Busted Commercial Checkride

Dazzler

Dazzler

Well-Known Member
Well I busted my Single Engine Land Commercial Checkride today due to the reason most people fail the test - those darn 180 degree power off accuracy approach and landing!

The first attempt I turned in to final too soon and was way high with not enough time and distance to slip or S-turn, so I went around. (The examiner told me that I could go around ONCE only during the checkride when I thought an approach was going awry. I seized my opportunity here)

The second approach was better but I landed 400 feet past the point (PTS allows 200 feet). The rest of the checkride went really well and I got the impression that the examiner was sorry that he had to fail me.

I attribute this inadequate performance to three reasons. Firstly the airport was strange to me - but I'm not trying to make an excuse here. As a Commercial pilot I know that I must be able to land comfortably at any airport, known or unfamiliar.

Secondly, there was no surface wind today! Every time I've practiced this maneuver there has been some sort of headwind. The lack of wind made the maneuver foreign to me. The aircraft just wanted to float down the runway. It's amazing what a little bit of wind can do.

Thirdly, my instructor had taught me to land with full flaps, so while I was attempting to salvage this maneuver, I was also concerned with getting in all my flaps in time. The examiner thought differently - there is no need for ANY flaps in this maneuver. The PTS states to land in "the normal landing configuration" so this is completely open to interpretation.

So anyway, enough excuse making! It's back out for a couple hours of landing practice and a retest is in the midst.

Daz (almost Commercial Pilot
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Sorry to hear about the bust, but it sounds like you've got a good attitude about it.

Will you be doing the next try with the same DE?
 
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Will you be doing the next try with the same DE?

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Yes - it's already scheduled for this Friday, but not before some dual to polish those landings !
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Keep your chin up. That was my most feared maneuver on the commercial and CFI rides.

You can land with or without flaps. I teach my students to do what is needed to make their point. If you must wait to extend the flaps, then do so. Don't need any flaps because you went too far on downwind? Don't use them. If you have to wait until final to extend the gear, then so be it. Just don't forget your GUMPS. Different traffic pattern altitudes as well as wind situations call for different ways to fly the power off 180.

Good luck on the retest.
 
RIchard,

Sorry to hear about the bust. Where did he take you to do the landings and was it closer towards the beginning or end of the test? It sounds like the rest of the test went fine so you should be o.k. Is he just gonna take you up and make you do the landings or what? I know after your IR ride you went and nailed everything before retaking it. Anyway don't take it too hard, knowing how hard you prepare, you should be fine on Friday. Let me know how it goes.
 
Dazzler,

Sorry to hear about the bust. But don't feel bad...those Power-Off 180s are pretty scary on checkrides. Hell, I almost hooked my CFI ride because of it.

Good luck on the recheck!
 
I busted my commercial single for the same thing. I was taught only to use flaps as a last resort, but the examiner I flew with told me on the ground that he liked to see applicants put in the first notch of flaps right away........so I did and ended up short.
 
i don't recommend best glide speed, if you haven't already, try keeping your speed up about 5-10 knots. it allows for correction of errors. Pick a aiming point about 500 feet before your spot and keep it centered in the windscreen.
 
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i don't recommend best glide speed, if you haven't already, try keeping your speed up about 5-10 knots.

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I'd be careful recommending that practice. The PTS states that you're supposed to "establish the appropriate glide airspeed," so there's a bit of interpretation there. If you keep your speed up 5-10 knots, a DE may bust you based upon his interpretation of the PTS.

Also, the maneuver itself is meant to prove that you can safely land the aircraft if the power goes out on the downwind (hence why go-arounds are usually a bust). I sure wouldn't fly a real engine-out approach at anything higher or lower than best-glide.

EDIT: As for flap usage, I like to come in high with flaps extended. I can always make my point by widening out or slipping (within reason), but trying to extend the glide by doglegging or delaying flap extension is pretty tough. That's just me though.
 
You shouldn't even need to look at the speed!
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You should just be looking outside. Best glide is a pitch attitude. This maneuver should be accomplished without having to look inside. That's part of the problem right there.

In response to Dazzler: No sweat dude. Lesson learned right? It's really not a big deal at all. You'll get it next time. Sounds like the examiner made a good decision and you'll be a better pilot for it.
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Take care and good luck.
 
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Also, the maneuver itself is meant to prove that you can safely land the aircraft if the power goes out on the downwind (hence why go-arounds are usually a bust).

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Actually, it's more of a precision maneuver that involves proper planning of your descent and glide path. If you had to prove you could land your aircraft if you lost the engine on downwind it would be more of an emergency maneuver.
 
Do whatever it takes to make the spot. It's all bout showing your command of the aircraft not the PTS.
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Also, the maneuver itself is meant to prove that you can safely land the aircraft if the power goes out on the downwind (hence why go-arounds are usually a bust).

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Actually, it's more of a precision maneuver that involves proper planning of your descent and glide path. If you had to prove you could land your aircraft if you lost the engine on downwind it would be more of an emergency maneuver.

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*sigh* I'm aware of the maneuver objective. All I'm saying is that the fundamentals are the same. Would you perform an emergency approach to landing pretty much the same way you'd perform a Power-Off 180? Pretty sure ya would.

If I'm actually teaching this maneuver to a student for the first time, what are they probably going to respond to better? Me spouting off the objective from a lesson plan (use of proper planning, judgement of gliding distance, blah blah blah), or relating it to something they already know (i.e. an emergency approach to landing)? My gut says the latter, but seeing as how I'm sure you have more experience with these folk, maybe I'm off track here.
 
You're not off track at all. I teach my private students the same thing. With the PPL students I'm not looking for +200/-0, I'm looking to see if they can land safely if I pull the throttle on downwind. When I get a commercial guy I'll tell him it's just like when youl lose an engine on downwind. You'd be surprised to see how many people never practiced this in their primary training.

On my CFI ride I stated it was "like" an emergency maneuver and the DE had a field day with that one because my objective wasn't directly from the airplane flying handbook.
 
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RIchard,

Sorry to hear about the bust. I know after your IR ride you went and nailed everything before retaking it.

WoW! You just told everyone that this guy busted his Instrument Checkride too, atleast thats what it sounds like if you read it the way you typed it.
 
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