Do airlines care about busting the CFI checkride?

Maxemo

Well-Known Member
I'm wondering if airlines care about busting the CFI or CFII rides?

I heard that airlines disqualify applicants if they have more than 2 checkrides failures. Do the CFI/CFII count? Or is it just airmen certificates?
 
As the regionals get more desperate, it'll change from "no more than 2 checkride busts" to "no more than 2 DUI busts"…I've heard at some places it's already like that. Sad, but I guess thats what its come too.
 
The guys sitting across the table from you likely have a bust or two on their records. They understand everyone has a bad day. I think they get more concerned when they see repeated busts of the same check ride/event than they do if you busted your private (or even your CFI initial) a few years back.
 
Hi everyone,

One question. One of my students failed his private oral and his multi ad on ( twice) Is this considered 3 failures or only 2 ( as per certificate)

Thanks
 
That'd be three. The good news is that it's a good time to still get hired without a problem.
 
This is posted today at 00:36:
Hi everyone,

One question. One of my students failed his private oral and his multi ad on ( twice) Is this considered 3 failures or only 2 ( as per certificate)

Thanks

This is posted at 01:04:
Hi everyone,

One instructor told me that checkride failures are on certificates...so If I fail twice the private and twice the commercial; then I have two failed checkrides. Is this correct ?

Thanks

You aren't adding up...
 
The only checkride I've ever failed was my CFII. To this day after being a CFI for 5 years and now 121 for 3+ I believe that I should not have failed that ride due to multiple reasons.

Know what I said in my 3 regional interviews when asked about any failed rides? "I failed my CFII ride. I made some mistakes that I should've prepared better for. I learned a lot from the experience and from the examiner's debrief. I passed it the next day on the retake. I feel that it made me a better pilot."

I was offered a job at all 3 companies.

They don't care if you've failed rides, most everyone has had a bad day or maybe 2. They do care if it's a continued pattern of failures throughout your training or career.

They most certainly don't want to hear you blaming anyone other than yourself for the failure(s). On that note, don't bad mouth any companies you were previously at either. ;)
 
I busted the initial Instrument because I did something very, very stupid. I busted the initial CFI because (IMHO) the Fed had been passing too many people and my number was up. That said, he was totally within his rights to bust me on hour 7 of the oral. In any case, I've never heard anything about it at any interview, ever, including two 121s, and I have (knock on wood) been offered a job from every interview I've ever been lucky enough to get.

Don't make excuses, be earnest and frank, but also don't sweat it.
 
I was recently talking to some ERAU guys that all had MANY failed check rides. One guy had 8 failures. They said that it was very common in their class to fail multiple times due to the examiners that ERAU used (in house). Can anyone confirm that this is true?
 

Heh, I don't think that term was in vogue at the time, but my thoughts were similar. ;)

That said, it can happen. Bad day, bad dynamic between you and the examiner, quota up, whatever. It hasn't been a problem for me or a lot of other guys I know. Now, would I want to fail another? Uh, no. The bar between "it doesn't matter" and "we need to talk about this" seems to be firmly between 2 and 3. So my plan is not to!

PS. Rereading the OP's question, I do think that the CFI ratings count towards the total, although I can't source why I think that. I believe the verbiage is something like "any airman certificate or rating"...
 
I busted the initial Instrument because I did something very, very stupid. I busted the initial CFI because (IMHO) the Fed had been passing too many people and my number was up. That said, he was totally within his rights to bust me on hour 7 of the oral. In any case, I've never heard anything about it at any interview, ever, including two 121s, and I have (knock on wood) been offered a job from every interview I've ever been lucky enough to get.

Don't make excuses, be earnest and frank, but also don't sweat it.


I don't know what it is with FSDO inspectors on the CFI ride, man. My initial CFI-I oral was 6 hours long (it was already scheduled as a 2 day event), and after day one and passing the oral, I felt two things: 1) Like I just somehow survived some major ordeal that was being reported by all the news stations and 2) fear of the next day. Didn't help that I drew the inspector that proudly touted a 100% failure rate. I honestly don't think I've topped the flying I did on day two of that checkride since. I managed to pass. When I got back to the flight school no one believed me.....
 
I was recently talking to some ERAU guys that all had MANY failed check rides. One guy had 8 failures. They said that it was very common in their class to fail multiple times due to the examiners that ERAU used (in house). Can anyone confirm that this is true?

I have heard that, but cannot confirm. Some pretty "split hair" stuff that would otherwise be a de-brief conversation with a reasonable DPE. A friend going through Riddle did his IR and Comm there and didn't mention any problems. Another friend there just soloed there, so well see how he does.
 
I was recently talking to some ERAU guys that all had MANY failed check rides. One guy had 8 failures. They said that it was very common in their class to fail multiple times due to the examiners that ERAU used (in house). Can anyone confirm that this is true?

Assuming the check rides were done under part 141, most of them would probably be "progress checks" per the FAA, and wouldn't show up as failures in the records that airlines get from the FAA.

Generally, the progress checks in the middle of a 141 course (pre solo, pre cross country, etc...) aren't reported to the FAA (they're recorded in the students records with the school, but that's about it), and unless there was an 8710 filed, the FAA generally doesn't know or care what happens on progress checks.
 
I have heard that, but cannot confirm. Some pretty "split hair" stuff that would otherwise be a de-brief conversation with a reasonable DPE. A friend going through Riddle did his IR and Comm there and didn't mention any problems. Another friend there just soloed there, so well see how he does.
This doesn't seem uncommon with 141 schools. I think cultural incest is a big part of it.
 
Assuming the check rides were done under part 141, most of them would probably be "progress checks" per the FAA, and wouldn't show up as failures in the records that airlines get from the FAA.

Generally, the progress checks in the middle of a 141 course (pre solo, pre cross country, etc...) aren't reported to the FAA (they're recorded in the students records with the school, but that's about it), and unless there was an 8710 filed, the FAA generally doesn't know or care what happens on progress checks.

You're correct that 141 "stage checks" only stay with the 141 school, but remember, the airlines don't see your 8710's either. All they get is that one page letter from the FAA stating what ratings you have, your medical date, and whether you have been violated, or are under investigation.
 
This doesn't seem uncommon with 141 schools. I think cultural incest is a big part of it.

Undoubtedly. Being a solid 61er, I have heard stories of people failing rides at certain schools by being slightly off center line on taxi, or taxiing too fast. I taxied too fast on my Private ride and was simply told "slow down" because of x, y, and z (that ride was was done with a hard-ass DE: I thought I had failed, but passed. Didn't feel good about it though). On that particular ride I was stressed out came out on top. As I learned more and thought about it more he was doing just that: stressing me out. I didn't fail to perform a task outside of the PTS. That being said, hearing of students and pilots getting busted over trivial matters that should simply be reminders to enhance safety, is disheartening. Not everyone is going to have a perfect flight, part of flying is human error and sometimes we need a DPE to remind us.

Not starting a 61 vs. 141 debate, but its seems like there are some hard-ass DPE's screwing with peoples careers at those schools from what I have heard. Could be coffee pot FBO talk from all I know.
 
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