N5139

I'm on the "dark side" these days (non-enforcement Fed job), but am sickened by the media's take on checkride failures. Obviously, a pattern isn't healthy, but I've spoken to several POIs who are seeing ridiculous hiring policies implemented. Prove me wrong, but my reality before Colgan 3407 was that most people have busted a ride.

The Farang

Are we talking actual FAA rides or do Part 141 checks count too?

Part 141 I think I had over 15 check rides (Private-MEI).

As they say, it all depends on who you get...

TPROP4ever

And it will stay that way until we are understaffed as an industry again, and it will happen. This is a cycle ( albeit a very long drawn out one) it is a cycle none the less. This is the normal reactionary american way of living.

And although I havnt busted one yet, I truly believe every one will bust one sometime in their career, I had a sim instructor tell me once that sooner or later you can bust Sullenberger if you really want to. Anyone of us is capable of a bust, and if you think your not then get the heck off the flightdeck.

meairlinepilot

I got one, way back when, because I didn't have sufficient knowledge dealing with flying for charity during my ME rating oral :-( Other than that, never failed a darn thing.

forgot to bid

How do we know Sullenberger didn't fail once or multiple times in his career? Maybe he said it in his book, but honestly, he landed in the Hudson on a VFR? How about the TACA crew that dead sticked a 737 onto a levy in New Orleans in a TSRA (because the engines were not made properly and flamed out in heavy rain) or the Air Transat crew that landed in Lajes in an A330 in the first 1,000' of the runway at 6 in the morning after dead sticking it for 20 minutes? (thanks wiki)

Just saying, I see Sully's name all of the time on this forum but really there have been some things done in real life that are phenomenal but thanks to not being done in NYC nobody cares? We did the hudson maneuver in the sim for fun, it ain't hard although I really don't want to try floating in an MD88. I think it'd make a lousy boat but an A+ submarine.

Picture of the TACA incident:

I mean is that dude not a bad ass?

As to the start of this thread, I think a lot of guys get dinged at somepoint in their career, usually their first Part 121 ride which may or may not be a pink slip. I don't know how that works.

But what I'd like to know is how many Feds have failed their rides? We had someone at Coex overseeing our B1900 operation that loved to fail pilots, loved it, thought everyone learned something from being failed. Then of course he failed more than 3 or 4 times on the ERJ-145 and they put him in another program but I know if he passed he'd gone off and failed as many pilots as he could and both XJT and the FAA knew it. If we're fired if we fail twice, so should Feds or at the least they should not be given oversight, IMHO. That should be an easy rule to implement. And FWIW, I was not on the 1900D but we all knew of their checkride plight.

Ziggy

This brings up a interesting topic. Your professional career doesn't start until you start getting paid for your skill. IMHO anything prior to professional flying really should be seen as a learning experience and not held against you.
I've failed 2 check rides, commercial, and CFI because I had an ego and didn't listen to my instructor or examiner. After that I was able to stow my ego and I've passed every 121 and 135 check ride given to date.

I wouldn't count stage checks because they are not reported to the FAA.

KC10 FATboy

The reality is no matter if you are Doug Masters or Capt Rex Kramer, an examiner can fail you at anytime he or she wishes. An examiner can ALWAYS find something wrong with your knowledge, judgement, or procedure.

Never give a bad impression to your check airmen. Shine those shoes, iron that uniform, always smile, and have a good attitude. If they suggest something, DO IT! Thank them for whatever, even if they are pompus.

When I was an examiner, albeit for the military, you could tell in the first 5 minutes who was prepared and who wasn't. The number one thing that determined if you passed was, "are you safe enough to let my family and friends fly with you?". I could care less what you dorked up. We all dork up something at some point. That's why we have crew airplanes. But if you were unwilling to learn something from your mistakes and acted like a horses ass, well, it was reflected in your grades.

HercDriver130

Well said... and so very true.

III Corps

an examiner recently told me, "I have three scales. First level is you're safe enough for my ex to fly with you. The next is I would let my kids ride on your airplane and finally, the top is I would put my hunting dog on your airplane."

Thedude

I wish more guys felt that way. If an examiner can't size up a guy's knowledge in the first 30 mins of an oral, I don't think he should be giving checkrides. I say it 'cause I have seen a couple of 3+hr orals. Simply ridiculous.