Busted my Commercial checkride. Now what?

[sonopoa]

He challenged me ... After that I fought him ...

Interesting choice of words. It is a very human reaction to criticism to want to push back or even to think they are out to get you. I have seen that many times. It is human nature. In writing that you have recognised this.

The DPE is never out to get you, they want you to pass. They have vast experience and do expect (and deserve) a lot of respect.

On the checkride if the pilot does not agree with something the DPE says, my suggestion is to just to file it away, make it small in your mind at that point, dont confront in the air and move on to focus on what is next so you can come back to in the debrief after you had time to analyse. You might just respond with noted.

Your instructor would not have put you forward if he didnt think you could do it. So you can.

Take a breather, and come back to ace it the next time.

Good Luck!

 

[SWOdaile]

I blew my commercial check ride on the first try. The first maneuver... steep turns. I was overconfident because I just "knew" that one. I wasn't maintaining altitude within standards. After the first one, the DPE said... "I missed that... do it again". I got nervous and blew it again. He had me go the other direction... missed again. He informed me at that point I'd failed and asked if I wanted to keep going... I did. I relaxed, figuring, what have I got to lose? I nailed everything else. After we were done, I went back up and practiced by myself that day... they went perfectly. Got re-endorsed by my CFI. I went back for round two with the DPE and all he had me do was the steep turns... did them well and passed. Humbling? Yup. But learned a bit in the process. My recommendation... practice and spend some time with your CFI. Someone suggested having your CFI touch base with the DPE and see if some details can be gleaned. Good suggetion. Then... go back and finish up. Six months from now this will be a distant memory as you move on to new challenges and opportunities.

 

[iamtheari]

If you want the DPE to provide a professional reference, your ability to overcome setbacks and challenges will say more about what matters than how well you did on a maneuver one time. Go do some fun flying and sight seeing. Do a few steep turns without worrying about the standards to check out that rooftop sunbather or whatever. Have fun and relax. Then practice up and pass the check ride. If you spend all your flying time and energy worried about the check ride, you will just go into it nervous all over again. You can't get over the yips by stressing yourself out about having the yips.

 

[Gerhardt]

Next time wait til you don’t have high winds.

I thought it was just me who got all the bad luck for scheduled checkride days. Gusting to 25 in Cessna 150 for my private. I wanted to put off my helicopter check, but the DPE had driven an hour and a half to get to the airport and didn't want to delay. "I'll just take the wind into account."

 

[Clip4]

I thought it was just me who got all the bad luck for scheduled checkride days. Gusting to 25 in Cessna 150 for my private. I wanted to put off my helicopter check, but the DPE had driven an hour and a half to get to the airport and didn't want to delay. "I'll just take the wind into account."

Good luck.