Checkrides
Posted by Remarkable_Mud_5718@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 35 comments
Have you guys ever felt that you did mistakes on a checkride and ended up passing, but knowing that it was horrible flight, and you didn’t deserve to pass?
I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS@reddit
After my IR test, the examiner said "Your pre-flight briefing and airway section were the only parts of that that were any good." I agreed with him.
I passed.
ReadyplayerParzival1@reddit
Left the gear down on a vmc demo. I shouldn’t have passed since it lowers vmc but the wording of the acs is vague enough it worked out
CSRAFlightCoach@reddit
On my CMEL I left the gear down after an emergency descent. DPE gave me about a minute, then failed an engine. Gear came up then. Had to fly the next 20 miles for the 1 engine approach. Was a good lesson learned.
CSRAFlightCoach@reddit
I’ve never had a clean checkride. There was a moment in everyone that I was worried the next words out of the DPE’s mouth were going to be that I had failed.
You passed. The standard isn’t perfection. Keep moving forward and keep learning. Congrats on the pass!
mfsp2025@reddit
Same here.
I always told students that checkrides are like a bucket of water. Every mistake you make is a drop. Missed oral question? Tiny drop of water. Out of standards on a maneuver, large amounts of water. When the bucket overfills, you fail the checkride.
I’ve had checkrides where every maneuver was perfect… until we got to the one maneuver. Yeah I definitely added a lot of water to my bucket there. But since the bucket was empty, I still passed. Had I missed a bunch of stuff on the oral, and barely scraped by my other maneuvers, I would’ve failed the one maneuver I royally screwed up.
CSRAFlightCoach@reddit
I really like that analogy. I might borrow it going forward.
SSMDive@reddit
I have been told you normally get two mistakes.
On my PPL helicopter I did one of the worst slope landings I have ever done. It simply was not good. I had great spots to do it when the winds were from two directions but that day it was from the one direction that I had never even looked for a good spot. So I had to find one and it just was not good. He made me do it again. Even the 2nd one was meh.
The rest of the ride was great, just one piss poor maneuver starting with lack of planning.
So yes, you can bomb something and still pass.
ParagPa@reddit
On one checkride, during the flight, I made a statement, that if true, and I had acted on it, would have been a bust. DPE (I think) instinctively said “really?” the moment I made that statement, causing me to double check and correct myself. I think he realized he kind of messed up, but he was a good guy about it. I passed, but could have easily failed.
Feckmumblerap@reddit
I busted my ppl ride on the very last landing (short field) for slamming it and bouncing but honestly i should have busted waaaaayyy earlier. Was one of my worst flights ever. Seriously, I was a straight hazard, I was genuinely questioning the dpes credibility at one point for letting so many big mistakes slide lmao. I literally got lost entering the pattern and he didn’t blink an eye. Nerves, awful wx, plane switch the morning of, and terrible sleep didn’t help (i work really late and usually don’t get home until 3am+ so waking up at the crack of dawn really messes me up😂). Im objectively a much better pilot than I demonstrated that day. Good times!
Flaky_Summer_9800@reddit
Instrument Oral. DPE outright told me in the debrief that my oral “was shaky” but passed me. Funny enough I ended up doing my commercial single with the guy as well and it’s been the easiest and most relaxed ride I’ve had. That DPE just got out of the NAVY a few years ago flying T45s and F18s. Cool guy.
Little_Function3346@reddit
I flubbed my short field, should have gone around, DPE could have failed me right then and there. I told my DPE what I did wrong and I ended up passing. I think they care more about you knowing what you’re doing vs making mistakes because you’re nervous.
You will make mistakes as a pilot, I know I have. Just the other day I forgot to pull the mixture on shutdown and the propeller almost came alive. I needed to slow down and read the checklist.
Long story short, if the DPE felt like you should have failed, you would have.
cyondios@reddit
Same, I bounced a little on my soft field. In the debrief he told me that my recovery was the reason he didn't discontinue after that.
vanhawk28@reddit
As long as you don’t let the nose touch on the soft field it probably wasn’t even an issue. It’s a soft field not a soft landing
Working_Football1586@reddit
Yes I did a terrible 8 on pylon and he not quite do that again.
Important_Fix3459@reddit
My flight was great. However
Untowered airport. We are holding short the runway. DPE tells me to wait for a plane taxing out the runway.
Plane exits, he tells me “alright you’re good.” I take off. ZERO radio call, I’m on the upwind and thought “fuck I’m cooked” but never said anything because he didn’t bring it up. Ended up completed the rest of the checkride and he passed me.
Never brought it up. I’m assuming his mind was occupied and it didn’t even register to him.
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
Have you guys ever felt that you did mistakes on a checkride and ended up passing, but knowing that it was horrible flight, and you didn’t deserve to pass?
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Antique-Kitchen-1896@reddit
I just head about the most perfunctory ifr check ride for a YouTuber.
I wonder if I would like to have his guy to make it a sure pass for me. Then I see his videos where he’s fubbing up the initial call and other small stuff. Mistakes that I would a verbal smack down from my majors airline day job cfi, and I am like maybe he could have done with a more professional check ride.
However, a pass is a pass and I am not an examiner so what do I know?
StretchRose@reddit
I’d like to give that a watch if you still remember the name. I’ve seen a few checkride videos recently and some of them are a little scary with how they’re talking about the ride/flying in general.
Antique-Kitchen-1896@reddit
No checkride just his first flights after getting it.
57thStilgar@reddit
I was told, "You'll learn with experience."
bhalter80@reddit
The standard gives DPEs leeway for momentary exceedances of the standard at various times in the ride. I've never felt great in any of my rides, I'm friends with one of my DPEs who did my PPL, IR and CPL rides. So far I haven't made him regret passing me
TheGacAttack@reddit
On my private ride, it was going great! Laughing and enjoying the ride, all going exceptionally well. Then my first and normal landing, after we vacate, my DPE changed tone and deadpan serious says "you need to demonstrate crosswind direction on the next landing." Had he failed me for that one, I wouldn't have objected. But thankfully I nailed it on both short field and soft field.
I flew my worst ILS to date and ever since on my instrument checkride. Seriously thought I failed it on the missed. "At least you were aware of how bad that was." Still kinda feel a cheated somehow, ha.
Anyways, you pass, and you try not to suck so bad in the future. Always get better!
legendarygap@reddit
On my ppl Checkride I totally zoned out when the DPE told me to do a short field landing over a 50 foot obstacle. I “cleared the obstacle” but completely forgot to do the short field part. Right before I was about to touch down she told me to do a go around. Saved my ass I would’ve totally failed.
Kitchen_Actuator2542@reddit
I absolutely CRATERED my soft field landing on my PPL checkride - very fist thing we did and I thought for sure I failed right then an there but the acs allows for imperfection so you just gotta shake it off and move on! DPE judged you were a safe and competent pilot overall despite some small mistakes - enjoy the new cert!
Mundane-Reality-7770@reddit
I may or may not have forgot to turn the fuel pump on during takeoff...
v2f_supply_co@reddit
Some of my worst flying has been during checkrides. Perfectly natural
Ok_Truck_5092@reddit
I’m pretty sure if you put an untrained monkey at the controls during my commercial checkride it would have performed a better lazy 8 than me. Still passed.
Crusoebear@reddit
In such cases you go to the penalty box, by yourself for two minutes …and feel shame.
https://youtu.be/Hf0L0yZixuA?t=40
Electronic-Tart8948@reddit
My experience is that if the mistake ain’t dangerous, you’re good. A hard landing or overbanking etc won’t matter. But violating airspaces and setting yourself in a dangerous situation is a no go
MultiMillionMiler@reddit
I thought if you bounce/double touchdown on landing for example it's an autofail?
Electronic-Tart8948@reddit
Wouldn’t say so, at least not where I got my PPL. Doesn’t matter as long as you don’t «give up» the aircraft.
durrow@reddit
Yes, I would say I made mistakes on every checkride. Some minor, some eyebrow raising but nothing dangerous.
Maybe there is a perfect check ride, but I haven’t achieved it. We are human and we make mistakes.
If you read the ACS and now the ACS companion, you will see that perfection is not the bar.
Mad_Rooster_7164@reddit
Sure, most of us have impostor syndrome.
haveanairforceday@reddit
Do you think you might be feeling imposter syndrome? You might feel less qualified than you really are.
The pros have said you met the mark. Trust them. The fact that you are aware of your mistakes means you have a high standard and attention to detail
Go_Loud762@reddit
If that is your condiition, count yourself lucky and learn from you alleged mistakes.