First Student Stage Check Failure

[flyinguitar]

Hello everyone,

Today I had my first student fail a stage check (it was for Private stage 2 out of 3). We are a 141 school with examining authority, so stage checks are taken very seriously. I feel pretty crummy - I've been instructing for 10 months and have never had a student fail a stage check or checkride until now. It's a really good lesson, though - it *can* happen to you, don't skimp on anything, and trusting that they will study is not enough - you have to verify! In retrospect it was a poor judgment call for me to send him up. I know this experience will make me a better instructor, but I feel pretty small right now.

/

[nosehair]

Welcome to The Club!

[youngflyer]

Dont worry about it. Making yourself feel like crap wont help anything. BTW what did your student fail on if you dont mind me asking?

[flyinguitar]

Thanks. My student failed on the weather reports/forecasts section of the oral exam (this stage is mostly X-C). We had gone over everything but it was a couple weeks ago and he apparently hadn't retained much. Unfortunately it was the first thing the examiner covered, so nothing else was completed - making the retest just as comprehensive as the first attempt.

I feel better today. Thanks again.

[youngflyer]

Originally Posted by flyinguitar

Thanks. My student failed on the weather reports/forecasts section of the oral exam (this stage is mostly X-C). We had gone over everything but it was a couple weeks ago and he apparently hadn't retained much. Unfortunately it was the first thing the examiner covered, so nothing else was completed - making the retest just as comprehensive as the first attempt.

I feel better today. Thanks again.

Hmmmm. Well in that case then it is pretty much the students fault for not studying stuff he ALREADY learned.

[MichaelCPS]

Originally Posted by flyinguitar

Hello everyone,

Today I had my first student fail a stage check (it was for Private stage 2 out of 3). We are a 141 school with examining authority, so stage checks are taken very seriously. I feel pretty crummy - I've been instructing for 10 months and have never had a student fail a stage check or checkride until now. It's a really good lesson, though - it *can* happen to you, don't skimp on anything, and trusting that they will study is not enough - you have to verify! In retrospect it was a poor judgment call for me to send him up. I know this experience will make me a better instructor, but I feel pretty small right now.

/

This will only make you a better instructor. Part of learning to be an instructor is A) realizing that no CFI can be perfect all the time, and B) your students can't be perfect all of the time.

The first student I ever sent for a checkride failed steep turns (it was a commercial checkride in a BE36TC!!! I had never taught in one until that student). He busted by 200 feet, but he aced the rest. I was devastated. The DPE saw this and we had a really nice chat. He basically said that it happens, get over it, re-train the guy, and get him to pass.

While it still eats at me when one of my students fail (or ANY student at CPS), I try to be as positive about it for myself and the student as possible.

Keep plugging away!

Michael

[ryanmickG]

10 months and its your first failure!?!? Thats pretty damn good!

I fail people all the time on stage checks. Its usually the new instructors students too. I'm a hardass though..

[flyinguitar]

Thanks again for the support! I very much appreciate it.

I've met with the student a few more times now, and this experience seems to have lit a fire under him to study harder, fly more, and be extra, extra prepared for the next time. I have to say that is magnificent! So in the end, it seems like this will end up being a good thing for both of us. Kind of cool how life works that way - the best lessons often come in difficult packages.

[juskl]

Join the club is right. Sounds like you have been doing good though. Just wait till you have a student try to get one over on the examiner and for the X/C portion decides to do a one line flight plan, with a straight line drawn over 250 NM and violates about 7 restricted areas, to include a radar balloon. Sad part is the student is very intelligent and yet completely dumb. To think that he would try to get one over on an Examiner whom has done this for oh say 15 years.....

You will be fine, and yeah it sucks when you put faith in a student and they blow it. But hey that is the life we lead

Good luck Bro.