Failed checkride
Posted by No_Candidate7693@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 68 comments
I failed my check ride 2 days ago and it was awful. Lost 100 feet on my steep turn to the left and 160 to the right, I know absolutely terrible. We then went to an uncontrolled airport where I slammed 2 landings before heading home and doing the same on the third. I’m about to give up due to the fact it’s been 2 years of training because I’m working 5 days a week. 12 hours a day to even afford it and can’t fly everyday, why can’t I hold my altitude ever in steep turns and why can’t I land to save my life. Feels like 2 years and 20k for absolutely nothing.
mapu_c@reddit
More back pressure. Use trim to help once you’ve established your bank.
No_Candidate7693@reddit (OP)
I do use trim during them, I seem to lose altitude about halfway through and then I end up over shooting and just going up down up down if you know what I mean.
thinklikenic@reddit
Use the Trim, it made a 100% different in both me and my brothers Steep Turns. 10x easier
Ill-Revolution1980@reddit
Establish your bank angle, input about 100 rpm more power as you’re establishing that bank. Look outside and slice the horizon with your cowling. Trim to relieve control pressures. Baby adjustments as necessary. 15 degrees from your entry heading begin to reduce your bank angle and get setup for your right turn. Hold your nose down while you are going into the right turn to prevent a climb and reestablish yourself in the right turn. MORE RIGHT RUDDER! It’s not about perfection it’s about consistently making safe decisions. Don’t give up even if it looks grim the outcome is amazing
iCharperr@reddit
Everyone telling you anything but to look outside more is telling you wrong info. You simply need to look outside. You can’t start correcting things if you can’t see them.
aftcg@reddit
Can't stress this enough.
CluelessPilot1971@reddit
The secret is finding the nose attitude that works and keeping it, rather than chasing altitude.
This is about the correct nose attitude and power settings. The altimeter and VSI will lag a bit behind, making it very confusing if you're reacting to them (as they're reacting not to what you're doing now, but what you were doing 5-10 seconds ago).
No-Brilliant9659@reddit
Look outside. Stop staring at the altimeter
Lanky_Beyond725@reddit
Shallow your bank just slightly (within standards) if you start to lose altitude, steepen slightly if you need to descend. When you first start the steep turn on a 172 do 2 rolls of back trim or so. You should be able to fly the steep turn with almost no back pressure manually needed
VileInventor@reddit
What’s your bank angle look like during. Because too little you’ll climb and too much you’ll descend which is a common error.
Low_Sky_49@reddit
Which instruments are you fixating on while these turns are going to badly, and why hasn’t your CFI forced you to look outside more?
Xcrun6@reddit
Are you adding power as your enter? If so try adding just about 100 more rpm then you are and see how you Faire
Limp_Eye_8182@reddit
find an attitude to hold not just an airspeed
b3anr@reddit
brother im also near the 2 year mark. 80 hours in. 15k in . had to push back my checkride because i wasn't ready. do me a favor and do not give up. keep in touch with me. we will get that damn ppl.
Top-BrilliantOps@reddit
Nah you said the problem. TWO YEARS to do PPL? Stop beating yourself about the flying but rather your strategy. There is simply not enough recency to be a good pilot. Those maneuvers need about 4 days in a row of practice. What I’m assuming is you fly every so often when you can afford it which is huge mistake.
You need to save up lump sums of money and do big spurts of training all at once. Sporadically training leaves you spinning your tires in the mud. The checkride is a sprint, not a marathon and idc what anyone says in this thread. You need to be nailing these maneuvers before going to checkride and that means practicing basically everyday leading up to the checkride
CorkGirl@reddit
Yes. Took me FOREVER because it was fits and starts (not all my doing - Covid, school went bust, weather didn't help) but for sure made my biggest gains when I just took time off or something and booked a ton of lessons together. I didn't particularly want to use vacation days for it, but it made a difference. Trying for one a week meant cancellations for wx and maintenance could mean not flying for a month. Get back in and end up using a chunk of the next lesson for refreshing...and repeat.
Accurate-Place-7298@reddit
I soloed at 80 hours and checkride discontinued when I dropped my fuel stick in the fuel tank before even finishing preflight🙃. Ya we all feel like quitting but you’re a winner and winners don’t quit, they find a way. That’s what “Big Z” said anyway.
Sweaty_Delivery_2750@reddit
DPE failed you for dropping the fuel stick in the tank?
Accurate-Place-7298@reddit
Nope. Technically written as a “Discontinued”.
Came back the next week and passed. 🤙🏼
Dense_Two6299@reddit
Don’t give up bro you’ll get better with time. For steep turns the trick is trim. Legit bank, pitch and then trim. If you are still struggling with that (which I also kinda did) looking outside helps a ton. I was never really able to look outside since I was never able to have a good reference but on the day of my checkride i went to an area where theres a bunch of mountainous terrain which was able to give a perfect distinction for the horizon and so it was all about keeping the nose centered on the horizon and it was perfect every time. Also I kinda had no choice but to look outside since DPE covered my PFD.
andrescm90@reddit
Don’t take it hard on yourself take is as a learning experience to make you a safer pilot. You’re not ready to be where you want to be, that’s all, don’t give up and if you know you did you’d best well keep doing it, when you get there and see this in retrospective you’ll see why you failed the first time, and then you’ll be like ohhh.
etschkaa@reddit
I'd also like to add - assuming you're at 45 degrees of bank and losing altitude - that you should reduce the bank 1-3 degrees before applying back pressure and then returning to 45 degrees. When you pull back while descending in a steep turn, you actually tighten the spiral.
Chin up. A woman I know personally just got hired at skywest and she failed her private. That was the only checkride she failed though, so they didn't care one bit.
Is14159@reddit
Establish the bank, the trim, look outside and find where the horizon cuts through the dash. Hold it right there. Quick scan inside, back outside.
NonVideBunt@reddit
Honestly, if this is your general emotional disposition you’re going to struggle in aviation if you’re planning to do this professionally. You failed. Sack it up, fix yourself and move forward.
No-Brilliant9659@reddit
One bad flight and you’re ready to throw 20k down the drain? Uncurl from the fetal position, pick yourself up off the floor, go do some training with your instructor, and try again. If I quit every time I sucked at something I’d never be good at anything.
No_Candidate7693@reddit (OP)
It’s been more than one, last 10 or so have been so inconsistent.
mfsp2025@reddit
Ask any of us airline guys how many bad flights we’ve had lol. It’s part of the game. This is an extremely humbling thing to do.
I almost gave up during PPL because I couldn’t even land the plane. I figured it out. And so can you.
Status_Climate_6860@reddit
It took me all the way to CFI to know how to properly do it. If you don’t apply the fundamentals, you won’t be able to know why things happen. Ex: Why does the airplane pitch down when in a turn? Because lift is divided. Why are you getting slow? Because of the increased AOA from back pressure increasing the drag. How to compensate? Add power. Things like that. If you can do everything else to standard, you aren’t a bad pilot. You just might be sucky at that one maneuver.
85inchweener@reddit
I second this. I wish most CFIs instilled the reasons why to add more back pressure & power in steep turns earlier on
ResoluteFalcon@reddit
Truth.
TuwtlesF1@reddit
You need to establish a normal sight picture for what a steep turn should look like. In the plane I instruct in, we have raised portions on the cowling that I can put on the horizon and keep it there to fly a perfect steep turn. You need to figure out an equivalent on your aircraft, put it on the horizon, and then apply back pressure and a touch of throttle. Steep turns really should not be difficult to pick up with half decent instruction, which it seems you might not be getting... Also, if you're ever doing a steep turn and you find that you're not feeling a little bit of G force, it means you're probably losing altitude.
Brevis001@reddit
Man, take a breath before you make any big decisions nothing you described is “career-ending,” it’s actually super common stuff people struggle with.
Steep turns usually come down to not adding enough back pressure and a bit of extra power once you’re banked. Most people fix it once they start anticipating the altitude loss instead of reacting to it late. Same with landings if you’re working that much and not flying consistently, your sight picture just isn’t getting reinforced. That’s not a talent issue, it’s a currency issue.
Failing a checkride sucks, but it’s not a verdict on you as a pilot. Plenty of solid pilots have busted one (or more). If anything, you just found your weak spots in a very expensive but very clear way.
If you could change one thing about your training schedule (even slightly), what would it be?
No_Candidate7693@reddit (OP)
I’m 21 and can only put so much money into flying as I don’t make enough to pay my rent, taxes, etc if I fly almost everyday, I try to get on the schedule 3 days a week but due to me living just outside Chicago I only get 1 flight at most this time of year. Ground was no problem but the flight was no different than if I were to take it with just 20 hours. I’m just under 5’7 do you think using a cushion may help and I’m not seeing as much of the cowl as I should? C172 by the way
NorcalGamers627@reddit
In left seat there should be a screw on the dash that sits on horizon during steep turns. I'm 5'9 and I move seat in most forward position.
Tell your cfi to put you in a perfect steep turn and find whatever that spot on the dash is for you and memorize it
whydidilose@reddit
I am 5’7. A cushion made a huge difference for me.
320sim@reddit
I think you should be tall enough. Can you see the runway when you land?
bigbeakbaby@reddit
I failed on steep turns & my short field. Keep going and learning - it took me 59 days for a retest too bc of wx. Keep going!!!
jtyson1991@reddit
Whoa, almost had to start over
bigbeakbaby@reddit
it was crazy stressful
Ok-Distance-426@reddit
The Landing should be near perfect by now. Do you fly with the same instructor? If so, go for two or three hors with someone else to see what they say about your technique.
The fact that you say you are "slamming" (pranging) landings tells me you are coming in too slow. What are you flying, and are you trying to do the landings with the stall horn blaring? If so, why? Come in with another five knots of airspeed and start greasing your landings. I suspect you are rushing the landing and probably focused on the touchdown point rather than down the runway, where your eyes should be.
If you don't practice steep turns, you wont be good at them. Stop chasing the needles and fly the plane. Feel it; if you become fixed on the gauges, you will mess it up every time. Don't quit, you are too close. It took me over 5 years because when I had the time, I didn't have the money; when I had the money, I didn't have the time. At least you have Saturdays and Sundays off.
Maybe the plane you are flying is too expensive. It is easier and more cost effective to transition. Use the Cessna 152 instead of the more powerful, sexier planes.
mateenxxx@reddit
My CFI taught me this one trick during training and I’ve never had a bad steep turn ever since.
Before the maneuver set up as best as possible, air speed stable, altitude maintained and nose on the horizon and BUG UR HEADING.
Put in a-lot of upward trim, trim to the point that u have to use a good amount of pressure to keep the nose down (I know it sounds wrong but it works)
Bank for 45 or 50 (depending on PVT or CAX) and simultaneously add a touch of power. The amount of power you add depends on the aircraft and weather; for instance, I had to add a good amount in the Piper Archer IIIs I trained in, but just a touch in the SR20 G7s I currently instruct in.
Once u have reached the bank level, raise the nose to about 2.5 pitch to compensate for the conversion of some of ur vertical lift to horizontal lift.
Roll out about 15 to 20 degrees before ur point and do it all again in the other direction.
When ur done, hold the nose down and release all that trim u put in earlier.
BOMBACLAT
dirtbikekid27@reddit
Look outside! Nothing makes it easier than picking a point on the horizon to line the nose up with! You will then, after a bit or practice, learn to keep it at the same altitude by using the horizon! As far as the landings go, I notice a lot of students tend to fixate on the point they are landing on. Have your instructor do a few landings and as they come in for the flare, "walk" your eyes down the end of the runway and get used to that sight picture. Rinse and repeat. It's all about the sight picture!
aftcg@reddit
Your CFI did not give you the service you deserve.
dendronee@reddit
1:Law of Recency…Your wasting money relearning the things you fail to practice on a regular basis. SOMEONE should have been a friend or better yet an true instructor to warn you of this pitfall 2:Clear you mind so the control column will follow 3:Your tired and frustrated with spending money.STOP 4:You’re focused on completion and NOT altitude control. 5:Burn out has and will continue to become a safety issue. You are NOT safe to fly in this current state. 6:Make this a building block to success. DO NOT GIVE UP.
Flat_Risk_1049@reddit
Give some more rudder if gaining altitude less if losing, put the horizon into the brown if your gaining altitude at it level out again in the blue if losing. Dont need to even give it back press if correct maybe just slightly. Also start the turn and give 2 and a half turns of up trim immediately after starting it. If setup correctly dont even have to do anything
HV_Conditions@reddit
Two spins on the aft trim and a 172 will do steep turns all day long hands off.
bgrant902@reddit
Gotta finish now man. You will be good with a couple more flights.
Iwabird78@reddit
I feel you bro/sis. I was also working 6 days a week, and personally had terrible 18/19yrs old bratty cocky CFIs that never picked up trash or washed a dish in their life, let alone knew how to instruct. I am 35 and my patience and money were running low, as I basically had to teach myself how to fly a plane when my CFIs were taking selfies, snapchat and vaping. To top it off my home airport was contantly gusting 30kts year long. I spent over 35k and after 2 cancelled checkrides due to weather and countless grounding of planes. I finally took my flight portion after being grilled for 3hs oral, did everything and the last maneuver before simulated engine failure and 2.2 flight hs was steep turns… lost 50ft on my right turn and got told to retest. Went back it cost me another $400 for just freaking 0.4 on the hobbs. It was all around a terrible experience since day one. I lobe flying, gives me butterflies in my stomach better than the kiss of your crush. But yeah, 100hs after PPL I gave up my wings cause I don’t have no more money and it’s absurd, not loan and no rich person soooo… yeah, it was a lovely dream but sometimes yeah… I dont’t know if my comment even helps bahaha.
85inchweener@reddit
If you need any help with understanding specific maneuvers, DM me. There’s many factors that contribute to this and I’m sorry some people in these comments are being very black and white and not understanding your circumstances.
Have you tried flying with a Different CFi? I’ve asked my CFI once to train w someone else bc he wasn’t teaching me poweroff 180s as well as another CFI I flew with and it helped a lot.
And I know finances are definitely tight when it comes to having no financial support in aviation. I’m a CFI CFII and I know you may not see the light at the end of the tunnel but you’re RIGHT THERE. You got this.
You passed your written. You soloed. It’s expensive but maybe just take a break- get back at it, and get your PPL. And guess what? If you don’t want to continue after PPL, you don’t need to. You can re-evaluate from there. But giving up now is useless.
My best friend is flying and he has been paying 100% out of pocket for flights and he feels similar to you. He’s basically perfect w/ his flying and he wanted to give up. I said please do not. You’re right there and you can take a break from everything after PPL but the finish line is RIGHT THERE.
Just try and look for genuine people to help you and you got this. I hope you can regain the motivation, save some $, take a break and get the checkride pass. God bless.
Status_Climate_6860@reddit
As someone who struggled with steep turns and is a commercial pilot now and STILL struggled till I got the fundamentals and the ways to do it properly right, Once in roll, add power. There is no restriction on throttle. Also 3 full circles of trim helps a lot.
AdFickle4378@reddit
Slightly increase your speed, use some back pressure, stay locked in looking outside…feel the heaviness in your body !!
Ok-Mention-3310@reddit
If it’s a 172 Add a 100 RPM 2 1/2 rolls nose up will be fine for steep turns and trim for airspeed in the pattern for the landings
Psychological-Rub243@reddit
+100rpm and two nose up trim will get you close to hands free in the turns… but remember to keep your eyes out the window to make your adjustments
Anixton@reddit
For steep turns, staying "in the blue" on your attitude indicator and looking outside to keep that sight picture helps, 2 1/2 +/- swipes of trim usually keeps 45-50 degree bank in most the planes i've flown. With landings, it's really just feel, it varies from aircraft to aircraft but just knowing yours specifically and when to roundout and flare; use the end of the runway to gauge, but really for me it was just feel, and one day it just clicked.
VileInventor@reddit
Don’t quit man you’re right there. If all you have to do is steep turns on the retake then it’s super fast. Failures happen but if you run away every time you fail you’ll never get anything done. Watch your airspeed when landing and as far as steep turns go, set the plane up for it. Proper airspeed, coordination and a little bit of trim go a long way.
Ok_Truck_5092@reddit
Shit happens. I passed steep turns no problem on my Private, now it’s a few days before my commercial ride and I haven’t been doing them well consistently. Learn to anticipate that loss of altitude and work some power in there and they’ll clean up with a bit more practice.
ReadyplayerParzival1@reddit
Shit happens, just do some retraining and take the checkride again. You get credit for anything you’ve done so far for the next 60 days. A single checkride failure doesn’t mean your career is over.
bhalter80@reddit
Sounds like you're not looking far enough ahead because both problems are the same
Putrid-Ad-2230@reddit
Don’t give up, you’ve spent too much time and money to get to this point. Get your certificate! Sucks slaving while trying to fly but you got this!
Chewyarms@reddit
Im currently in checkride limbo for weather but ill just offer a bit of advice that made steep turns/landing click for me.
For steep turns make it a visual maneuver. Go out do some turns get it perfect and note the spot of the cowling the horizon is at for both right and left.
Now I just bank and trim to put the horizon on that spot and adjust as needed.
For landings just make sure you remember to actually look down the runway. Whenever I have a crap landing it's cause I look at my aiming spot too long.
Nail your speed, level out, and look down the RW while holding the plane off gently until it settles down on its own.
Hope that helps, those 2 things really did the trick for me.
Tomika20@reddit
I failed my ppl checkride last year after about a year and a half of training, and I also wanted to give up. Don't. You are so close. Failing was genuinely one of the worst feelings of my life but passing was one of the greatest. You can do this.
SkyMentorPilot@reddit
Take a breath—you’re a lot closer than it feels. One bad checkride doesn’t erase two years of progress.
Steep turns: they’re visual. Get established, then lock in the outside sight picture (nose vs. horizon) and trust it. Most altitude loss comes from not adding enough back pressure early or chasing the altimeter late. Set it, then make small corrections.
Landings: this sounds like a confidence spiral, not a skill issue. One bad landing leads to tension and overcontrol. Go do a few simple pattern sessions and focus on a stable approach and smooth hold-off.
Also, flying while working 12-hour days is hard mode—progress will be slower.
You got to a checkride. You’re close. Don’t quit over one rough day.
Flaky_Summer_9800@reddit
Pretty simple fixes. I failed a commercial stage check and flew equally as terrible. I unsat 5 different things on it. The worst flight I have ever had. It wasn’t my day. Did a single remedial lesson with my instructor and was nailing everything I unsat on. DO NOT GUVE UP.
LongjumpingTomato539@reddit
Never quit on a bad day.
Weasel474@reddit
Breathe, my man. Many people have busted rides. I failed my PPL hard, almost gave up, and am at a legacy now. Have another friend who busted his commercial and is in upgrade at his airline at the moment. A single fail isn't the end- go for a jog, grab some dinner, sharpen up the weak areas, and get right back to it.
At the very least, finish your private. You're at the finish line, have most of it complete, and a license never expires. If you decide to take a break later, you still have that under your belt, instead of coming back to just a ton of proficiency flights before having to take the checkride from the beginning.
kevinossia@reddit
Shake it off and practice some more. And for the love of god, don’t schedule a checkride unless you’re actually prepared!
LeagueResponsible985@reddit
You know that when you retest (and you're going to retest) all you have to demonstrate are the item(s) found unsatisfactory, right?
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
I failed my check ride 2 days ago and it was awful. Lost 100 feet on my steep turn to the left and 160 to the right, I know absolutely terrible. We then went to an uncontrolled airport where I slammed 2 landings before heading home and doing the same on the third. I’m about to give up due to the fact it’s been 2 years of training because I’m working 5 days a week. 12 hours a day to even afford it and can’t fly everyday, why can’t I hold my altitude ever in steep turns and why can’t I land to save my life. Feels like 2 years and 20k for absolutely nothing.
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