Originally Posted by
Ray Blaszak
That's because he is an instructor first DPE second. One thing I can't stand about ATP they only care about one thing; how much the DPE makes that week. There's a reason why they get so many check ride passes it isn't necessarily because people can fly. When your spoon fed several grand a week you'll pass the weak.
Ray, I'm curious what your background is that might draw you to the conclusion(from what I'm reading) that they are 'check ride' passes vs supposed failures?
As a military aviator, I think it's safe to say that an ATP checkride is just that, another checkride and those of us who have 10-20 yrs of flying experience in our respective platforms have flown our fair share of checkrides. To me, the ATP was just that a checkride and a check in the box, not to see if I knew the Seminole backwards and forwards but much bigger; can I handle complex emergencies, execute good headwork and sound judgement, while still allowing basic airmanship to happen. It's really that simple. If the ATP process was so messed up, then why isn't the FAA more stringent? Simple..the ATP process leverages existing exprience in making a determination about one's ability to do just what I said. Further, the FAA understands that individual airline training programs are in place to further that process in addition to providing oversight.
I do see some of what you're saying for someone with less experience in dynamic and stressed aviation environments, and I think that in those cases, the performance of the person applying for the ATP shines through. I have known military aviators to fail the ATP checkride for one reason or another...so it does happen.