3 Part 61 Checkride Busts - Career Limiting?

awbmof

awbmof

Well-Known Member
In the NW we recently got a break in the weather and I attempted to finish my multi, but yesterday yielded another bust. It was my second attempt at taking the CMEL add on ride. Between my two CMEL busts and my instrument oral eight years ago, I am now up to 3. Interestingly, all of my busts are with the same DPE, all of my other rides including CFI were passed on the first go with other examiners. I had to use this guy because he was the only one the FBO would use with time in the Twin Comanche.

At this point, I am trying to figure out if I have a career ceiling. I get the feeling based on what I've read and growing up in the industry that flying for a legacy or 121 cargo is almost out of the question. That was my end goal, I have zero desire to fly corporate, or career 135.

Basically, I am trying to figure out if I am going to continue. Should I start investing my time and money in another profession, or fall back to being a dispatcher?
 
You still got a chance. Those busts will make great stories during an interview. When interviewers ask about it just own up to them and talk about what you learned from the checkride failures.
 
I know a guy with three busts and just had an AA interview. It doesn't matter anymore!


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Can't believe I'm going to say this. But go to one of the AA wholly owned carriers. You will have all of your eggs in one basket waiting for a flow spot but it might just work out. (You can also apply outside) The 121 training record is the most important I think, so make sure you give it your all once you start training.
 
awbmof said:
In the NW we recently got a break in the weather and I attempted to finish my multi, but yesterday yielded another bust. It was my second attempt at taking the CMEL add on ride. Between my two CMEL busts and my instrument oral eight years ago, I am now up to 3. Interestingly, all of my busts are with the same DPE, all of my other rides including CFI were passed on the first go with other examiners. I had to use this guy because he was the only one the FBO would use with time in the Twin Comanche.

At this point, I am trying to figure out if I have a career ceiling. I get the feeling based on what I've read and growing up in the industry that flying for a legacy or 121 cargo is almost out of the question. That was my end goal, I have zero desire to fly corporate, or career 135.

Basically, I am trying to figure out if I am going to continue. Should I start investing my time and money in another profession, or fall back to being a dispatcher?
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Where did you get your twin Comanche time?
 
av8tr1 said:
Ok, I know of someone teaching in the comanche who should have his ticket pulled and was going to suggest that you got some bad instruction. But it isn't Pro flight.
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I followed your advice from a previous thread. And ruled those guys out.

BannerRog said:
Can't believe I'm going to say this. But go to one of the AA wholly owned carriers. You will have all of your eggs in one basket waiting for a flow spot but it might just work out. (You can also apply outside) The 121 training record is the most important I think, so make sure you give it your all once you start training.
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I'll start considering them.
 
Freecos said:
I know a guy with three busts and just had an AA interview. It doesn't matter anymore!


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Three checkride busts which I assume are FAA rides. That gives me hope...now that someone with three unsats can get an interview, but that someone not a "now or ever been a fighter pilot" or or a flow can actually get a class date at AA.
 
poser765 said:
Three checkride busts which I assume are FAA rides. That gives me hope...now that someone with three unsats can get an interview, but that someone not a "now or ever been a fighter pilot" or or a flow can actually get a class date at AA.
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And one was a 121 failure which is generally a bigger deal.
 
Freecos said:
And one was a 121 failure which is generally a bigger deal.
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Well dang. Good for him! AA seems like a wild card. Everyone talks about United and Delta, but no one seems to talk about American. I know they interview off the street, but who knows what it takes there to get a call. It's just nice knowing it IS possible.
 
What are the busts for? What are you learning from it? It's good to think about down the road, but if you can identify points of weakness in your flying or your preparation or your testing abilities and apply them it will pay dividends now and could help you avoid a 121 bust, which is a bigger deal.
 
For god sakes, get another DPE!

3 with one being recent may be limiting at some carriers. You'll have to get past the review boards, and that's going to raise eyebrows. Just be honest, and own up to it.

So in the interest to "owning" it, what happened?
 
PhilosopherPilot said:
For god sakes, get another DPE!

3 with one being recent may be limiting at some carriers. You'll have to get past the review boards, and that's going to raise eyebrows. Just be honest, and own up to it.

So in the interest to "owning" it, what happened?
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I will not be going back nor sending students for reasons beyond the busts.

I did learn from the previous two busts. I busted the first one on the instrument oral based on not knowing the minimum IFR climb gradient in the FAR-AIM at airports with out a published ODP. I studied the heck out of my ground material for every subsequent ride. The second, I learned to slow down after, almost feathering the wrong engine, went back after practicing in the sim and airplane and had the emergency procedures down cold. Practiced engine out scenarios in high density altitude enviornments, and experimented with various configuration changes to find the sequence that would minimize the descent rate.

The one yesterday, I busted after not getting the gear up fast enough when he failed an engine immediately upon coming out of an emergency descent. I identified and verified the correct engine but based on my sim experience I secured the engine first to eliminate the largest source of drag and then intending to raise the gear after the engine was feathered.

This was after two previous engine failure scenarios in clean configuration where I ran through the troubleshooting procedure, secure, shutdown and restart procedure keeping the aircraft above blue line, with in 50 feet of altitude and on heading.

Going forward I'm going to follow the standard procedure of blue line, directional control, forward levers, clean up, identify, verify, troubleshoot (if possible), and secure. Or what the manufacturer or operator specifies.
 
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You're at the beginning of a very long road. It seems you have an excellent attitude towards the failures. That attitude will help you progress no matter what. Keep your head up, and keep doing what you're doing... You'll be fine.

Try another examiner too..
 
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