Airline Pilot Central Forums - Failed checkrides

Airline Pilot Central Forums (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/)

- Regional (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/regional/)

- - Failed checkrides (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/regional/127281-failed-checkrides.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoldPilot (Post 3044088)

Never understood how a DUI can be expunged off your record, but if you unsat a steep turn it follows you to the grave. It should only be on your record for 5 yrs. I don’t get the system.

I’m not sure about other states. In Florida it requires a non-conviction or a withhold of adjudication to be eligible for expungement. The withhold is not possible on a DUI. If the NCIC has your fingerprints in the end it probably means no mainline job. That’s the whole thing we always talk about on here over whether I can get a medical. The issue of the medical and actually being employed in a career level position are far different.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoldPilot (Post 3044088)

Never understood how a DUI can be expunged off your record, but if you unsat a steep turn it follows you to the grave. It should only be on your record for 5 yrs. I don’t get the system.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sflpilot (Post 3047671)

I don’t think a DUI is a show stopper. Especially after 10 years.

There are plenty of people in the Majors with a DUI. Of course the vast majority of them were hired during a different time. It will be a lot harder to be hired with one today (even pre covid) then it was for them.

Your best and most likely only chance is to go to a flow program if they still exist after all of this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneStar32 (Post 3047737)

The COVID will make it less likely for people with blemishes to get hired for the foreseeable future.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FutureMajor8 (Post 3047756)

The COVID will make it less likely for people with blemishes to get hired for the foreseeable future.

What threshold do you define a "blemish"?

Obviously a DUI clearly is one, but I doubt one or two simple traffic tickets would be, on the other hand.

What about someone who failed their initial CFI or PPL checkride 10 yrs ago with no other issues be in that category?

How about someone who's had a completely clean training history and no legal issues, but was asked to resign in lieu of termination at a questionable 135 operator for reasons not having to do with performance or conduct?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bahamasflyer (Post 3048115)

I don't think the things you mentioned would be a show stopper. DUI is though, for awhile.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickair7777 (Post 3043749)

Honestly... airlines (majors) are frankly looking pretty grim for you right, for the mid-term, any that hire will have their pick of fully experienced airline pilots with multiple types, and few or zero busts.

The retirements are still out there, so they might loosen up standards in 5-8 years but it's also possible that the covid carnage will drag out for so long that it nullifies much of the retirement bubble. I think the later would be the extreme case, more likely that there will still be some retirement-driven hiring mid-late in the decade.

Corporate might make more sense for you, that tends to be somewhat more personality driven (who you know) as opposed to being filtered by a computer from a stack of 10K applications. Also.., any aviation profession knows that it's possible for a young person to struggle with initial training for any of several reasons, but still go on the acquire lots of professional experience and a very solid track record with all necessary lessons learned. Corporate will likely hire someone like that (I would personally). Majors on the other hand are concerned at the HR and legal level about how your past record (which can never be erased) will appear in the media and courtrooms in the event of a serious accident (reference Colgan).

Failing 4 primary check rides did not stop me from getting hired at a regional 9 years ago when even regionals were still kind of choosy with whom they hire as majors hadn’t yet started hiring off the street following the ‘08-09’ financial crisis.
I would consider passing check rides in larger, more complex aircraft, especially as your career progresses, redemption for any pitfalls in small piston aircraft. The more passes under your belt going forward the merrier.
I think you shouldn’t have any issues getting hired at a regional of your choice once things start picking back up, which might be a good route to go as you rack up a large amount of flight time in a relatively small time frame.
Even if a corporate flying gig is your end goal, starting off at a regional makes sense for the experience unless you know the right people or have a knack for networking.
Flying professionally is not unlike the military in that it requires a lot of patience and persistence, as you have already discovered.
You’ll get a lot of negativity from people, especially in these precarious times, but altogether I think you will find lots of opportunity down the road. Good luck!

Failed Private is not a big deal provided there is ownership and growth.

Failed initial CFI is very common—same scenario as above.

That being said, a pattern of repeated failures is a red flag.

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyingmau5 (Post 3045569)

Quite a few guys at legacy carriers with a few blackmarks. It's normal.

I know a couple at legacies, both with dui’s.
Albeit , they happened over 20 yrs ago in the late 90s but you can overcome it. It’s not the end of the world . Up until a few months ago any regional probably would have taken you with a good explanation, save Skywest .