Examiners and inspectors near Elkhart Municipal EKM
30 FAA designees are based within 50 nautical miles of Elkhart Municipal in Elkhart, Indiana: 6 pilot examiners, 1 sport aviation examiner, 16 aviation medical examiners, 1 mechanic examiner, 2 airworthiness representatives (maintenance), 1 engineering representative, 1 parachute rigger examiner, 2 administrative pilot examiners. The pilot examiners may test for private pilot (6), commercial and instrument (6), airline transport pilot (2), flight instructor (6), sport pilot (1) in airplanes (6), multi-engine airplanes (4). Nearest first; "nm" is nautical miles from the airport to the designee's town.
Pilot examiners DPE · 6 · Designated Pilot Examiner: gives the practical tests (checkrides) for pilot certificates and ratings
| Name | Town | nm | May test for | Works from | Telephone | FAA office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Todd Daniel Haifley | Three Rivers, MI HAI | 23 | private pilot, commercial and instrument, airline transport pilot, flight instructor, instrument instructor, instructor renewals, military competency; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes | Three Rivers Municipal Airport Flight Line Dr | (269) 720-4772 | haifleytodd@gmail.com | GRAND RAPIDS FSDO GL-09 / GRR FSDO |
| John Peter Boos | Valparaiso, IN VPZ | 48 | private pilot, commercial and instrument, flight instructor, instrument instructor, instructor renewals, military competency, ground instructor, foreign pilot certificates; airplanes | Eagle Flight School - VPZ 4001 Murvhill Rd | (847) 219-1189 | johnboos88@gmail.com | GREATER CHICAGO FSDO GL-03 / CHI FSDO |
| Keegan Starkey | Valparaiso, IN VPZ | 48 | private pilot, commercial and instrument, flight instructor, instrument instructor, instructor renewals, military competency, ground instructor, foreign pilot certificates; airplanes | 4207 Murvihill Road | (863) 271-4995 | keegangstarkey@gmail.com | GREATER CHICAGO FSDO GL-03 / CHI FSDO |
| Edmond William Verville | Battle Creek, MI BTL | 49 | private pilot, commercial and instrument, airline transport pilot, flight instructor, instrument instructor; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes | 237 N. Helmer Rd | (269) 207-5864 | edverville@aol.com | GRAND RAPIDS FSDO GL-09 / GRR FSDO |
| Jason Blair | Allegan, MI 35D | 49 | private pilot, commercial and instrument, flight instructor, instrument instructor, sport pilot, instructor renewals, ground instructor; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes | Allegan Airport 740 Grand St. | (269) 275-7959 | jblair@jasonblair.net | GRAND RAPIDS FSDO GL-09 / GRR FSDO |
| Lara Zook Gaerte | Auburn, IN GWB | 49 | private pilot, commercial and instrument, flight instructor, instructor renewals, ground instructor; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes | Century Aviation 2710 County Road 60 | (260) 602-6293 | laragaerte@gmail.com | GRAND RAPIDS FSDO GL-09 / GRR FSDO |
Sport aviation examiners SAE · 1 · Sport Aviation Examiner: gives the tests for sport pilot certificates and light-sport aircraft
| Name | Town | nm | May test for | Works from | Telephone | FAA office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darrell Eugene Martin | Goshen, IN GSH | 15 | 26456 CR 40 | (574) 361-1557 | countrylane@fourway.net | DELEGATION AND RESOURCE BRANCH, AFG-970 |
Aviation medical examiners AME · 16 · Aviation Medical Examiner: a doctor who issues the medical certificates pilots must hold
| Name | Town | nm | Works from | Telephone | FAA office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harley W Yoder | Elkhart, IN EKM | 0 | 25651 CR 20 | (574) 522-1201 | hwyoder61.hy@gmail.com | Great Lakes Region |
| Mark Schmeltz | Granger, IN EKM | 6 | Beacon Medical Group Bittersweet 12340 BITTERSWEET COMMONS BLVD. | (574) 271-8610 | mschmeltz@beaconhealthsystem.org | Great Lakes Region |
| Daniel Jesse Berger | Bristol, IN 0IN | 8 | 304 E Vistula Street | (574) 848-4039 | dberger2@goshenhealth.com | Great Lakes Region |
| Dicky G Bhagat | Goshen, IN GSH | 15 | 2240 Karisa Dr, Suite 1 | (574) 534-6757 | dbhagat@goshenmd.com | Great Lakes Region |
| Brian Jay Dykstra | Three Rivers, MI HAI | 23 | Three Rivers Municipal Airport Flight Clinic 1200 Flight Line Dr. | (269) 370-2356 | bdykstrafaaame@gmail.com | Great Lakes Region |
| Byron M Holm | Plymouth, IN C65 | 25 | 2855 MILLER DRIVE, SUITE 205 | (574) 286-0200 | bholm@lifeplexmedical.com | Great Lakes Region |
| David Wesley Dick | Warsaw, IN ASW | 28 | 1500 PROVIDENT DRIVE, SUITE A | (574) 372-7637 | ddick@kch.com | Great Lakes Region |
| Edmond Flood Feeks | St. Joseph, MI BEH | 29 | 3900 Hollywood Road | (269) 408-4171 | effeeks@gmail.com | Great Lakes Region |
| John Michael Stafford | St Joseph, MI BEH | 29 | 3800 HOLLYWOOD ROAD | (269) 428-2552 | w8sio@hotmail.com | Great Lakes Region |
| Justin Sybesma | Saint Joseph, MI BEH | 29 | 183 Peace Blvd | (269) 428-3500 | justinsybesma@me.com | Great Lakes Region |
| Christopher Dennis Powers | Laporte, IN PPO | 33 | 2341 S State Rd 39 | (765) 506-9035 | collumpowers@gmail.com | Great Lakes Region |
| Eric P Wohlrab | La Porte, IN PPO | 34 | Aeromedical at Aerometals 1201 E Lincolnway | (219) 363-1976 | hsbs@csinet.net | Great Lakes Region |
| Michael William Berneking | Kalamazoo, MI AZO | 37 | 6789 Elm Valley Drive | (269) 341-8938 | michaelb670108@gmail.com | Great Lakes Region |
| Larry E Watkins | Angola, IN ANQ | 42 | 306 EAST MAUMEE STREET | (260) 665-2164 | larry4watkins@gmail.com | Great Lakes Region |
| Gregory Arthur Pinnell | Battle Creek, MI BTL | 49 | Western Michigan University College of Aviation, 237 N. Helmer Rd | (989) 245-4494 | gpinnell@airdocs.net | Great Lakes Region |
| Mark S Souder | Auburn, IN GWB | 49 | 1310 EAST 7TH ST SUITE J | (260) 925-0305 | markssoudermd@aol.com | Great Lakes Region |
Mechanic examiners DME · 1 · Designated Mechanic Examiner: tests candidates for the mechanic certificate (airframe and powerplant)
| Name | Town | nm | Works from | Telephone | FAA office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Hierholzer | Battle Creek, MI BTL | 49 | Western Michigan University College of Aviation 237 Helmer Rd North | (269) 270-8776 | jhierholzer.dme@gmail.com | GRAND RAPIDS FSDO GL-09 / GRR FSDO |
Airworthiness representatives (maintenance) DAR-T · 2 · Designated Airworthiness Representative, maintenance: issues airworthiness certificates and approvals for aircraft in service
| Name | Town | nm | Works from | Telephone | FAA office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Paul Blosser | Nappanee, IN C03 | 17 | 24292 US HIGHWAY 6 | (574) 453-0251 | jon.blosser@gmail.com | GRAND RAPIDS FSDO GL-09 / GRR FSDO |
| Christopher John Vanderweide | Battle Creek, MI BTL | 49 | 165 Grand Castle Ter | (269) 720-4279 | ckvaero@gmail.com | GRAND RAPIDS FSDO GL-09 / GRR FSDO |
Engineering representatives DER-T · 1 · Designated Engineering Representative: approves engineering data for repairs and alterations on the FAA's behalf
| Name | Town | nm | Works from | Telephone | FAA office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis A Wilcox | Battle Creek, MI BTL | 49 | 5420 Beckley Road, Suite A #233 | (269) 986-2333 | info@apexflame.com | Central Certification Branch |
Parachute rigger examiners DPRE · 1 · Designated Parachute Rigger Examiner: tests candidates for the parachute rigger certificate
| Name | Town | nm | Works from | Telephone | FAA office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terry Ray Urban | Portage, MI AZO | 34 | 211 CHERRYVIEW DRIVE | (269) 569-5440 | trurban@hotmail.com | GRAND RAPIDS FSDO GL-09 / GRR FSDO |
Administrative pilot examiners Admin-PE · 2 · Administrative Pilot Examiner: handles certificate paperwork rather than flight tests
| Name | Town | nm | Works from | Telephone | FAA office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Charles Grossman | Battle Creek, MI BTL | 49 | Western Michigan University, College of Aviation 237 Helmer Rd. N | (269) 964-4029 | thomas.grossman@wmich.edu | GRAND RAPIDS FSDO GL-09 / GRR FSDO |
| Thomas James McLaughlin | Battle Creek, MI BTL | 49 | Western Michigan University 237 North Helmer Road | (269) 207-6879 | thomas.mclaughlin@wmich.edu | GRAND RAPIDS FSDO GL-09 / GRR FSDO |
Designees are listed with the name and contact details the FAA publishes for them on its designee locator (read October 10, 2026): the FAA lists them so that pilots, mechanics and companies can find them. Private individuals are not named, the site's policy at this time. A designee who would rather not appear here can ask us through the contact address on the About page. Each designee is placed at the main public airport of the town the FAA lists (or the nearest one to its zip code), so "nearby" means the town, not an exact address. A designee's functions are the FAA's own codes (DPE-PE-ASEL is a pilot examiner for the private certificate in single-engine airplanes), spelled out here for pilot examiners. Click a column heading to sort. All designees in Indiana · by state.