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Commercial Checkride Failure Question

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Commercial Checkride Failure Question

Old 06-08-2021, 05:22 PM
  #1  
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Default Commercial Checkride Failure Question

As the title states I had my first checkride failure yesterday, Comm. ASEL. The ride was flawless up until the Power Off 180. Landed about 50ft. short on first attempt DPE was good and actually let me try one more unfortunately went about 100ft. long on the second one. I take full ownership as it was my fault and my fault alone for the bust. I elected to continue the ride and flew each maneuver thereafter to ACS standards. I'm a 40 year old career changer hoping to fly professionally I guess my question is does this bust hold more weight in the eyes of any future employer since it was a Commercial ride. Thanks in advance for any insight.
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Old 06-08-2021, 05:30 PM
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Originally Posted by LongRoadAhead View Post
As the title states I had my first checkride failure yesterday, Comm. ASEL. The ride was flawless up until the Power Off 180. Landed about 50ft. short on first attempt DPE was good and actually let me try one more unfortunately went about 100ft. long on the second one. I take full ownership as it was my fault and my fault alone for the bust. I elected to continue the ride and flew each maneuver thereafter to ACS standards. I'm a 40 year old career changer hoping to fly professionally I guess my question is does this bust hold more weight in the eyes of any future employer since it was a Commercial ride. Thanks in advance for any insight.

A failed checkride(s) can be turned into a positive learning experience as long as you learned something from the failure.

Problems start occurring when a pattern of failures show up on your record.
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Old 06-08-2021, 05:50 PM
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Originally Posted by LongRoadAhead View Post
I guess my question is does this bust hold more weight in the eyes of any future employer since it was a Commercial ride.
No. I failed my Commercial SE on a similar maneuver. When asked "have do you have any checkride failures" during an interview, I answer yes. And when prompted to explain what happened, I accept full responsibility for my mistake and explain what I learned from it.

Like Freighthotdog mentioned in his previous post, checkride failures become an issue when they become a pattern (e.g. you fail a Commercial ME ride down the road, then your Commercial SES, and then another one, etc.).

tl;dr: Keep additional failures to a minimum, explain what you learned from the failures you do have, and they won't be a major point of concern.
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Old 06-08-2021, 05:55 PM
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Yes, it happens, try hard not to fail any more. They are typically more forgiving of GA training failures since you're relatively inexperienced, and GA training and checking consistency is all over the map. Of course don't use THAT as an excuse, own it and explain how you learned something and are a better pilot.

They probably scrutinize 121 failures more closely since those are more standardized and by definition more recent than your entry-level training.
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Old 06-08-2021, 08:05 PM
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Meh, DPE was a bit of a jerk failing you for just that.... whatever....


You'll be fine, it won't hurt you at all in your career. But as mentioned in the previous comments just make sure you explain it the proper way that employers want to hear.
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Old 06-10-2021, 09:32 AM
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I failed my Commercial ASEL as well; on the short field. A bit of an ego bruise at the time but I never made excuses as I messed it up, pretty simple. It has never been an issue with employers.
*Just don’t bust the retest!
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Old 06-10-2021, 02:01 PM
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Thanks to everyone for all the insight much appreciated.
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Old 06-11-2021, 05:07 AM
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As a general recommendation, do not try and salvage a badly executed maneuver and hope you don’t get busted.
If you exceed published parameters then abandon the maneuver and communicate your reasons why.
An examiner has no duty to let you redo a busted maneuver.
Examples:

Steep turns, briefly exceed +|- 50’ state you’re correcting. Don’t wish that maybe the DPE didn’t see it.
Gross exceedence then simply roll out and state why. I exceeded my altitude by 200’.
An incomplete maneuver is different from a badly completed maneuver.

Short field landing, book says -0 feet.
You’re supposed to know that. Execute a go-around and state why. Now you better nail the next one.
You should know how to fix a potential overshoot like with a little sideslip or briefly lower the nose and catch it before you pound it on.
Again if it looks like you’re going to overshoot by half a mile execute a go-around.

Pilot in Command decision making instead of being a passenger on your own plane.
These are skill excercises so I’m looking at the CFI that signed you off also.
Lack of ground school or lack of training.
’Scuse me if that sounds crude.
I’m not a DPE but I’ve done tons of stage checks as a 141 Chief/asst Chief./Check instructor. Like 100’s.

I doubt it will affect you in any way.
If I were an employer I’d want you to be honest.
Yes, I failed my CPL SEL.
I wouldn’t even ask you why unless it’s for a CFI position. Then I’d ask how you would have done things differently as your instructor.
Now…135 or 121 type rides and mandatory recurrent , those could be a big problem.
Same as failed upgrades. I’d dig into those.
Then again I’m a pilot and not an HR headshrinker.

* On my CPL SEL ride I did a Short Field instead of the requested Soft Field.
Somewhere on final I got my wires crossed because of nerves.
He assumed I didn’t hear him correctly the first time and asked again. Gave me that cop look with the eyebrow then gave me the benefit of the doubt.

Last edited by TiredSoul; 06-11-2021 at 05:30 AM.
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Old 06-11-2021, 07:48 AM
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Originally Posted by TiredSoul View Post
As a general recommendation, do not try and salvage a badly executed maneuver and hope you don’t get busted.
If you exceed published parameters then abandon the maneuver and communicate your reasons why.
An examiner has no duty to let you redo a busted maneuver.
Examples:

Steep turns, briefly exceed +|- 50’ state you’re correcting. Don’t wish that maybe the DPE didn’t see it.
Gross exceedence then simply roll out and state why. I exceeded my altitude by 200’.
An incomplete maneuver is different from a badly completed maneuver.

Short field landing, book says -0 feet.
You’re supposed to know that. Execute a go-around and state why. Now you better nail the next one.
You should know how to fix a potential overshoot like with a little sideslip or briefly lower the nose and catch it before you pound it on.
Again if it looks like you’re going to overshoot by half a mile execute a go-around.

Pilot in Command decision making instead of being a passenger on your own plane.
These are skill excercises so I’m looking at the CFI that signed you off also.
Lack of ground school or lack of training.
’Scuse me if that sounds crude.
I’m not a DPE but I’ve done tons of stage checks as a 141 Chief/asst Chief./Check instructor. Like 100’s.

I doubt it will affect you in any way.
If I were an employer I’d want you to be honest.
Yes, I failed my CPL SEL.
I wouldn’t even ask you why unless it’s for a CFI position. Then I’d ask how you would have done things differently as your instructor.
Now…135 or 121 type rides and mandatory recurrent , those could be a big problem.
Same as failed upgrades. I’d dig into those.
Then again I’m a pilot and not an HR headshrinker.

* On my CPL SEL ride I did a Short Field instead of the requested Soft Field.
Somewhere on final I got my wires crossed because of nerves.
He assumed I didn’t hear him correctly the first time and asked again. Gave me that cop look with the eyebrow then gave me the benefit of the doubt.

LOL! Thanks
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Old 06-11-2021, 12:03 PM
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Originally Posted by LongRoadAhead View Post
LOL! Thanks
Figured you could handle it lol.
How did your Instrument rating work out?
Did you end up changing instructors ?
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