Toughest Ratings?

[drumminpilot]

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with an embarrassingly large number of hours for a private pilot

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FL - I wouldn't worry about that, my old roommate was doing training full time, no job, no nothing, just flight training, and it took him 11 months, and just over 200 hours.

 

[FL270]

Mine was eight months and 90-something hours so it wasn't that bad ... the bill was the rough part, when you remember those hours are at Embry-Riddle prices!

Once I got over the PPL "hump" I've been going gangbusters ever since. Seems like not that long ago ... even though it was eight years ago! Time flies, I guess ...

 

[StevenL]

I think the toughest for me was CFI. For some reason I was having problems transitioning to the right seat. I spent around 15 - 20 hours getting comfortable in the right seat.

 

[sorrygottarunway]

have you guys noticed that all these ratings are tough until you pass the checkride, and then... well, they don't seem like they were that bad?

 

[RiddlePilot]

Private was definitely the most difficult. FA110 is by far NOT an easy course, and most people end up going 20-30+ hours over syllabus time getting their private. Instrument was pretty challenging, but mostly just good fun.

 

[Redbirdfan]

My private took the longest, but I was in High School so I only flew on weekends, and the middle of the winter in St. Louis is just not condusive to flight training. As far as which one was the toughest for me to grasp, it was the instrument. I didn't realize what was really going on until 2/3s of the way through the course. The hardest checkride I ever had was far and away the CFI. Can you say "8 Hour Oral Exam"???

 

[sorrygottarunway]

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My private took the longest, but I was in High School so I only flew on weekends, and the middle of the winter in St. Louis is just not condusive to flight training. As far as which one was the toughest for me to grasp, it was the instrument. I didn't realize what was really going on until 2/3s of the way through the course. The hardest checkride I ever had was far and away the CFI. Can you say "8 Hour Oral Exam"???

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my instructor described it to me as "5 hours of oral and 3 hours of anal"

sheesh, I guess its gonna be a tough one. I've had a habit of having my friends wait for me while I go and take the test. But now for this one Í guess I'll give them a list of errands, money for lunch and dinner, a manicure, and see them back at 10pm...

 

[hammer]

OK ... I'll be different

The 180 degree power off landing for the commercial single add-on was my hardest (and still is) ... I think I can hit that point about 30% of the time if I'm lucky!

Instrument was the easiest for me.

Does anyone know what the official statistics are for first time pass rates on the different checkrides?

 

[viper548]

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OK ... I'll be different

The 180 degree power off landing for the commercial single add-on was my hardest (and still is) ... I think I can hit that point about 30% of the time if I'm lucky!

Instrument was the easiest for me.

Does anyone know what the official statistics are for first time pass rates on the different checkrides?

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I think most of them are around 80% and the initial CFI is less than 50%. Almost all the CFI's I know had to take the CFI twice

 

[sorrygottarunway]

why is the initial CFI supposed to be a horror ride? Wouldn't the FAA/FSDO want to work with you to make sure you will be giving the best education to your students?

like... "I'm from the FAA and I'm here to help?"

or do I have the wrong idea of our government.

 

[Alchemy]

You have the wrong idea about our government. Their thinking is more like...why in the world should we let YOU go around teaching people how to fly? But I should probably shut my mouth since I haven't actually taken the CFI practical, only attempted to once and was shot down before the test even started.

 

[Redbirdfan]

The FAA sees the CFI initial ride as their first and only oppurtunity to educate you personally. Therefore, they want to have as much time with you as they possibly can. They fail a huge number of first timers because they figure two things: If you don't come back, you wouldn't have been any good anyway, and when you do come back, you'll know twice as much as you did the first time thanx to more studying.

 

[Hootie]

CFI by far. Private a distant second. CFI tops them all. How can you compare a 6-12 hour oral and a 2-3 hour checkride with a 50% pass rate to anything? No other rating comes close.

 

[fender_jag]

I agree with the majority of the posters; the CFI initial is really hard, and they can fail you for any of the following: chewing gum, constantly fidgeting, repetitive phrases (such as saying "Uh" too many times or saying "OK" at the end of every sentence), or just not being "professional".

Just follow the old CFI training adages: Simple to complex, don't reveal everything you know about a topic (in other words, let him ask the questions and give only a bare-minimum answer), and <font color="black">speak slowly! </font>

 

[Acadia]

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CFI by far. Private a distant second. CFI tops them all. How can you compare a 6-12 hour oral and a 2-3 hour checkride with a 50% pass rate to anything? No other rating comes close.

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6-12 hour oral?!

My CFI oral was about 3 hours.

 

[mtsu_av8er]

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CFI tops them all. How can you compare a 6-12 hour oral and a 2-3 hour checkride with a 50% pass rate to anything? No other rating comes close.

[/ QUOTE ]

I stressed so much for my initial CFI, and I did my CFII initially, which added more crap to deal with!! I stressed and stressed, and slept for about 2 hours the night before. What happened? I stressed over nothing! It really wasn't that bad!

My instrument training was pretty hard, though - alot of stuff to learn. I think I read every book on instrument flying!!! By the time the CFI came along, I just reviewed and flew a little bit!

 

[ready2fly]

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My instrument training was pretty hard, though - alot of stuff to learn. I think I read every book on instrument flying!!! By the time the CFI came along, I just reviewed and flew a little bit!

[/ QUOTE ]
My hero!

Seriously, I'm stressing hard about the upcoming Commercial ride(s). I'm freaking more over the oral exam stuff - you know - the crap you're supposed to know inside and out and be able to spew forth on demand..... the stuff that I'm trying to cram in my already saturated brain.

Whoever said the Commercial was "easy".... LIED!

 

[MikeD]

The oral for my Recreational Pilot certificate-Multi-engine land was by far the toughest checkride one can go through.

 

[mtsu_av8er]

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Whoever said the Commercial was "easy".... LIED!

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I always hear people say that, but it's far from the truth!! I was borderlining on scare everytime we did a short field landing, or a power-off 180. I just knew I was stalling and landing short....

 

[ready2fly]

The flying part doesn't spook me. It's the verbal part. Hell, I freez on info with my instructor.

I'm pretty sure "Uhhhhhhhhh...." isn't going to do me any favors in the real deal.