UPT Checkride busts

[Floyd R. Turbo]

Wow.... Your check pilot must have had a bad day.... if that was the only downgrade, and he had two whole sorties to let you overcome it, call it a Good and press on.

I had a semi-similar experience at PIT.... Taxiing out on my Nav check, I screwed up the departure briefing and by all rights should have busted right there, but the check pilot (Don Hoover, God bless him) opened his inflight guide and in his best student voice said "Gee sir, I thought we were supposed to do it THIS way...." After a big OOPS, I agreed, then instructed my ASS off all the way to San Angelo and back, and was dangd happy for my one-downgrade Good.

My other semi-amusing (to me, at least) checkride story didn't go as well. Setting up for the straight ahead rejoin on the way to the areas, I completely spaced on whether we were doing it at 200 to get to the areas in a hurry, or 160 to expedite the rejoin. So, I made a quick "say airspeed" call, thinking that that would clear it up. The reply? "As Briefed." Doh! Guess I should have listened better, as I blew past him ("blew past" being a relative term in the Tweet, and "him" being the then Flt CC and now FedEx guy Bob Britton), and then it all went downhill from there. The 88 (with Hoover) was a lot more fun, and we all got a good laugh out of it--funny is funny, even if you happen to be on the receiving end.

If you'd have told me then that I'd fondly remember those days, I probably would have kicked you or at least made a beeline away, but looking back they sure were fun.

Anyway, to get back towards the topic, it's an interview, not a confession. Answer the questions that are asked, no more, and no less. If you can spin it well, more power to you, but don't dig your own grave.

And, getting back to your specific question, I think that until you pass the checkride, whether it is on the first try, or the 88, or the 89, but until you PASS, then a Form 8 or 942 won't be generated, so we all started with a Q-1, although our gradesheets and resumes may have shown Unsats....... Either way, here we are.

 

[volunteer]

I went out the bottom of the area by 100ft during a maneuver on my initial checkride in the tweet. Rest of the ride was perfect but I still busted. I sit the fence as far as disclosure. I think both sides of the argument have merit. When I applied to the airlines, I went conservative and marked 'yes' to the question. It was not mentioned in one interview. I was asked about it in another. They asked me what happened. Then they asked if I thought it was fair. I told them that I thought it was a clean kill. They then asked if I learned anything from it. That was it. I think they wanted to see if I would own it or if I would try to blame it on the CP.

I was offered a job at both places. So, I think the bottom line is that it doesn't matter. Firstthird has a legit point in the fact that if it does get caught, I would prefer to have checked 'yes' and answer the questions that I did, than to go the other route.

 

[Draginass]

Someone mentioned integrity and airline in the same sentence. "Integrity" is not something that American business in general, and airlines, in particular, practice. You can have personal integrity, but corporate integrity is only a PR slogan. After working for two bottom-feeders and one legacy, that's been my experience.

 

[RJP]

Tell the truth....it will set you free.

Reddog, how many "progress checks" DID you bust?

There's no need to hide a UPT bust. Talk about it if they bring it up, laugh about rolling off the perch without putting the gear down. Everybody makes mistakes and you apparently got your wings. It's minor.

But then again, I never busted a checkride so what do I know?

 

[RedDogC130]

I deleted this message b/c after reading it came across a little bitter. I stand by my views on the issues. I am done with it. Take care

 

[MRW]

SWA asked if I had ever busted a checkride...Fessed up to UPT, told the story, told the lesson, and interviewer asked if their were any others outside of UPT and that he did not need to know about any others in UPT.

BL: Fess up and make a lesson learned out of it. He didn't care since it was UPT, but if they find it later...is that worth it? This could be your one shot at the last interview for the rest of your life. Don't let it hinge on you avoiding a question on a UPT checkride.

Oh Yeah...I got the call and can't wait to get to the line.

Good luck!!!

 

[RJP]

Reddog, I was just pushing your buttons. Didn't intend for you to have to write a term paper on your UPT 'prog check' bust and the evil FAIP that gave it to ya.

Like I said before, you obviously got your wings so it didn't really matter anyway. Let it go man.

 

[El-Rushbo]

One thing to consider is that military pilots go through MANY more checkrides than our civilian counterparts, therefore suffer from a greater number of potential busts. This is not a level playing field. I personally would match my military training checkrides to the respective civilian equivalent, then only offer information on busted checkrides from that list. All others I would throw out, as a straight civilian trained pilot never had to do these, so why should I be held to them. Kind of my own "military conversion factor" only on checkrides. It is necessary to make it a fair comparison.

 

[FNG_that's me]

Worst case scenario:

The interviewer can tell from your logbook/flight logs that you did certain flights twice and they personally consider this flight a checkride.

If this happens and you didn't disclose it, you could be sunk.


Airlines commonly hire folks that have busted much worse checkrides that the mini-one's in UPT, even those that have flat out crashed an airplane, but they don't tend to hire anyone they suspect of being dishonest.

To me, listing the bust is low risk, not listing it is high risk(although with low probability)...I wouldn't double down with a hard 12.

 

[RedDogC130]

Well, what if you did not have to do the flight over. Getting an UNSAT for a "oral" issue. If it were with the FAA you would have to do the whole thing over. The military...not really the same case. So for your response. I am right not to disclose it. There was never a 2nd ride. Not record of anything that the airline would have access to, even from the info I had given them. For those what have flown in the military and civilian like myself, please vote, are the rides in UPT progress checks or check rides in your mind? Not that it will change anyhing but curious? Thanks...yes I lied and said I was done with it. If someone agrees with me mabye I will leave...I see a trend here, I may be here for awhile