On 4/8/2005 10:08, Michael wrote:

Sacramento FSDO recently told him that he is not allowed to begin a
checkride (i.e. do the oral) unless he believes there is a high
probability of finishing the entire exam.

What on earth is the point of that?

Well, a checkride is, after all, a flight. And one should not begin a
flight unless one believes there is a high probability of completing it
as planned. After all, you wouldn't suggest to a student that he get
his briefing and plan his flight when the weather was crappy halfway to
his destination, right? Because once he planned it, he might be
tempted to launch and take a look, figuring it might improve, or he can
always land and wait it out, completing the trip later - because
really, what's the point? It's when you get there that counts, not
when you leave. And then when he got halfway there and the weather was
bad, he might be tempted to press on a little longer because hey, it
might improve and he's already halfway there.

Well, perhaps you understood the original question better than I did,
but I didn't see anyone suggesting that the flight be started when
the weather was threatening an early termination; only that the oral
portion be allowed to be done even if the flight had to be postponed
until later.


Better he not launch unless he can count on making it all the way there
in one shot.

Why shouldn't the same philosophy apply to checkrides? It makes just
as much sense.
Of course maybe the whole concept is wrong...

Michael



--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL
Sacramento, CA