VSL ACE Guide for Pilot Examiners Version 9.0

The ACE Guide built specifically for Designated Pilot Examiners.

The VSL ACE Guide for Pilot Examiners includes everything found in the standard ACE Guide, plus additional FAA documents, navigation, and examiner-specific tools designed to help DPEs prepare for and conduct practical tests.

Whether you're developing a Plan of Action, verifying applicant eligibility, conducting a briefing, or researching FAA guidance, the Examiner ACE Guide puts the references you need into one organized system.

What’s New in Version 9.0

Version 9.0 significantly expands the ACE Guide's collection of FAA and NTSB safety, regulatory, and reference material while incorporating the FAA's latest designee policy.

• FAA Order 8000.95E – Updated September 2026

The newly released FAA Order 8000.95E, Designee Management Policy, has been incorporated into the Examiner ACE Guide.

Released on September 15, 2026, Order 8000.95E replaces the previous 8000.95D and provides the latest FAA policy governing the Designee Management System and the administration and oversight of FAA designees.

The complete Order is included locally within the Examiner Guide for quick access to current DPE policy and guidance.

• 37 NTSB Safety Alerts Added

A collection of 37 NTSB Safety Alerts has been added to the ACE Guide. These alerts highlight important safety issues and lessons learned from aircraft accidents and investigations.

A quick link to the NTSB CAROL database is also included, making it easier to research the accident reports and investigations referenced within the alerts.

• 15 FAA Safety Alerts for Operators (SAFOs) Added

A collection of 15 FAA Safety Alerts for Operators (SAFOs) has been added, providing quick access to FAA safety information and recommended actions addressing operational hazards, procedures, and emerging safety concerns.

• FAA Legal Interpretations Section Redesigned

The FAA Legal Interpretations section has been completely redesigned to make relevant interpretations easier to find and navigate.

An additional 6 FAA Letters of Interpretation (LOIs) have also been added, bringing the collection to 59 indexed FAA legal interpretations covering commonly encountered regulatory questions.

• 9 Additional FAA Pamphlets and Brochures

9 additional FAA pamphlets and brochures have been added, further expanding the collection of FAA educational and reference material available within the guide.

• Bug Fixes and Link Repairs

Numerous broken links, navigation issues, and other minor errors have been identified and corrected throughout the guide.

• All Previous ACE Guide Updates

Version 9.0 also includes all improvements introduced in previous versions, including:

• 2026 AIM Change 3 available locally for offline access

• Redesigned three-page main menu

• Continued menu modernization

• Conducting an Effective Flight Review FAA publication

• Expanded CFI ACS integration

• Current FAA Aviation Weather Handbook

• Preflight Self-Briefing Companion

• Continued internal navigation and hyperlink improvements

Built Specifically for Pilot Examiners

The Examiner ACE Guide expands the standard ACE Guide with tools and references useful in the day-to-day work of a DPE.

Examiner-specific resources include:

• Practical Test Briefing Guides – Preformatted guides designed to help provide consistent and thorough applicant briefings

• Part 61 and Part 141 Aeronautical Experience References – Quickly navigate to requirements used when determining applicant eligibility

• FAA Order 8000.95E – Local access to the current FAA designee policy

• FAA Order 8900.1 – Local access to FAA policy and guidance

• Plan of Action Checklist – A practical reference for developing and reviewing your POA

• Additional examiner-focused navigation and reference material

Everything in the Standard ACE Guide

The Examiner version also contains the comprehensive FAA reference library found in the standard ACE Guide, including:

• Airman Certification Standards (ACS)

• Legacy Practical Test Standards (PTS) where applicable

• FAA handbooks

• Advisory Circulars

• 37 NTSB Safety Alerts

• 15 FAA Safety Alerts for Operators (SAFOs)

• 59 indexed FAA legal interpretations

• FAR/AIM references

• FAA guides, pamphlets, and publications

• Extensive internal hyperlinks and cross-references

All organized into a single digital reference system.

Designed for the Practical Test Workflow

A DPE may need to move between the ACS, regulations, FAA handbooks, FAA Orders, Advisory Circulars, legal interpretations, safety publications, and other guidance during a single practical test.

The Examiner ACE Guide is designed to make that process faster.

Use it to move from:

ACS → FAA Source Material → Regulation → FAA Guidance → Examiner Resources

without maintaining and searching through dozens of separate documents.

Offline Access

The Examiner ACE Guide includes an extensive collection of FAA source material stored locally within the guide, allowing many of its most important resources to be accessed without an internet connection.

Key references including the 2026 AIM Change 3, FAA Order 8000.95E, and FAA Order 8900.1 are available locally.

This makes the Examiner ACE Guide particularly useful when conducting practical tests in locations where reliable internet access may not be available.

Free Lifetime Updates

Purchase it once and keep it current.

As FAA publications change and new examiner resources are added, updated versions of the Examiner ACE Guide are provided at no additional cost.

No subscription. No recurring fees.

Created by a DPE, for DPEs

The Examiner ACE Guide was developed from the same system I use when conducting practical tests.

My goal is simple: make it easier to find the FAA source material and examiner guidance you need, when you need it.

Instead of maintaining a collection of separate PDFs, bookmarks, briefing documents, and FAA references, the Examiner ACE Guide brings those resources together into one organized and highly navigable system.

VSL ACE Guide for Pilot Examiners Version 9.0

Spend less time searching for references and more time evaluating the applicant.

Download the latest version and receive all future updates at no additional cost.