Aaron,
I would really suggest that you work on improving those written exam scores. There is no reason to be scoring anything less than 95%.
Chris
Chris,
I’ve already taken the check rides for PAR and IRA and didn’t have problems with the orals so I don’t plan to retake the CAX but I will study longer for FOI and the other CFI writtens in the future.
Just curious were you asked at any interviews about your scores on the written tests? Or after you passed the check ride the written was pretty much done with?
I agree with that part, so does the flight instructors anyone has flown with. I recalled that my flight instructor wants me to score at least 90% on a written test (that’s 54 correct out of 60 total). In his words, a higher test score means an easier checkride.
Aaron,
I don’t believe any pilot has ever been asked about their written scores ever but I’ll tell you what has and does happen. Many DEs are current or former airline pilots and this is a ridiculously small community. So while I can guarantee you won’t ever be asked about your scores, I can promise you that if said former/current airline examiner sees you have a cavalier attitude about knowledge tests and a general “just good enough is good enough” attitude they will report it to their friends at the hiring board of their airline.
You see most of us take this flying stuff pretty seriously and while again you won’t ever get asked that may be the reason you never have the opportunity to be asked.
Adam
Aaron,
No, the airline will never ask your test scores. After you pass the checkrides, that is the end of it. That being said, I would still work to improve the test scores as you might get an examiner that is not so lenient on such things.
Chris
Adam,
I get what you’re saying about it being a small community. But I do not understand what you’re saying about having a “just good enough is good enough” attitude. Theres a reason the FAA chooses passing scores because it is whats good enough is actually good enough. I also seriously doubt the DPE that I used would years later if he knew anyone and happened to talk to them and they told them all the names of applicants and came to the conclusion he did a check ride with me years ago would say “Oh, don’t hire him he he scored a 87% and passed private with me then only got a 77% for instrument passed that to but only got a 79% on CAX even though he passed the check rides he must not take flying seriously”
Chris,
Got it, as I said I’ll just over prepare for the commercial oral and I already passed private and instrument. But I definitely will strive to do better on the rests of the writtens.
Aaron,
Funny thing, I’m currently trying to save the career of a pilot with the exact same “good enough is actually good enough” theory and I got my interview at Hawaiian SOLELY based on a brief incredibly random conversation I had with another pilot a decade prior. But what do I know?
Clearly you have all this down and you can “seriously doubt” your way to happiness. It’s all good.
Adam
My point is like I said I get what you’re saying about it being a small community. But I know that if anyone asked that DPE about me he’d give a good recommendation he wouldn’t say “I don’t take flying seriously since I didn’t get a 100% on my written”
Gonna agree to disagree with you on this.
Aaron,
Yes let’s agree to disagree but it’s because you clearly don’t get what I’m saying. Again, it’s all G. I am beyond certain that one day you will 
Adam
It’s all love from Adam. Don’t take it personal.
Aaron,
The mentors are here on their own just to give a benefit to future aviators with answers to any questions we may have.
As you said you understand it is a small community and yea your DPE may not say anything but hypothetically lets say you get an interview at ExpressJet. Lets also say someone from the hiring panel sees you went to ATP and decides to ask Adam if hes ever heard of you as he was ATP (and volunteers for this forum) as well as someone who did A LOT with ExpressJet back in his day.
I’m not saying Adam would say anything bad BUT I think this might be the 3rd or 4th thread you’ve had to agree to disagree with one of the mentors and from an outsider that doesn’t look good considering your 18/19 and these guys have been working for the Airlines for almost your entire life.
I’m not saying do everything they suggest but I would take their suggestions with more than a grain of salt as they have seen/experienced a lot more than most of us.
Tom,
I get what you’re saying but I don’t use my first name online.
Let’s wrap up this discussion.
It is important to do well on the writtens. Doing so shows that the student is committed to their flight training, takes it seriously and has a good knowledge base. While the written exams can sometimes be abstract, there is also good information in them that is necessary to know to safely operate an airplane.
As a pilot taking an FAA checkride, I would never present an examiner with anything less than a 90% and hopefully much higher than that. I can tell you that the shortest oral exam I ever had was for my instrument exam, the examiner looked at my 100% score, said “put some time in studying, huh?” and asked me very few questions.
Chris
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I got a 94% on my commercial written and had my checkride with an 85 year old navy pilot who was a stickler and known for his long orals. I studied A LOT for my oral after a pretty decent written test and my oral was no more than 30 minutes. He asked some fairly tough questions and when I got them right, we moved on very quickly. Just my little experience. I don’t think you can go into these willy nilly and expect the examiner to be easy on you, they’ve been around the block a time or two.
Thanks so much for the feedback, I will certainly try to score a high grade on my written exams. Thanks guys!!
To sum it up, the high score is very much an expression of your dedication to this industry and flying.
“Good enough” can potentially be detrimental to your career, your decision making, and the lives of others. Yes, that can be seen as a stretch to some, but there is a lot of reality to it even more so.