JohnBurke

It wasn't a CFI checkride, but a 135 ride on which the Chief Pilot told me he'd be expecting a single engine go-around in a King Air 90 the next day on my recurrent checkride. I told him it wasn't happening; high density altitude, surrounded by mountains, Part 23 airplane, single engine go around. No.

"I'll just fail you, then. It's in the ATP practical test standards, and you must do it." He said.

Not if the airplane can't do it, isn't designed for it. Isn't certified to do it. I asked if he'd do it with fuel, a patient, nurses and medic on board. He said absolutely. I warned him not to do it. Don't pull an engine below 400' or you're not getting it back and you won't like the results.

He did it.

The next day after touch down on an ILS he said "go." I powered up and came off the ground as he retarded a power lever. "We'll call this your single engine go around." He said with a smile.

Ok. Ground rules were set. Let's follow them. I continued straight ahead. He asked when I intended to turn. I told him I didn't intend to turn. He asked how I planned to get back to the airport. I told him we weren't going back, that it was no longer possible. He demanded. I said no. He ordered the power pushed up, and I told him the rules were clear. No. He asked my intentions. I pointed to some vacant property. But there are powerlines. No problem. We're making the approach beneath them. He ordered, demanded, finally begged, and then cried. I relented, let him push the power up, but said I wasn't going to. He pushed it up, wiped his tears, and asked if he could fly on the way home. I let him. He didn't say a word. Got out, signed me off, drove away.

He was fired a few months later for stupidity, first setting the altitude alerter a thousand feet below field elevation on a black-hole approach to a high desert airfield one night, and then for coming back to the same location later in the day and taxiing into the weeds while head-down in a turn on the taxiway. Even the patient refused to fly with him.

If it's wrong and you know it's wrong, don't do it. Personally, I don't care if it's a checkride.

TurboWill

This is great info. Thanks for sharing.

TiredSoul

I didn’t make my demonstration power-off 180 in a Piper Arrow so I initiated a go-around.
FAA inspector asked me what I think was incorrect or what common error I inadvertently demonstrated and I told him.
He sugggested I fly faster and not start the maneuver at best glide on downwind.
Took his hint and nailed it the second time around.
No doubt I would have failed ( NOT he would have failed me) had I not made it the second time.

Never2Late

So checkride was yesterday at KVNY, oral was all of 10 minutes, EXPLAINING to him how to fill out a nav log (1 line) and then to the plane. All maneuvers went well, then he said lets go back and do some landings. We were coming from the WEST and he said request 16L for pattern work. As we were flying towards KVNY on a right base for 16L (would have to cross final for 16R) I heard tower clear a jet for Right base 16R, then had me turn to the VOR (vs. vectoring me behind the jet). It became a REALLY weird pattern, was concerned about crossing in front of the jet AND it turns out it was about 8 knots tailwind for landing. He asked me to do a "Soft Field Landing". Didnt get down fast enough due to my concerns about the jet and had to do a go around. the first thing I thought about was your post and thought this is it, checkride over! We came around and set up well however due to the tailwind I landed long and could not have done a T&G as he wanted. We taxied back and this time he asked me to do a NO FLAP landing (again, short runway, 8kt tailwind), was cleared for a "Full stop only to change runways around", came in a little high but slipped it at the end but still landed long. Tower asked if we wanted to taxi back, I said "affirmative" he said no, go back to the FBO (I thought FOR SURE I failed). My mind was racing 100 miles an hour thinking about how I will call him to task for giving me two of the hardest landings to do with a tailwind. Then I thought maybe he would tell me I shouldnt have tried those landings and fail me for not speaking up. The last guy I know who did the checkride with him said a G-V took off before them and tower told them to expect a 4 minute delay for wake turb, DPE says lets waive it and CFI student says "that would not be good decision making" (thinking he was being tested) and he said, no, lets waive it and go (and DPE contacted tower to waive the time). So I didnt know what to think, apparently he does not "test" ADM. Fortunately he just had to pee really bad! I will say with the doubt in my mind, it sucked having to wait for him to pee then debrief, then at the end give me the handshake.