SongMan

I'm curious more than anything. Personally don't matter.

When applying for Regionals, Majors or any other airlines, does failed checkride history matter?

I never knew failing rides getting Private, Instrument, Commercial, CFI, etc would matter in the interview. Really? I always though if you have your license, you have your license.

How many is considered ok and how many not? Is there a magic number?
Should not an applicant who has more quantities of Lic/Rate attempt be allowed bigger bust number than others with only Comm/Multi? Or again, is it all about how many bust regardless of how many rides?

Thanks!

Flyoun

It will be something that will be looked at, but how concerned your potential employer will be will vary from place to place. Yes, you have your certificates even with a bust, but employers want to be as sure as they can that you will be able to pass their training programs. Keep in mind that they are looking at the whole package, ie you. You just may have to shine that much brighter.

usmc-sgt

In today's current hiring landscape, failures can end your chance of ever working for most outfits.

As they should. Flying is not for everyone. A few failures can happen but at a certain point it becomes a pattern.

rickair7777

The colgan accident highlighted the fact that some folks just don't have what it takes, and repeated re-training and re-checking until you get the results you're looking for doesn't change the underlying problem.

Airlines are more atuned to this for two reasons...

1) Sometimes they do actually take the long view, and in this case they all saw how a chain that should have been broken early was allowed to lead to disaster.

2) They also saw how the media honed in and jack-lighted the qualifications of the pilots involved.

It used to be they only took the short-term view: We pay rock-bottom, so we aren't attracting rock stars...but can we get this guy through training (maybe with a little "help")? Their concern was wasted training $.

Now they are more inclined to consider: Will this guy be safe? and if something does happen, how is his record going to hold up to media and legal scrutiny? A cynic would say there are less concerned with safety and more concerned with providing ammunition to plaintiff's attorneys.

Net result is that multiple busts are bad. I would guess two in GA would be OK, or maybe one in 121. A long pattern, especially in 121 would be bad...anyone with multiple 121 busts should probably settle in and get comfortable where they are.

HercDriver130

It should matter......

Cubdriver

OP: try researching checkride busts by company name using the google search function on the upper left. This is a widely discussed topic, the typical allowance for prior checkride busts is pretty well known for all large firms. They range from none to several although as Rick says, the unlimited category has been eliminated lately.

SongMan

Hypothetical question;

Let's say a pilot obtaines his Private, Instrument, and Commercial Single and Multi with only 1 bust. He racked up regional minimums doing various flying as airlines is where he eventually wants to be.

This pilot however is eager to learn, train, and further his credentials. From what I read, airlines look down upon checkride failure numbers.
Should this pilot not try to obtain CFI, CFII, and MEI?
He does not "need" these additional ratings so why would he take those rides and risk failure?

Flyoun

Instructing is probably the most common avenue a lot of pilots have to build up the time needed to apply. I instructed for about 2 years, and I learned a lot by doing so.

Cubdriver

Great question and one I have pondered as well. I think the answer is, if you are talented enough in piloting not to need the experience gained from hundreds of hours of hard work instructing then by all means skip it and stop at the commercial multiengine instrument ticket. And are you sure you are that good? And also bear in mind, even one bust out of four jeopardy events (checkrides) is not a very competitive standard, it should be zero and many pilots applying to regionals these days have no busts at all, even including 3 instructor tickets.

On the other hand, if you feel that you can make good use of the extra skills built through hundreds of additional hours instructing, which would be most of us, you should plan on doing that and taking the risks associated with the extra test events. Most people should go the instructor route by this measure. It makes better pilots, no doubt there, and busted instructor checkrides are not counted as heavily in interviews as non-instructor busts.

Another factor to consider is that with the impending ATP rule coming into play for first officers, you can't even apply with less than near ATP minimums and there is no easy way to gain those hours without instructing.

Out of the Past

I think there's a difference between failing lets say your private and instrument as opposed to your CFI and CFII. Isn't the failure rate something like 80-90 percent on your CFI? Either way you would have two check ride failures but I have been told not as much weight is put on someone whose failure is a CFI rating.