Originally Posted by
rickair7777
Here's a little insight...
If someone with checking authority (ie fed, DPE, check airman) deviates very far from the accepted script they've already decided that you're going to pass or that they're not going to veto you.
If someone fails (even a justified failure) when there were shenigans occurring or the event was off-script, that student now has ammo to make waves and nobody wants to deal with that.
When a checking event gets off track, I know I can relax...
Usually the case but not always. Story is 2nd hand so details might not be exact but the point remains.
A friend of mine recently took his ATP check ride and while in the weather was vectored below MSA but above MVA. His examiner didn't say anything, but busted him for going below MSA. Here's a case where everything appeared to be normal, and IMO everything proceeded normally, and the examinee still busted the ride. As a side note, he is appealing which I'm sure is just a mountain of happy-happy-fun-time.
As a side note, who plssed in that examiner's corn flakes that morning? I've been vectored below MSA many times on approach, assuming you're at/above MVA it is 100% safe and legal. Then again, in Turkey I was also vectored below MSA into a mountain but fortunately I had SA and am here to type about it, but we're also talking apples and oranges of US vs. 3rd world controllers.