical tests. We may edit, suspend, or remove any listing that is inaccurate, misleading, or inconsistent with these Terms.

5. Reviews and other user content

Reviews must describe your own first-hand experience with the examiner you are reviewing. You may not submit a review on behalf of another person, and you may not submit content you know to be untrue.

You may not post content that is defamatory, harassing, threatening, discriminatory, obscene, or unlawful; that discloses another person's confidential, medical, certificate, or contact information; that impersonates any person; or that advertises or solicits business.

You retain ownership of the content you submit and grant DPE Connect a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, display, reproduce, and distribute that content in connection with the Service. You represent that you hold the rights necessary to grant this license.

Reviews are the opinions of the pilots who submitted them and are not the views of DPE Connect. We are not obligated to monitor content, but we may review, edit for clarity, or remove content that we believe violates these Terms or applicable law. Removal does not constitute an admission regarding the content.

6. Scheduling requests

Scheduling requests are introductions only. DPE Connect does not confirm, guarantee, broker, or supervise any checkride. Each examiner independently decides whether to accept a request and remains solely responsible for the conduct of the practical test.

Examiner fees are set by the examiner and paid directly to the examiner. DPE Connect does not collect, hold, or process examiner fees and is not a party to any agreement between a pilot and an examiner.

The applicant is responsible for meeting all eligibility, experience, aircraft, equipment, documentation, and endorsement requirements before the practical test, and for complying with any cancellation, discontinuance, or rescheduling terms set by the examiner.

7. Membership and payment

Paid pilot membership unlocks additional detail in the Service as described on the Membership page. Subscriptions are billed through Base44 Payments and renew automatically each month until canceled. Payments are also subject to the terms of the payment provider.

Examiners with a published listing receive membership-level access at no charge. We may change membership features or pricing with notice before your next renewal, as described in the Refund and Cancellation Policy.

8. Acceptable use

You may not scrape, crawl, or systematically extract data; submit automated or bulk requests; impersonate any person or entity; attempt to bypass authentication or membership controls; interfere with the operation or security of the Service; or use the Service for any unlawful purpose.

9. Disclaimers

The Service is provided on an as-is and as-available basis. To the fullest extent permitted by law, DPE Connect disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including any warranty of accuracy, availability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

Listing details, fees, availability, and review content are supplied by users and can change without notice. Verify all details directly with the examiner. The pilot in command and the applicant remain responsible for the safety and legality of every flight and for the outcome of any practical test.

10. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, DPE Connect is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for lost profits, data, or opportunities, arising from your use of the Service.

Our total aggregate liability for any claim arising out of or relating to the Service is limited to the greater of the amount you paid DPE Connect in the twelve months before the claim, or fifty US dollars (USD 50).

11. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold DPE Connect harmless from claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising from content you submit, your use of the Service, or your breach of these Terms.

12. Suspension and termination

We may suspend or terminate your access if you violate these Terms or if necessary to protect other users or the integrity of the Service. You may stop using the Service at any time and may request deletion of your account as described in the Privacy Policy.

13. Changes to the Service and these Terms

We may modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Service. We may update these Terms; material changes take effect when posted with a revised date. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.

14. Governing law and disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the operator of DPE Connect is organized, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. Before filing a claim, you agree to contact us and attempt to resolve the dispute informally.

Nothing in these Terms limits any right you have under mandatory consumer protection law in your place of residence.

15. Contact

Questions about these Terms may be sent to our support address.