Originally Posted by
VideoGuy
I have a serious question. It is really easy to say that someone failed X number of times at something but to me, that is only relevent to the number of attempts and number of passes. Years ago, I read the statistics for Michael Jordan and how many shots he actually missed but was still considered great. JFK Jr. failed his boards to become a lawyer but eventually passed. I find it interesting how they never tell you what the total # was. If the total # of tests was 100, then the # doesn't look so bad. But if it was 10, well that's not so good.
Pilot training tests (checkrides) are supposed to be passed. Unlike basketball (and bar exams) there is no expectation that you will take a whole bunch of them until you score.
In order to become an airline captain via civilian training, you would take these checkrides, usually in this order:
Training:
Private Pilot (Single-engine)
Instrument Rating
Commercial Pilot (Single Engine)
Multi-engine Rating
Flight Instructor (not required, but most pilots do it)
Flight Instructor-Instrument (not required, but most pilots do it)
Flight Instructor-Multi-engine (not required, but some pilots do it)
Airline:
New hire training and checkide
Annual Proficiency Checkride
Captain/ATP training and checkride
Most of these checkrides include a written test, and all include an oral exam in addition to the flight check.
It is not unusual for a pilot to have failed one, or even two of these events...stuff happens sometimes, just like a regular citizen might get an occasional speeding ticket.
But three or more failures starts to raise eyebrows, especially once you are employed by an airline. Initial training failures might be due to lack of effort, but once you are employed at an airline you are trying pretty hard.