So I took my PPL checkride October 31st of last year. My flight school is based out of KTRL in Texas. During my oral the DPE was telling me a story about how one of his previous examinees lost his way during the practical portion, but he knew his way around the area so well he found his way back.

Now, it was time for my practical, I get up in the air and I’m doing pretty good. All of the sudden, the DPE says “You’re now lost, use your resources to get us back.” Now mind you, the 172s I was flying does have a gps, but I had my iPad with foreflight and my sectional open already. I pointed on the sectional and showed him the lake we were over and showed him exactly how to get back and even showed him on foreflight. He then proceeded to get mad at me and yelled at me for not using the GPS.

I don’t know if I messed up and should’ve used the GPS, I just used my resources like he said.

All in all it was a really weird checkride, I got the engine started but he was a bigger dude and couldn’t get himself buckled, so he made me keep the plane on, walk around the back, and buckle him in all while he was mouthing off.

TLDR: My DPE wanted me to use my recourses to us back, I used my resources, but it was the wrong resource.