Definition
An FAA internal directive that establishes the standards, procedures, and responsibilities governing the selection, training, certification, and oversight of Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs) — the private individuals authorized by the FAA to conduct practical tests for pilot certificates and ratings on its behalf.
Plain English
It is the FAA's official rulebook for how Designated Pilot Examiners are chosen, trained, supervised, and held to consistent standards when they give checkrides.
Context Anchor
You may see this term when reading about designated pilot examiners and the rules they follow when giving a practical test.
Why Pilots Care
The DPE who conducts your checkride operates under the rules in this Order. It is the reason every examiner — across the country — is expected to apply the same standards, follow the same procedures, and treat applicants consistently. If a checkride feels unusually run, this Order is the benchmark for what should and should not happen.
Intuition Check
Do not read “order” here as a command given to a pilot in the cockpit. In this context, an FAA order is an official FAA instruction document for how FAA personnel or designees carry out certain duties.
Example Sentence 1
Designated Pilot Examiners are appointed and managed under FAA Order 8710.3.
Example Sentence 2
Before the checkride the DPE reviewed the relevant sections of FAA Order 8710.3 to ensure all required maneuvers were included.