Centaurus
The claim that failing a sim test means an end to any hope of an airline career is b######t!. Im sure plenty of people have failed sim rides and are in the left hand seat now sitting pretty. Having that frame of mind is not the go dude. I am sure that if things dont "go to plan" for me in the sim im sure I will learn for the next time and think positive of someone else giving me a go.
I agree their is a perceived difference between a CIR test and sim asssment for an airline but at the end of the day the examiner will have a checklist of what they want (that of the companies im sure!!!). Yes you may fail one of them in your career, or maybe both...it happens but look at it more of a learning experience rather than a nail in the pilot career coffin.