CFI question

[MachFly]

I heard that FAA keeps a record of the pass/fail rate of the students on each instructor. I was wondering if this was true or not and what effect does this have on the instructor?
For example will an instructor who trained 100 students and they all passed the checkride the first time have a higher chance of getting a job with a flight school than an instructor who trained 100 students and they all failed the checkride on the first time?

Thanks

 

[TMetzinger]

Since the CFI who signed the person off for the practical test is known, the FAA "could" keep records like that, I'm not sure that they do.

They DO reward CFIs for high first-time pass rates with the gold seal designation, and the ability to renew the CFI certificate based on first-time pass rate instead of taking a refresher clinic.

You can bet, however, that a flight school will pay attention to first-time pass rates on the CFIs working there, and take corrective action as needed.

To answer your last question, YES, I think a flight school would find value in a high first-time pass rate. You just need to keep those records yourself, so that you can get a gold seal (that's a one-time designation) and to have it for your resume and interview.

 

[poadeleted20]

An instructor with 100 for 100 might be thought to be gilding lillies, too. There's just no way the occasional applicant won't fail due to an unforeseeable mind-fart. If every single one passes over that long a stretch, you're probably overtraining them and wasting resources. OTOH, I think a pass rate under 80% might concern a flight school if they heard about it. FWIW, the national average pass rate on pilot certificates is upwards of 90%, and that's a publicly available fact, so grade yourself accordingly.

However, Tim is generally correct, although I've seen evidence that even now when IACRA means FSDO's don't see every 8710-1, FSDO's get the word on poorly performing CFI's one way or the other.

 

[DaleB]

I doubt the FAA will ever complain about over-training... and the flight school bills by the hour, so they're not going to complain either. By the time the student figures it out (if he/she does) it's too late. So who's going to complain about a 100% first-time pass rate?

 

[Captain]

I doubt the FAA will ever complain about over-training... and the flight school bills by the hour, so they're not going to complain either. By the time the student figures it out (if he/she does) it's too late. So who's going to complain about a 100% first-time pass rate?

I instructed at a 141 school. I was expected to stay on syllabus. If a student needed more time that's fine, but if I was consistently over flying them then I would hear about it. It was not in their interest to gouge the student. They kept very close records of average training times and used that in recruitment materials. Systematic overflying would destroy that.

 

[denverpilot]

Someone mentioned the Gold Seal already. So that's covered.

I know there's a Denver-area very active CFI who was given a 709 ride for various things including low student pass rates.

Anyone know of any published stats on how many Gold Seals are issued?

 

[DouglasBader]

The FAA does track student pass rates, but there's no program in place for the FAA to report this to an employer. If an instructor has a low pass rate or students are exhibiting deficiencies, the FAA will place the instructor under "surveillance," and that may be anything from monitoring the CFI more closely to administering checkrides.

 

[MachFly]

Got it. Thanks for explaining.