Right Hand Seat

The results cover Aeroplane, Balloon, Helicopter, Ag, CIR, Flight Instructor, Private IFR, Instrument Rating testing and Multi Engine Training Approval (Aeroplane). This column will cover only selected types. The results sheet gives both numbers tested and percentage that failed.

For the GFPT a total of 1582 candidates were tested with a 17.8% fail rate. The top 3 fail items were to land aeroplane, manage abnormal situations and operational decisions made promptly and correctly.

For the Private licence there were 1461 tests with a fail rate of 21.3%. The top 3 fail items were to navigate the aeroplane, situation awareness maintained and operational decisions made promptly and correctly.

Night VFR, Aeroplanes. 352 candidates with a 14.8% fail rate. Top 3 fail items were; Command judgement, take-off and landing at an aerodrome remote from extensive ground lighting. Sound navigation technique.

For the CPL Aeroplane there were 1259 students and they had a 25.7% fail rate. The top reasons were to navigate the aeroplane, Situational awareness maintained and operational decisions made promptly and correctly.

With the CIR – SE and ME Initial, Aeroplane, there were 1139 pilots tested with a 21.8% fail rate. The three main reasons were due to; Altitudes (not) maintained within ±100’, minima + 100’ – 0’. Demonstrated sound aircraft and engine handling. Demonstrated sound command judgement. For the CIR – SE and ME Renewal, Aeroplane, of the 2645 candidates 7.0% failed due to; Altitudes (not) maintained within ±100’, minima + 100’, -0’, tracking within ±5 degrees and demonstrated sound command judgement.

On to the Flight Instructor Rating category. For the FIR-G1 Initial, Aeroplane, there were 99 candidates with 9.1% fail rate. The reasons were; Sound subject knowledge, appropriate instructional technique used and general aeronautical knowledge. For the FIR-G1 renewal, aeroplanes, of the 263 instructors tested there were only 3.4% that failed. These were due to; Patter (not) coordinated with good demonstration, smooth accurate flying and appropriate instructional technique used.

FIR-G2 Initial, Aeroplane, 107 candidates with a 3.7% fail rate. This was due to instruction (not) to the point, appropriate instructional technique (not) used and general aeronautical knowledge. With the FIR-G2 Renewal, aeroplane, there were 89 candidates with a 4.5% fail rate. This was due to; General aeronautical knowledge, sound subject knowledge and instruction to the point.
The FIR-G3, Initial, aeroplane, there was a 26.3% fail rate of the 179 candidates. The (top 3) reasons given were; Appropriate instructional technique used, general aeronautical knowledge and patter coordinated with good demonstration.

For the FIR-G3 renewal, aeroplanes, there were 146 instructors tested of which 12.3% failed. The reasons stated were instruction (not) to the point, sound subject knowledge and appropriate instructional technique used.

Three other classes of licence are worth noting here. They are the Private IFR with 32 pilots tested giving a 15.6% fail rate. The main reasons given were due to, navigate using VOR, NDB holding and VOR holding.
With the Instrument Rating Training Approval, Aeroplane, there were 39 candidates giving a 25.6% fail rate. The reasons stated were; Instruction to the point, patter coordinated with good demonstration and sound subject knowledge.

The last of the Flight Test Types noted here is the Multi Engine Training Approval, Aeroplane. There were 63 candidates with a 9.5% fail rate. The reasons stated were; Smooth accurate flying (two areas) and patter coordinated with good demonstration.

Given that a flight school that has a high number of test failures has CASA taking a keen interest in that school and its right to hold a training AOC. It could mean that the school should possibly be tougher with its internal pre-licence tests.

It is interesting to note that only in the Flight Instructor areas were there fails due to a poor showing in the General Aeronautical Knowledge. Without further information this could be as simple as not being able to name various components of the aircraft and their functions. The Grade 3 Instructor Rating, Initial, had the highest fail rate of any category, 26.3%. The percentage of fails indicates that substandard candidates were filtered out.

The top three fail reasons are stated above but one has to remember that often we see low time commercial pilots struggling to become flight instructors as they have low flight experience, are often young and have had few dealings with delivering instruction of any sort to anyone, much less the complex subject of aviation and flying an aeroplane. Without doubt confidence comes with age, worldly knowledge, experience and greater flight time.

As Flight Instructors we have to remember that students are several things. They are the candidates that we have to mould into becoming aviators and they are our customers. To deliver safe quality flight instruction take time, perseverance, dedication and good training.

Contact Dave by email at [email protected]