FIR flight test
 

How many times have you seen students go through a FIR test before they passed? What are they doing now? Did they turn out to be half decent instructors? Would be interesting to hear of experiences!

Has anyone ever failed one? I know some FIE give candidates a good grilling and I know a poor girl who was subjected to about 5 days of questioning by a FIE but I have never heard of anyone failing.

At the end of the day though if you're having an off day, just like any other test - you probably know what went wrong so just freshen up and go for it again.

As with any course, if the instructors (in this case the FIC instructors) are putting their students forwards for test and they are not ready for the test, it is the instructors who are at fault.

One of the low points of my instructing career was when one of my students failed his PPL test. He was quite ok about it - he knew that he'd screwed up, and didn't expect anything else. But for me, it was a dreadful feeling, and not something I ever want to repeat.

If I become an FIC instructor in the future, I can't see any reason why this attitude should change - if someone is not going to make a good instructor, they are not ready for their test, and they need to sit down with their FIC instructor and sort out the problems. If they are going to make a good instructor and are prepared for the test, then they should pass.

As Ready says, it is possible to have a bad day - but even so, the fact that you've been put forward for test should mean that, bad days aside, you are ready for the test and the responsibilities which come after that.

FFF
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Assume you're asking about Grade 3 Initial Issue ? Yep have seen it, but not often. I know one where CASA turned up to watch, and started asking the candidate about canard configurations after the long brief was done - A bit tough really... Also another one where the candidate started to dig himself a hole with vectors, and the ATO was quite happy to hand him a shovel to assist ! Sometimes it's best to just shut up and think for a moment. Both passed second go, and are bloody good instructors.

RM,
Can't imagine an Aussie ATO taking 5 days about it - I think they'd have gone to the pub long before then :-)

As an FIE from 1972 to 1998 I estimate around 8% of the tests I conducted resulted in a failure and the majority of these were on upgrade from AFI to FI. I carried out approximately 900 tests during those 26 years.

With the new system under JAR/FCL the question of upgrade does not apply since a FI(R) has the restriction removed without further evaluation by an FIE. A retrograde step in my opinion especially since, on an initial test, one can only assess a candidates potential to instruct. It is only after he or she has gained a fair amount of experience with real students that competance develops.

Cheers,

Trapper 69
:(

What if the person is not suitable to become a FI?? Its very easy to teach people how to teach others to fly but very difficult to change the actual person.