Checkride failure and Jobs (Careers)

meyers9163

meyers9163

Well-Known Member
I am nearing my IFR checkride on the 15th and it made me wonder about my own future in aviation. As many know I had a rough (the FAA show up on my ppl oral) ppl checkride. Needless to say after 3 hours of an oral was dismissed, then retook it in the same week and pased in 30 minutes. Anyways as I am getting ready for the IFR I just wonder how many guys/girls out there are flying and have more then like 2-3 pink slips? And if they get them does it matter if it was on the oral or the pratical exam itself? Just got me curious so I thought why not ask.
 
I know a few pilots who have two, maybe three checkride failures out of all their training, and they're doing fine...no major damage to their careers.

If pilots start getting four, five, or six failures, I would take it as a sign they aren't cut out for flying. I think most people with that sort of record usually realize they aren't cut out to fly professionally and take themselves out of the industry on their own.

As for if you fail on the flight or the oral...it doesn't matter. A pink slip's a pink slip.
 
Hey man, don't worry so much about it. Its not good for you! lol. There was a CFI in Orlando who failed 3 IFR checkrides and he got a job with Trans States. (Don't think he made it through the training though) but point is he got the offer. You won't fail man. Believe me. So long as you go in knowing your ready and don't try to rush it, you'll be fine. :)
 
I failed three and got hired (IFR, II, CFI Single). Bummer about your PPL, but just make sure you're on your stuff before you go for rides and you'll be ok.
 
Actually, I know a guy who failed both his PPL and Comm. and became a check airman for SkyWest and now works for Alaska. In fact, I personally only know of two pilots that have never failed a checkride of some sort.
 
I appreciate the information thus far. I really feel confident and its weird for me to even ask such a question. Like many obviously being younger (22) I just want to be reassured that having one or two even pink slips wont hurt too much. I just look foward to getting this IFR done and getting my ME and doing 60 hours and getting my CFI by May!
 
Don't sweat it. They'll likely ask you if you've ever failed a checkride before. What they want to hear from you is not "no". They want to hear about how you pick yourself back up after falling down. Why? Because you'll likely encounter some difficulty at some point in your career and they definitely don't want someone who gives up easily. Coincidently, alot of people have most of their problems in initial training. So, don't feel bad about saying "yes". That's not the deal breaker...not by a long shot. Here's my personal experience: I failed two checkrides in a row at my last job (135). I wasn't having a good week. I had just passed my 6 month check a month prior so it wasn't like I couldn't pass a checkride, but their policy was 2-in-a-row you're gone. I got an interview for my current job (121) and the question came up, "So, tell us about your last job..." I told them I wasn't having a good week and listed cockpit resource management as one of my need-to-work-on items. That told them that I was humble enough to be self-critical and not point fingers.

It's not the pink slips that count, it's the person.
 
pinked my commercial SE on the flight & oral, commercial ME on the flight, and CFII on the oral......flying at a regional now, and haven't heard a word about it since I failed those......don't worry about it........as long as you learn from what you did and make it better, it doesn't make a damn bit of difference...​
 
I failed my first attempt at the Instrument and CFII. Stupid mistakes on both occasions, but you learn and move on. I'm not sure if I've ever been asked about it during an interview, but an honest answer would be accepted by most interviewers.

TP
 
I failed my private and a 135 checkride.......just so long as your not failing all of them repeatedly...you'll be ok.
 
Thanks for the honest replies.... I've got my Comm. SE ride coming up and I'm starting to freak out a little. It's good to know I don't need to put quite as much pressure on myself as I had thought....
 
jawright said:
Thanks for the honest replies.... I've got my Comm. SE ride coming up and I'm starting to freak out a little. It's good to know I don't need to put quite as much pressure on myself as I had thought....
Click to expand...

Generic checkride advice:

Read the PTS cover to cover. These are your "rules of engagement" for the ride, so you should know what's fair game. 98% of the time, you're going to have a DE that is thorough yet stays well within these bounds. Most of the failures I saw as a CFI concerned huge "blind spots" in one's knowledge.

Commercial-Specific:

Take authority, show confidence, and exhibit proactive thinking. If you're having trouble with the maneuvers, break them down on paper.

Good luck!
J.
Former CFI
 
C150J said:
Generic checkride advice:


Commercial-Specific:

Take authority, show confidence, and exhibit proactive thinking. If you're having trouble with the maneuvers, break them down on paper.

Good luck!
J.
Former CFI
Click to expand...

Thanks....btw, love the avatar! I saw that sketch for the first time the other day lol.....
 
I don't think I know a pilot that hasn't failed some sort of checkride/stage check. Actually, the only person I know who's passed every single checkride including CFI, CFII, MEI, and ATP is my dad. I messed up my Private ride because of nervousness (test anxiety). Don't sweat it.
 
JaceTheAce said:
I don't think I know a pilot that hasn't failed some sort of checkride/stage check.
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I know two guys off the top of my head that have never failed a checkride. One is a former instructor of mine and is an excellent pilot...he's flying Part 135 Commanders now I think.

The other guy is an idiot who I wouldn't ever let my family set foot in a plane with. It truly is amazing to me that he hasn't crashed yet. He's flying right seat in a Citation now I think. How he got through his checkrides, zero time to MEI, without failing, I have no idea.

Just like how I don't put much stock in somebody's flawed record, I don't put much trust in a pilot's perfect record either ;)
 
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