Just washed out, now what?

[avernas]

I just washed out of sim training at a 121 regional. They let me resign but I believe the busted checkride will be on my record. Since this was my first training experience, I am guessing it will be tough to get hired with another airline. Reading these forums the past year and talking to pilots has made me question how badly I want to fly. I thought I would try flying for a regional for a couple years to decide whether or not to make this a career. I still would like to give it a shot somewhere else. Any idea how difficult it will be to get hired? Any airlines that don't look at 121 training records? Should I just take this as a blessing in disguise and leave aviation now?

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Sounds like your heart is not in it. Maybe you wanted to wash out and do something else. The rest of your career in aviation is going to be full of check rides and training events. If you can't motivate yourself now what makes you thing the next 30 years will be any easier?

 

[atrdriver]

Simple fact is, if you take enough checkrides you are going to bust one or two. Hiring boards know that, and as long as you learned something from it and can articulate that in an interview it will not cause any problems.

 

[BoilerUP]

I hope this thread is filled with constructive advice, not useless flamebait.

 

[BengalsFan]

I don't have any real insight into the airlines, but as an ex military instructor, I'd agree with the person who said, sooner or later you will bust a checkride... maybe due to your lack of experience, you really didn't know what to expect on this checkride... Well now you do! So if you want to continue flying, my advice is to mentally go back over the sortie (and the debrief) and write down what you did good and bad, and seriously learn from the situation. And look at the bright side... this may be a bad experience in general, but at least you know what to expect next time, so you can better prepare yourself.

Good luck

 

[Flying Ninja]

Avernas,

If you really want to fly, I'd say keep at it. Keep sending those resumes out and land yourself another opportunity.

I don't think there's anything wrong with self reflection and re-evaluating your desires/passion in working for a regional. I didn't say passion for flying since you obviously have that. Perhaps applying to a corporate outfit if you have the time requirements?

Finally, leaving flying as a career isn't all that bad if you have something to fall back on. And you'll be making plenty more money those first few years anyway. Best of luck!

 

[jetfo]

I just washed out of sim training at a 121 regional. They let me resign but I believe the busted checkride will be on my record. Since this was my first training experience, I am guessing it will be tough to get hired with another airline.

Avernas:
I think the comments so far are correct. I would only add that the way back to another 121 carrier will be by going to a smaller 135 ops, or instructing for a while and gain some more experience and build a better record. A friend of mine had the same happen to him and got back into the game that way.
Make sure you want to be in aviation though, because otherwise you're just wasting your time.
Good Luck!

 

[rightseatjocky]

I just washed out of sim training at a 121 regional. They let me resign but I believe the busted checkride will be on my record. Since this was my first training experience, I am guessing it will be tough to get hired with another airline. Reading these forums the past year and talking to pilots has made me question how badly I want to fly. I thought I would try flying for a regional for a couple years to decide whether or not to make this a career. I still would like to give it a shot somewhere else. Any idea how difficult it will be to get hired? Any airlines that don't look at 121 training records? Should I just take this as a blessing in disguise and leave aviation now?

Dude, youre not screwed. I am not sure how many hours you have, but there is a place in denver called Keylime Air. They fly 402's, navajo's and metros. Great place for real experience, flying ups cargo. They need sic's and you can get hired on to a 121 later. I hope that helps. Go to
www.keylimeair.com and talk to mike the D.O.
Hope that helps

 

[FN FAL]

I hope this thread is filled with constructive advice, not useless flamebait.

Constructive? What kind of constructive advice can you give someone that doesn't meet 135 mins?

When a really good pilot/CFI I knew back in the day, washed out from a regional with minimum times, I knew I wasn't going to apply to any regional with less than twice 135 mins.

It paid off, when I had to exit a regional after a mildly unsatisfactory training evolution, I was able to pick from three jobs. Been with that picked job for over 5 years.

Theres only three choices for this guy, apply to other regionals, fly some more entry level part 91 stuff or find a pedestrian job.

The choice he makes, is going to have to come from within.

 

[rightseatjocky]

You dont need the 135 mins to be right seat there. They have a letter from the faa.. Just talk to them www.keylimeair.com. Mike will hook you up
There is good flying there. Bases, als, dro,grand junction, nebraska bases, wyoming.

 

[RichardRambone]

I busted my Private ride and it was heartbreaking. I thought to myself how can I become a pro pilot if I cant even pass a Private ride. I kept at it and I haven't regretted it just yet. All my certificates later I am doing just fine. I'd say go finish those 100 hours and fly some 135 stuff. I think it will better prepare me for my next step, plus it may not be a jump to 121 but it is a logical step up. Good luck.

 

[han_solo]

If you want to go back to a region alright away, go get some soft of jet training even if you pay for your training. Maybe you can go to flightsafety and get some simulator training in e145. It is very hard to explain at the next interview whether you can make through the traing or not without actual proof and confidence. I would not go back to be a CFI or do SIC piston cargo because the way airlines operate is jut not the same.

 

[federico]

My CFI washout of Airnet and last I heard hes a captain at Skywest.

 

[HoursHore]

The world needs ditch diggers too.

 

[OPECJet]

Just go back to building some experience and try again later. There are any number of reasons you could have washed out of the sim. Anything from messing up the flows, weak instrument skills, crappy instructor, crappy sim, the list is numerous. Figure out what is was, fix it, build some more exerience, and get back after it.

This ain't rocket science. Best of luck, whatever you decide to do. If you find yourself wanting out of aviation, look up at the airplanes on the weekends and laugh at us folks who are sweating in the cockpit on a Saturday while you're sitting out by your pool with a beer. That ain't such a bad life either!

 

[federico]

This 80for80 Dude Is A Jerk. I Bet He Was Born On A Airplane. Though I See He Cant Get Passed Light Twins

 

[oceandude]

I know plenty of people that have washed out, fired, etc... and have gone on to fly for other regionals and majors. If you want to do it just keep at it. Good luck!

 

[dhc8fo]

It wasn't Mesa's street captain program was it, by any chance? If it was, you are being set up to fail so don't feel bad. Guys with ZERO experience are wide-eyed and excited to jump right in as captains and then they fall flat on their faces.

By the way, I am not trying to be a smart-a$$ either. I think it is totally wrong for a company to think they can just throw a green guy into a complex plane AND a more complex air traffic system, just as it is wrong for a green pilot to think he can do it SAFELY in the first place. I am sure a few are good enough to make it, but most are not.

If this was your situation, I wouldn't let the failure deter you. Learn from it and use it to your advantage when you interview next...."I was young, dumb, and niave but I learned from the experience and am ready to move on" blah blah....

 

[FN FAL]

If you find yourself wanting out of aviation, look up at the airplanes on the weekends and laugh at us folks who are sweating in the cockpit on a Saturday while you're sitting out by your pool with a beer.

You don't have leave aviation to have your weekends free.

 

[veneratio]

Just curious, what regional was it?

 

[CrownandCoke]

don't worry about it. I would recommend what everyone else is recommending. Go get some more experience, make sure this is what you want to do, and then reapply at another regional or even the same one. A failed checkride won't mean the end of your career though.

 

[avernas]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll try not to let this get me down. I do have about 1700 hours. I need to update my profile but 135 ops may be a good place to start looking.

 

[belchfire]

I know that it's personal to you but the only person that knows what or why they busted you is you right now. If you are an average pilot and it was a skills thing you can be taught that. Your manuals should have spelled out the minimum standards for you.

The industry is not what it was though and I am not expecting wages to get back to what they should be.

Whatever you do, good luck

 

[buscap]

1700 hours???? Something is rotten in Denmark. Either you haven't given us the full story or you rubbed someone the wrong way in training/checkride.

If you are not getting a second chance at the ride something is definitely not clicking between you and the company.

Find a way to keep current and be totally honest on resumes and in interviews.

If it happens again I would stick with 135 or corporate. Airline training is not the toughest out there, but it isn't for everyone and playing well with others is very important.

 

[Drill Sgt. Dad]

On future interviews don't be negative and don't bad mouth anyone. Explain what went wrong and be honest. I busted out of a training event when my wife was pregnant with my second child and my wife was very sick. I tried to continue, but made the wrong decision. I learned something from that. If there is a stressful situation in one's private personal life, come forward and tell someone. They'll work with you. Don't try to become a martyr like I did. And let a future employer know you learned from your errors. Also, you went through a 121 training event and now you know what you need to do to improve for the next time.
good luck

 

[SBD]

Drill Sgt. Dad couldn't have said it better. Accept your faults and then try to build on them. This has been one of the better threads I have read in a long time. Don't blame everyone and tell your next interviewer what you did wrong. Very few pilots are perfect. I busted my CFI(I) ride and thought it was the end of the world. I learned from it and moved forward. If flying is your true passion keep at it.

 

[eaglefly]

I just washed out of sim training at a 121 regional. They let me resign but I believe the busted checkride will be on my record. Since this was my first training experience, I am guessing it will be tough to get hired with another airline. Reading these forums the past year and talking to pilots has made me question how badly I want to fly. I thought I would try flying for a regional for a couple years to decide whether or not to make this a career. I still would like to give it a shot somewhere else. Any idea how difficult it will be to get hired? Any airlines that don't look at 121 training records? Should I just take this as a blessing in disguise and leave aviation now?

Okay..............you've not been successful at your first attempt to qualify with an Air Carrier.

The question is, what are YOU going to do about it ?

You're low time and real world experience level did not do you any favors here. That DOES NOT mean you're not a worthy future airline pilot. The hardest obstacles in life are recovering from setbacks............and the most valuable.

Turn this into a positive. You can't change what happened. You CAN plan a course that shows, 1. Your ability to recover from a setback. 2. Your commitment to succeeding in the endevor you love and 3. identifying your shortcomings and overcoming them.

Reenter a paying flying position. Seek additional training (advanced sim time) to hone skills that did not meet the standards on your first experience. Invest in yourself a little more. That and a positive attitude will make your next opportunity more successful. When you do apply and interview, explain and accept responsibility for your past and explain why you think it did not work out so well and what YOU did to recover. Extra effort and a positive attitude WILL negate a past faliure.

I've flown with plenty of idiots who "got lucky" during the newhire phase only to have their true selves emerge, both aeronautically and attitude. In fact, many of those type are the type of guys who make cheap anonymous wisecraks on webboards.

If you've gotten as far as 1100 hours, you CAN go farther.

But it's up to you.

 

[8AF]

Dude, youre not screwed. I am not sure how many hours you have, but there is a place in denver called Keylime Air. They fly 402's, navajo's and metros. Great place for real experience, flying ups cargo. They need sic's and you can get hired on to a 121 later. I hope that helps. Go to
www.keylimeair.com and talk to mike the D.O.
Hope that helps

uke:

 

[kommutrdog]

It could be the best thing for you, EVER !

Take the hint...you washed out of a job that probably paid you less than 25k/year...to fly ungrateful pax around some of the worst weather mother nature has to offer.

Leave aviation now and get yourself a skill or profession like a plumber, X-ray technician, learn AUTO-CAD, HVAC certificate, installing high end telecom equipment. Go back to school and become a pharmacist and companies will be BEGGING for you to work for them and pay you more the first year than you would as a captain of a GOOD regional (8 years from now) or an FO at a Major (10+ years)

Plus, you won't be spending thanksgiving and Xmas in some shyt-hole Ramada in SYR while you're wife and kids are over with the neighbor families AGAIN.

Flying is great, don't get me wrong, but it just isn't worth it. Too tough on the family and life goes by awfully fast when you're home only 10-14 days/month.

Picture yourself on an overnight and hearing your 3 year-old crying AGAIN because Daddy is in East-Shythole, PA or where-ever.

Take the bust, get a real job, a real life, be home everynight and instruct on weekends for fun. Wish I could, but I'm in too deep. And in case you want to ask...If I had to do it all over again, the answer is an emphatic: No I wouldn't.

Hope this helps.

 

[goastar]

QUITYERBELLYAKIN!!!!!

Get back on your horse and accomplish what it is you set out to do. Do not be weak minded, it's a good life. You will enjoy it!