Failed written?
 

Hi all, I have a buddy that has a failed written but no failed check rides. He wants to know if that will ever affect him in his career. I tell him that the airlines I know, only ask for failed check rides. Any thoughts?

Short answer. No. Won't even have to disclose it.

Take it again, if you have career aspirations shoot for >95% on all writtens.

They'll probably never even ask, but if they do be honest. You'll win more points for honesty than you'll lose for flunking a written.

But don't lie...it's possible there's a record of that in your FAA file, and some airlines use FOIA to obtain more than what PRIA will show, so you never know.

It's been my experience (from both sides of the table) to disclose any and all failures. PRIA reports only give the last 5 years of training records from a previous airline. However, the FOIA has everything from your PVT written through ATP. If you busted any checkride or failed a written it will be here. Better to let the individual conducting the interview decide if your failure is pertinent or not as opposed to not disclosing it and losing out on a job or getting asked to leave training.

Study again, take the test again, call it good! He can always say he failed but wasn't happy with his results so took it again.

Not necessarily.
Only the rides that have been busted with the Feds or for a certificate ride will show up. If you bust an in house ride 121/135 they most likely will not be in that file.

So is this a data base anyone can go to and get our info? Or is there a need to know? Not that it really matters I guess, I've just never heard of this.

There's only one file at the FAA for each airman.

A PRIA request, which a 121 employer MUST submit, will return certain items from that file.

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request will return almost everything in your file except I think certain privacy act items (medical details?). Airlines do not have to submit a FOIA request to the FAA but some do (anyone can submit a FOIA request).

Oh ok, that's what I thought. After the Asiana event I cought the tail end of a interview on fox I think, and the guest was trying to make the point that this should all be out, public knowledge, and you the passenger should be able to "interview" the pilot/ copilot, like you would a Dr, lawyer, that sort of thing. And I guess what, you could take another flight?
Thanks for the reply!

Not necessarily. Airlines request training records from any and all previous carriers, (121 and 135) and it could show up. Granted, they are only required to submit the last 5 years, but any and all failures could show up.

This brings up my original response of why risk a potential career move by not disclosing (read lying) about a failure?