Originally Posted by
Dash8widget
I hate to tell you this but Part 61 students are required to meet the same standards as Part 141 students. They are called the FAA Practical Test Standards and all applicants for an FAA license or rating are required to be tested to those same standards. These standards must be demonstrated to an FAA designated examiner during a check ride regardless if the student came for a 61 or 141 type of environment.
There are many, many great pilots who came up through the part 61 ranks. (for a variety of reasons - cost, availability of 141 schools, etc.) And, gasp, many of these pilots are now flying for major airlines. The horror! These pilots need to be identified immediately, their certificates pulled and banned from commercial aviation for life! Or at least until the can be retrained through a part 141 school.
By the way, there is one exception to the check ride requirements I mentioned above - ATP's and type ratings issued through airline AQP programs. Pilots under an AQP program are required to demonstrate the same standards as listed the ATP PTS. The big difference being that its done in a series of "validations." And if a demonstrated manuever does not meet standards, it can be retrained on the the spot. Under a part 61 check ride, if any part of the ride does not meet the standards then that check ride is a bust. The examiner will issue an FAA pink slip and cannot provide retraining.
If you read what I wrote you see that I never said that pilots who are trained part 61 are bad pilots or we should take their certificates. I simply said that they did not train under a standardized training program. Part 61 outlines the requirements to be eligible for the certificate or rating and the PTS is the standard by which all pilots are judged. HOWEVER this does not mean it is effective. I have signed off 47 students who trained under both part 61 and 141. When I left the part 141 school for the part 61 school there was a massive difference. The part 61 students I checked were trained to pass a DE's check ride not the PTS and there knowledge during orals was no where near as in depth as those from 141 schools. Like it or not part 61 is train to pass the local DEs check ride not the PTS. I'm sorry if you think passing a DE's check ride makes you standardized and means you have complied with the PTS, but it doesn't.
In many areas there is a very high fail rate among CFI candidates. Why? Because this is the one part 61 check ride were you can not choose your DE. The FAA chooses him for you.
Why are there so many teddy bear DEs out there? It's a business and they want as many students as they can get. They don't want the reputation of being a ball buster. The FAA looks the other way because they want to promote aviation.
There are people who fly airplanes and than there are pilots. Unfortunately there are too many people who fly airplanes among our ranks.
Commercial pilot candidates should be held to very high standards. Letting some DE judge whether this candidate is worthy in a 1.5 hour flight and a 2 hour at best oral is not the answer.
I know many outstanding part 61 trained pilots out there. That does not mean part 61 is an effective and safe way to train commercial pilots!