PPL / CPL Flight Test Data

[Colonel]

Found this on my hard disk.  It's a few
years old, but I doubt much has changed
since then:

[img][/img]

The first (PFL) is no surprise - people struggle
with it.  However, 650/2089 means that 30%
of the candidates committed a major error.

An identical percentage (30%) of CPL candidates
had a problem with the power-off 180, which
indicates that either no one has shown them
how to do it (it's easy - I've done it thousands
of times):



or they haven't practiced it enough.
Probably both.

574/2089 (27%) had problems with steep turn.
Poorly taught, in my experience.  Look at the
other thread.  No one ever bothered to tell
them the pitch attitude and power required.

An incredible 462/2089 (22%) struggled with
the precautionary, which is just frikken bizarre. 
Easiest thing on the flight test.  Poorly taught.

440/2089 (21%) had problems with diversion. 
No surprise.  Not enough practice at it.  You
must get proficient on the ground before you
try it in the air.  Flight test guide incredibly tells
instructors to do this.

333/2089 (16%, or 1 in 6) of PPL's struggled
with short/soft landing.  Again, weird.  Bad
training, no practice?

These numbers do not reflect well on the
flight training industry, given that most of
the candidates probably had 80 hours, not 40.

[Colonel]

While flight tests are less than perfect
(resulting in noise on the input, from a
control theory standpoint) it's important
to realize that students are just moving
parts between an instructor and an examiner.

When an examiner does a test on a student,
he is really measuring the performance of
the instructor, especially as the numbers get
larger.

With this sample size (over 2000 tests) there
is plenty of indication that instructors simply
aren't teaching the students what they need
to know.

In one hour, for example, a competent senior
check instructor ought to be able to deal with
any deficiencies in precautionary, steep turn
and short/soft landing.

That's some pretty low-hanging fruit.

When I was actively involved as a CFI in
ab initio training, and did a pre-flight test
on a student, I didn't even need to look at
his PTR.

I would tell the student that we were going
to practice diversions on the ground until he
could do it in his sleep, then we were go flying
and do some steep turns at 3000 feet, PFL
down to 500, then divert back to the airport.

I like when you have to climb [i]up[/i] to join
the circuit, when you arrive at the airport  ;D

Then, a short field landing, and he'd better not
lock up the brakes, flat spot the tires, and shear
the valve stem off, blowing the tire.  That is not
an approved short field landing technique.

[img]http://cdn.avweb.com/media/newspics//19 ... e_skid.jpg[/img]


In contrast, a soft field landing is a joke - every
landing in a nosewheel aircraft is a soft field landing: 
touch down mains first, nosewheel one inch in the air. 

Elevator progressively back to hold the nose tire
up until it's all the way back, at which time the
nose tire gently comes down, nearly at taxi speed.

If someone has been taught to properly land a
nosewheel aircraft, a soft field landing isn't much
of an intellectual stretch.

[Colonel]

[quote]why are they so good[/quote]

That's a different issue ... I am not a fan
of the "quota" system where an examiner
is required to fail X percentage of the
candidates.

With good training (which is admittedly rare)
the flight test should be just a formality.  The
flight instructor has seen the candidate repeatedly
meet or exceed the standard, or he wouldn't
have recommended them.

That's how things [i]should[/i] be.  In real life,
the student's precious time and money is
squandered without focus, he is not told what
to do or how to do it, and he has not practised
the difficult maneuvers enough.  That's Walmart
flight training, ironically often at a Louis Vitton
price.

You wouldn't believe how many students don't
even know the flight test guide exists.  And as
far as reading it, and being knowledgeable of
what he has to do?  Single digit percentage.

[David MacRay]

[quote author=SSU link=topic=298.msg984#msg984 date=1434557855]
It has however been part of my decision to part ways with flight training all but for the rarest if instances.
[/quote]

Wait, wut? I was going to offer you three hunnerd bucks and a home cooked meal to finish my CPL.

:(

Unless, you meant rarest of steak off my BBQ.