Patrick Nicholas Arnzen

Verified pilot · PPL · Passed · Sep 2016

I took my Private with Patrick and I was a hot mess that morning. IACRA troubles, flat tire, late so no breakfast, etc etc. I was obviously outwardly nervous and Patrick was very good at keeping the mood light and calm. He is an extremely friendly and empathetic person to his examinees, a quality that I was very thankful for that morning.

Verified pilot · Aug 2017

Extremely knowledgeable DPE with a very fair and firm style. He stays very active in all aspects of flying and is a strong systems guy. Know your stuff and he is a pleasure to fly with and talk to in general. Very flexible and accommodating. He is very aware that checkrides are stressful events and will do anything within his ability to create a relaxing environment. Highly recommend him for PPL, Instrument, Commercial, and even Sport.

Verified pilot · PPL · Oct 2017

Was nervous since Patrick has such detailed knowledge about the SportCruisers and has a vested interest in them. I was also my CFI's first real student to be sent up for a Private exam.

Verified pilot · Jul 2018

I will NEVER get in an airplane with Patrick Arnzen again! He didn't say or do anything but I felt very uncomfortable in the plane with him. I was told not to worry if he asks a really difficult question and leaves the room so I can "look it up". I heard if he does that he's just making a call to his flight school. That happened 3 times! He was certainly not focused on the checkride. He talked about how "female friendly" his school is. He said it in a way that's condescending to women, like we need to be helped. The whole thing was insulting.

Verified pilot · CFI · Aug 2018

Mr. Arnzen was polite and friendly during the whole ordeal. He was very prompt in responding to my CFI’s scheduling inquiry, which we really appreciated because I was on a tight timeline. In the oral he went straight out of the test standards. No surprises and no confusing or super subjective scenarios. He knows his airplanes! He got me on a few things in the POH I didn’t know but let me reference it when appropriate. The flight was straight forward as well and he didn’t yell or add to my stress unnecessarily. (As other dpes have). I really felt like I got a fair shake and that anyone could succeed with him if they go in prepared.

Verified pilot · PPL · Aug 2018

I went into the my PPL checkride with Patrick Arnzen excited and ready, but still full of nerves. I checked and double checked my ASA checklist guide to make sure I was not missing anything prior to my arrival. I showed up with plenty of time to lay it all out so that Patrick and I could go through each required item quickly. I didn't want to spend any more time during the oral than was absolutely necessary. From the start Patrick, the examiner, was at ease and did a great job of taking the time to tell me he was not there to trick me or to fail me. He was there to test my knowledge and make sure I was safe to operate an aircraft. When we started the oral I was given a few softball toss questions to get the exam going. Which was great because I was much more worried about the oral than the flight portion of the exam. I was warned by instructors and other pilots to only answer what was asked not to go off on a tangent to show how smart of a pilot I was or how much I knew about this system or that. So I stuck to the script. I had tabbed my FAR/AIM book which came in handy once or twice on some tougher questions that I wanted to verify the answer. My confidence continued to build the whole way through. Just short of 90 minutes after starting the oral we took a few minutes break so I could clear my head and take to the skies.

Verified pilot · Aug 2018

If you are looking for an examiner who is extremely knowledgable, professional, and fair look no further than Patrick Arnzen. I have taken three checkrides with Patrick each experience has been very positive. Each ride he will put you at ease assuring you that it is his job not to fail you, but to evaluate whether you can safely operate in the conditions you are applying for. Patrick is looking for the big picture in his rides. He does not expect perfection, but is looking for a solid pilot with the ability to safely operate the aircraft and make decisions. During the oral portion be sure to know your aircraft systems as well as special emphasis areas in the ACS. In the air you can expect a simulated emergency situation such as an engine out or a diversion to display your aeronautical decision making. In addition, as a flight instructor I send many of my students to Patrick knowing that he will thoroughly and fairly assess their ability to be safe pilots. In summary, on a checkride with Patrick you can expect a straightforward, fair, thorough evaluation that will leave you feeling like you really earned your certificate/rating.

Verified pilot · Aug 2018

I have done all of my checkrides with Patrick. Private - CFI. While they are not easy you have to come prepared, but he makes you feel at ease throughout the entire process. He is very fair and easy to communicate with. I recommend him to anyone looking for a checkride. His scheduling was a huge plus to me. He always seemed to fit me in right on time. I have no complaints about Patrick he is a great guy and a great examiner!

Verified pilot · CPL · Passed · Aug 2018

I took my Commercial checkride with Mr. Arnzen last summer. My first impression was that I appreciate the way he talks to you like a human being, by breaking the ice with conversation prior to the start of the exam. Those of us who have come up through the ranks know firsthand how much time and energy we invest in getting these ratings, and so to have those nerves calmed prior to a checkride was very important to me.

Verified pilot · CFII · Passed · Dec 2018

I took my CFII Practical with Patrick back in September. While by no means was it easy, it was the the most practical checkride I can remember taking. He started with a little small talk and a sort of disclaimer about the 3 possible outcomes and if the outcome should be a failure I shouldn't look at it that way because whatever areas are satisfactory are passed. He didn't talk down to me and treated me as a fellow pilot regardless of the obvious difference in our levels of experience. I went into it a little nervous, but prepared and he put me at ease from the beginning. His questions were very fair, covering the areas from the PTS but in a more practical, scenario based manner, which I appreciated. Ive had checkrides before where I went in prepared and they were so easy that I left almost disappointed. This one was challenging but very rewarding and I came out of it feeling confident in my abilities. I made a few mistakes but for the most part I was well prepared, lessons plans, faraim tabbed out and highlighted, all the books, AC's, etc. I would recommend Patrick to anyone, just be prepared and know that this is a PRACTICAL exam and it will be conducted accordingly.

Verified pilot · CPL · Passed · May 2019

I got my commercial multi add on with Mr. Arnzen. He started with a little small talk, which helped calm me down. He then took the time to explain how the checkride was going to go down. The ground was hard but manageable! All the scenario based questions were realistic which I really appreciate. The flight went as I assumed it would, no surprises. I would definitely recommend Mr. Arnzen if you’re looking for a DPE.

Verified pilot · PPL · Passed · May 2019

Patrick was a very fair examiner. From the beginning, he assured me that he was there to examine my skills as a pilot for the certificate I applied for, to ensure I was a safe pilot. In essence, he evaluated by standards, but also looked at the big picture. He would not hand hold through the checkride, but if there were any areas of concern he made sure to iron them out with a very thorough and constructive debrief after both the oral and the flight. Easily one of the best examiners I have ever had. I may look for him to examine another checkride in the future.