Checkride failures ?!

GB403

GB403

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GB403
How serious and/or detrimental are checkride failures to a pilot's career progression?
 
General rule of thumb is one busted ride is not that big of a deal, as long as you can effectively explain it at an interview. Be humble. Present it as a lesson learned and how you moved forward. Don't dwell on it, but don't try to make it out like it was a case of the examiner being a jerk (even if he was).

Multiple busts, especially since Colgan 3407 is bad, particularly for 121.
 
I'm curious, does a CFI bust carry the same weight? I've just heard of so many busting the CFI ride, that I wonder if that's a bust that's looked over.
 
Somedudeintn said:
I'm curious, does a CFI bust carry the same weight? I've just heard of so many busting the CFI ride, that I wonder if that's a bust that's looked over.
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From what I've heard, a CFI bust is the easiest to explain away, because it is not uncommon.

But, still, even with a CFI bust, things start getting iffy if you have more than one bust. I wouldn't worry about a CFI bust, but if you busted your Comm and then busted a CFI ride, I would be concerned.
 
i busted my CFI initial. the interviewing captain at the regional I used to work for (my first paying job) asked the usual question, "have you ever busted a check ride?" i said yes, i busted my initial CFI. he asked, "what happened?" I told him, he laughed and said, "he busted you for that?" I got hired. that was back when getting hired at a regional was difficult. now days, a pulse is all you need. FT is right, one you just need to explain it, two gets a little more tough.

bob
 
Busted pt61/141 ride or a busted 135/121 ride

Busted 61/141, as long as you didn't bust the same ride a few times, doubt anyone cares, after I became a CFI I look at those rides as a equal test of the CFI as the student, after all you don't know what you don't know, and a crap CFI could cause a good student to bust.

I've also heard, but haven't verified, some busted 61 rides don't even make it onto your PRIA that employers might request, again not 100% on that one.

Now
A 6 month 121/135 ride, well that's testing you on stuff you already know and should be doing everyday, busting one of those might haunt you.
 
As long as you tell them what you learned from it and you didn't bust multiple rides I think it will be fine.
 
I know enough people hired with multiple busts at the main 4 to know the "one bust" guidance being provided on here is inaccurate in this hiring environment.

If you get the interview, the busts by definition have been normalized for already. All you have to do is jump over that topic during the interview. It doesn't put you in some sort of tie breaker against the people interviewing at the same time.
 
hindsight2020 said:
I know enough people hired with multiple busts at the main 4 to know the "one bust" guidance being provided on here is inaccurate in this hiring environment.
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You may be right. But that doesn't make it bad guidance.

All it takes is the economy crashes (which it will in the near future) and they park planes in the desert. Pilot shortage solved.

Back to your regularly scheduled dog eat dog show.

I think a better way to frame it is: try to limit your busts. How you move forward from the bust is more important than the bust itself.
 
Fearless Tower said:
You may be right. But that doesn't make it bad guidance.

All it takes is the economy crashes (which it will in the near future) and they park planes in the desert. Pilot shortage solved.

Back to your regularly scheduled dog eat dog show.

I think a better way to frame it is: try to limit your busts. How you move forward from the bust is more important than the bust itself.
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Nope, with the ATP rule change, the cost of become a CPL, not changing anytime soon unless it becomes cheaper to get your CPL or the ATP rules go away.
 
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Just curious, do they just ask if you've busted a ride and you're on the honor system, or can this be looked up somewhere by a potential employer?
 
FlyBoyAndy said:
Just curious, do they just ask if you've busted a ride and you're on the honor system, or can this be looked up somewhere by a potential employer?
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I'm sure they can pull records from the FAA if they really wanted to.
 
FlyBoyAndy said:
Just curious, do they just ask if you've busted a ride and you're on the honor system, or can this be looked up somewhere by a potential employer?
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If you're referring to Part 121 (airlines) could be both, or even a third. Someone rats you out.
 
I have never been asked if I had busted any check rides.

On the other side, when I used to do interviews, I never asked anyone if they had busted a check ride.
 
Zeldman said:
I have never been asked if I had busted any check rides.

On the other side, when I used to do interviews, I never asked anyone if they had busted a check ride.
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It's a pretty standard question among 121 operators.
 
I only flew 121 once and for a short time, and was not asked about any check rides. Different times, I guess.
 
I interviewed at my second 121 on Tuesday. They asked if I had failed any checkrides and/or training events. I told them my CFI and a stage check during my college days. The Captain said ok, wrote it down and moved on to the next question.

They already, or will know, your checkride history. It's mainly about looking to see if your honest and don't have a metric ton of failures. The worst you can do is lie and they find out via PRIA. They'll pull you out of training and kick you to the road ASAP.
 
Somedudeintn said:
I'm curious, does a CFI bust carry the same weight? I've just heard of so many busting the CFI ride, that I wonder if that's a bust that's looked over.
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CFI carries the least amount of weight from what I've gathered in interviews. It's one of, if not THE, most subjective checkride you'll do. Historically some FSDO's have been known to fail people JUST to keep their 80/20 numbers. Could be rumors, but who knows.

I failed my CFI initial for "ineffective teaching methods"?!???!?

Everytime I tell that in an interview I get a good laugh 9/10 times.
 
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