Failed PPL flight test
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 359
Likes: 10
From: London
I wouldn't worry about negative comments................... just remember that a license is issued as a license to learn not as a hoop to jump through.
You learnt on your last test and you will continually learn throughout training and career.
I saw that you are based in Auckland, was your test at Ardmore?
S
You learnt on your last test and you will continually learn throughout training and career.
I saw that you are based in Auckland, was your test at Ardmore?
S
The Cooler King
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,717
Likes: 30
From: Europe
I agree that Bro was a little terse in that reply but....
If it has taken Generic 80 hours to get to the stage where he is doing his PPL skills test and failing, then I would also begin to have doubts around his ability to fly well.
Now....before the numpties among you start yapping and yelping....
I wonder if Generic would be gracious enough to explain why it has taken him 80 hours to get to testing.
If it is a case of him doing a lesson a week for a year and a half then yes, fine, I can see it definitely taking that long to gain a level of competency to be ready for the skills test.
I am not slating Generic in any way, however I feel that in order to properly advise him on a course of action, he needs to provide us with more details.
Farrell
If it has taken Generic 80 hours to get to the stage where he is doing his PPL skills test and failing, then I would also begin to have doubts around his ability to fly well.
Now....before the numpties among you start yapping and yelping....
I wonder if Generic would be gracious enough to explain why it has taken him 80 hours to get to testing.
If it is a case of him doing a lesson a week for a year and a half then yes, fine, I can see it definitely taking that long to gain a level of competency to be ready for the skills test.
I am not slating Generic in any way, however I feel that in order to properly advise him on a course of action, he needs to provide us with more details.
Farrell
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 226
Likes: 0
From: Both Emispheres
Take your exam in [deleted]. I know about a guy who passed his PPL skill test even though he did FORGET to send his FPL, taxied out to the WRONG runway and FORGOT to apply carb heat on the approach. Italy sucks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 0
From: EGYD
I meant was that it wasn't particularly unsafe on this occassion because of the basically unused taxiway prior to it
It shouldn't even cross your mind about the taxi way prior to the threshold - it's completely irrelevant what's before the threshold. I know you know it's completely unacceptable, but it's also completely unacceptable that your even thinking about the taxiway before the threshold. If a student at our school thought like this, I have to say they'd be grounded.
That said. Everyone fails at some point in their life, if we didn't they're wouldn't be a course or test! The flight test and piloting isn't just a test of your flying ability - it's a test of your decision making ability, i.e knowing your off glideslope and going around, your maturity and ability to recognise your errors, move on and learn from your mistakes. What separates a real pilot from a someone who happens to fly is how you approach your failure and learn from it...One who mulls on it simply just flies.
Safe skies!
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,270
Likes: 0
From: Cloud Cookoo Land
Pick a point on the runway (usually the 300m / 1000ft markers - or if there are none visualise where they would be) and keep that point steady in your windscreen. If it moves down the windscreen you are too high, if it moves up the windscreen you are too low! If it's steady, I promise you that you will land in the TDZ. The PPL manuals say this, as does the FCTM for the 737. Fly approaches like this from now and you are set for life because the way you should fly a visual approach is the same for every aeroplane.
As for the Go-Around situation. If what is happening doesn't appear to be right, it generally isn't right. No thought should be put in to the matter, go around and try again. Accidents happen when people push on, tunnel vision sets in as they focus on landing the aircraft at all costs. No one should ever critisize you for a go-around. All you did was bugger up the approach, but you never buggered up anything else or anyone else by going around!
Goodluck
As for the Go-Around situation. If what is happening doesn't appear to be right, it generally isn't right. No thought should be put in to the matter, go around and try again. Accidents happen when people push on, tunnel vision sets in as they focus on landing the aircraft at all costs. No one should ever critisize you for a go-around. All you did was bugger up the approach, but you never buggered up anything else or anyone else by going around!
Goodluck
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Howick, Auckland, New Zealand
Thanks for all the replies. Yes, my test was at Ardmore.
It's taken me 80 hours for a few reasons, I did about 40 hours before my cpl & ifr theory, then started flying again after that break. Also a combination of things resulted in the test being postponed repeatedly - weather, then the testing officer was sick, then some more weather, etc. My test was booked (after a check with a B cat) at just under 70 hours, as I recall, but because of the postponements I've been doing more flights just to keep in practice.
I went up for a flight today with a B cat and he said I was all good, so hopefully I'll be able to go up again with the testing officer sometime this week to either resit the test or just do some circuits and he can sign me off (my instructor told me it's really up to how the testing officer is feeling on the day.)
It's taken me 80 hours for a few reasons, I did about 40 hours before my cpl & ifr theory, then started flying again after that break. Also a combination of things resulted in the test being postponed repeatedly - weather, then the testing officer was sick, then some more weather, etc. My test was booked (after a check with a B cat) at just under 70 hours, as I recall, but because of the postponements I've been doing more flights just to keep in practice.
I went up for a flight today with a B cat and he said I was all good, so hopefully I'll be able to go up again with the testing officer sometime this week to either resit the test or just do some circuits and he can sign me off (my instructor told me it's really up to how the testing officer is feeling on the day.)
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
From: London
Yeh exactly
pick yourself up and try again!
people usually get 'examitus' with things like that, dont worry at the end of the day, i bet you ll be a better pilot for it because you now know your weaknesses and so can improve on those areas.
Good luck with your next attempt
pick yourself up and try again!
people usually get 'examitus' with things like that, dont worry at the end of the day, i bet you ll be a better pilot for it because you now know your weaknesses and so can improve on those areas.
Good luck with your next attempt
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: england
I failed my initial FAA Multi flight test,, forgot to retract the gear on the go-around, got simulated engile failure and forgot to check it again! failed cos i clearly was not ready! fair enough
trained some more, passed, then got my FAA multi CPL then my Multi CFI, now fly a 738 multi engine! lol
who cares if you failed a PPL first time round, train a bit more, get sharper,, do it again and pass then crack on with the rest, if your ready for the airlines and have to explain yourself (very unlikly they will care) but you will be ready to explain it and have no issues, no one is born a pilot, you gotta work at it.
trained some more, passed, then got my FAA multi CPL then my Multi CFI, now fly a 738 multi engine! lol
who cares if you failed a PPL first time round, train a bit more, get sharper,, do it again and pass then crack on with the rest, if your ready for the airlines and have to explain yourself (very unlikly they will care) but you will be ready to explain it and have no issues, no one is born a pilot, you gotta work at it.
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Dublin, Ireland
Sorry to hear mate, I'm just starting out on my PPL so I'm sure I'll hit a few bumps in the road too. Every "bump" is not a setback though, it's an oppurtunity to learn and an excuse to master the bloody area that went tits up.
You'll be a better pilot for it in the end, good luck
You'll be a better pilot for it in the end, good luck
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
From: North America
You know what? If in a job interview they ask, go ahead and just tell them what happened and where you went wrong.
I did that, I told them that my flight test, supposed to be 3 hours, was 8 hours due to the examiner making me redo all the ground work again infront of him. He wasn't sure if I was helped since my dad owned the flight school. And then it was turbulent in the air and I kept breaking the altitude limits +/- 100 feet because of the turbulence. I thought I failed after 10 minutes in the air. I kept panicking because it was already 5 hours into my flight test. And then in the end the only part I failed on was time turns. I was supposed to turn from 060 to 200. So I thought in my head, TURN 140 DEGREES. I looked up at the compass and I noticed I was 30 degrees off, I was at 170. And all I was thinking of was '140'. I turned 30 degrees the wrong way, to 140 instead of 200.
Don't worry about it. Even if they do ask, they shouldn't have access to it.
I did that, I told them that my flight test, supposed to be 3 hours, was 8 hours due to the examiner making me redo all the ground work again infront of him. He wasn't sure if I was helped since my dad owned the flight school. And then it was turbulent in the air and I kept breaking the altitude limits +/- 100 feet because of the turbulence. I thought I failed after 10 minutes in the air. I kept panicking because it was already 5 hours into my flight test. And then in the end the only part I failed on was time turns. I was supposed to turn from 060 to 200. So I thought in my head, TURN 140 DEGREES. I looked up at the compass and I noticed I was 30 degrees off, I was at 170. And all I was thinking of was '140'. I turned 30 degrees the wrong way, to 140 instead of 200.
Don't worry about it. Even if they do ask, they shouldn't have access to it.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Howick, Auckland, New Zealand
Finally got a resit today and passed with flying colours - both my landings were top-notch and everything else was pretty good too (had to resit the whole test) except for low flying, which was fairly mediocre (too much instrument flying) but still passable apparently. Onto CPL training now! Already got a cross country booked for Sunday.
Thanks for all the comments everyone - I do definitely take the first fail as a learning experience and feel that it's made me a better pilot on the whole.
Thanks for all the comments everyone - I do definitely take the first fail as a learning experience and feel that it's made me a better pilot on the whole.
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 298
Likes: 0
From: India
mate! it's no big deal! there are so many variables in flying and murphy's law is bound to catch up with you once in a while! so don't take it too hard on yourself! 
in any case, you might know your stuff, but when the check instructor is sitting by your side, it's easy to get nervous and mess up even the most basic stuff.
i remember when i was training, each night before any big check i would be
bricks!
so take it easy, have a beer and give it your best shot the next time! good luck!
in any case, you might know your stuff, but when the check instructor is sitting by your side, it's easy to get nervous and mess up even the most basic stuff.
i remember when i was training, each night before any big check i would be
bricks!so take it easy, have a beer and give it your best shot the next time! good luck!
