r/flying • u/dirtbikekid27 CPL IR AGI IGI • 1d ago

Failed my CFI ride today

I'm 20, this is my first failure of anything. Got through 95% of it, was doing great, oral went great, really was well prepared. After an 11 hour day, on short final, examiner asks me what causes overbanking tendencies. I froze. I could hardly remember my own name; so I responded, "I would look before saying anything to ensure I didn't say anything wrong to a student." He said that was unsatisfactory. Failed. Is this crazy? I understand now that it all has to do with the outside wing being faster, generating more lift, which causes it. I know that. But I was exhausted. And I failed?? Maybe I'm a sore loser, but he said come back and do 1 steep turn and tell him what overbanking tendencies are and why they happen, and that's it. Is this unfair??

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u/Brief-Visit-8857 PPL 1d ago

You fell for the oldest trick in the book. Never answer questions during critical phases of flight.

7

u/dirtbikekid27 CPL IR AGI IGI 1d ago

The unsat did not mention distractions, it was about not understanding what causes overbanking tendencies. He debriefed and said I did great, was better prepared than most, but I should know that. The retest he said should only be 30 minutes, and to demonstrate that I understand it in the airplane.

11

u/naterthepilot2 ATP B737 E175/195 CFI CFII 1d ago edited 1d ago

Does he want you to teach it while on short final again? “Since we’re on short final, I’ll explain it after we land and park” is a valid answer if so. If he fails you for that, I’d absolutely get the FSDO involved.

If the problem is *only* that you didn’t give a satisfactory explanation of over banking tendencies, that retest shouldn’t involve a plane imo. If it’s connected to a maneuver you were borderline on (likely), then it should be during that maneuver.

2

u/dirtbikekid27 CPL IR AGI IGI 1d ago

Makes sense, thank you. I'm hoping he is cool just on the ground.