Originally Posted by
ipdanno
I believe there is a BIG difference between a Q3 and a Commander Directed Downgrade. As previously mentioned, the MAC/AMC world handed out Q3s rather easily; accomplish retraining, recheck, and go about your business without making that mistake again. I recall an examiner in prebrief telling three copilots they had already passed their check rides, as long as they didn’t ‘foul’ up the three-engine go-around (sim engine out). Two of us performed to standards, one didn’t. He was busted. Retrain, recheck, off you go.
A Commander Directed Downgrade is something else entirely. That is the Commander losing faith in your ability to command the aircraft/crew, or to accomplish the mission. That is not a simple retraining issue. I believe a CDD is a more serious issue, speaking to leadership and/or maturity.
Interview wise, is it overcome-able, probably so. But I wouldn’t think it would be as easy as explaining away a check ride Q3.
Full disclosure: I was hired, having received a Q3 and having issued a Q3.
Interesting take and not how I would quantity it myself. In the CAF, a CDD was basically if you did something Q3-able but not on an actual check ride. For me my CDD was to a Q3 on that daily sortie. I was required to “retrain” and re-qualified on the next sortie, which for my situation was simply not having a runway incursion on my next flight with my #2 as a SEFE and I was back to Q1 status.
How you described a CDD would to me be more of an FEB type issue. Like questioning whether you should be flying an aircraft at all because of gross safety violations/discipline/airmanship. Maybe that process also starts with a CDD Q3, but I don’t know. I’d like to think my scenario would be viewed differently.
In any case, it was years ago for me and I’ve been through lots of upgrades/growth since then and am actually looking forward to talking about what I learned from it in an interview! I’m just hoping checking that box doesn’t put the app in the trash forever.