rumpletumbler
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2002
- Posts
- 1,209
I thought it would be a good opportunity to get back into aviation after being out 20 years since I had been out of work for 9 months and couldn't even get an interview etc. So with the wife's blessing I took out a govt loan and proceeded to work on my CFI. A few weeks ago I went to my checkride with FAA not a DE and failed during the oral when I presented a diagram of a multi-engine governor instead of a single engine one (provided by my instructor). I had chased everyone I knew down at the FBO where I was taking lessons to help with the governor prior to the ride and no one knew. The mechanic I talked with there didn't know how they worked. It was a bummer to say the least. After waiting a couple of weeks to think about it and try to be cool about it I have talked with the FBO and they are willling to provide the airplane free of charge for another ride and the instructor is willing to provide his time free (yes the same one) to prepare me again. I found out after I had flunked that I could have been better on explanations but hadn't ever taught ground to anyone inexperienced during the initial prep and I'm told it is the norm to do so. He said there was no doubt I knew the information sans governor (not my fault) but could be better talking through it. I agree. Anyhow it will have been a month and a half since the first one when he can do the checkride again and because of the FBO's deal I won't have flown in that length of time and also there was no role playing in the cockpit (instructor pretending to be student) nor did I fly with any students. I feel like I made the wrong choice but there isn't anything I can do about it now. The money is gone. There isn't any more money to dump into it. What I'm wanting opinons on is should I just cut my losses and get out? I really like my instructor but he has only prepared 3 prior CFI applicants and they all went to DE's. I have no options other than the ones above to finish. Were I to actually finish which I think will be a stretch after not having flown in so long and having the same type of preperation that caused me to flunk in the beginning what would be my options of getting a job say a few years (3 or more) down the road that would be in the at least $40,000 range? I don't have any college and my instrument currency is 20 years old. My prior work has been Network Admin type stuff which is worse than aviation probably at this point. I'd like to stay in but must also provide for the family etc. I'm not asking for anyone to be a fortune teller etc but just give an honest opinion. Oh the examiner did say that I was in the "above average" group for the folks he fails. har de har. I missed most of his de-briefing as I was in la la land just thinking about all the money I had just blown and knowing there was no way to put any more in. Thanks for any opinions. My main goal in this is not to put the family through more mistakes of mine if nothing good is ever going to come of it. Or if the odds favor etc.
RT
RT