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Christopher David Hardee is a highly respected figure in the Tennessee aviation community, currently serving as an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) based in Murfreesboro. With a career spanning several decades, Hardee has held significant leadership positions within the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) Aerospace Department, including serving as a Chief Flight Instructor. His long-standing tenure at one of the nation’s premier collegiate flight programs has allowed him to mentor thousands of aspiring aviators while upholding the highest standards of safety and professional excellence.
Hardee holds an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate and is a seasoned Certified Flight Instructor (CFI, CFII, MEI) with extensive flight hours in both single and multi-engine aircraft. As a DPE, he is authorized to conduct practical exams for Private, Instrument, Commercial, and Multi-engine ratings. His reputation for being thorough yet fair is complemented by his real-world emergency experience; in 2021, he successfully executed an emergency landing on a local road following an engine failure in a vintage aircraft. This event underscored the precise decision-making and stick-and-rudder skills he expects from every candidate he evaluates.