Category: Test

Do I have to use the whizz wheel?

Posted on September 28, 2022 by - Flight Performance and Planning - PPL, Navigation - PPL, Test, Tips

First a confession. I am a big fan of the flight navigation (dead reckoning) computer, a.k.a. the whizz wheel. Sure, it takes a little investment to learn how to use it, but once over that hurdle, it is fast and accurate.

A bit of history

The ‘flight computer’ was invented in the 1930’s by Lt. Philip Dalton, a US military scientist and US Naval Reserve Pilot. It was portable and intuitive. “Really?”, I hear you say! In those days. slide rules were how mathematical and engineering calculations were performed. They were adopted by the US and UK military and soon made their way into civilian aviation too.

And in the 21st century?

In this digital age, virtually every PPL holder uses app’s on their smartphone for weather, navigation planning and maybe even for weight and balance. So is there an alternative to the whizz wheel in those pesky theory exams? Well yes there is.

An app (and there are many of them!) on a phone or tablet is not acceptable to the UK CAA– the concern here is that it is also a communication device and may hold other apps with which a candidate might cheat.

However, the UK CAA’s exam instructions state that a candidate may use: a “Scientific calculator, or a mechanical navigation slide rule (DR calculator), or an electronic flight computer”. Electronic flight computers were all the rage 20-30 years ago and Sporty’s E6B and ASA’s CX3 are still available, if you have £100 to £150 to spare.

Save your cash

Here’s the solution which several flying schools offer…. Buy Sportys E6B app for your phone and practice with that. It will cost under $10 on Android and a bit more if you insist on using an iPhone or iPad. For the real exam, borrow a Sporty’s E6B electronic computer from your friendly and helpful instructor. The user interface is well-nigh identical. Job done!

2025 edit –  the CAA have now decided that electronic flight computers , in any form, may NOT be used for theory exams. You may still use them in the skills test, but expect to be tested on how they work and alternative manual calculations!

PPL e-exams

Posted on March 3, 2021 by - General, News, Regulation, Test

The CAA introduced e-exams back in October. Full details can be found here: https://www.caa.co.uk/General-aviation/Pilot-licences/Training-organisations/PPL-e-exams/

What’s changed?

  • You now have to register as a customer on the CAA portal – it’s free and you will use this for other things later, like applying for your licence. The approval takes a few days as they check your details and submitted documents (e.g. proof of address).
  • You then have to request the e-exam service.
  • When this is approved, you must associate yourself with a Training Organisation (you can change this at any time)
  • Request the exam you want on the portal. Alternatively your ATO, instructor or exam invigilator may do this on your behalf.
  • You must take the exam at your chosen ATO. They will provide a computer on which to do the test, and you will be invigilated on a one to one basis whilst dong the exams.
  • You will get an almost-instant result for the exam by email. You will be told where there are deficiencies in your knowledge (referenced to the syllabus or learning objectives)  but you won’t be told which questions you got wrong.
  • There is more variety in questions – both in style or content – and a few new questions compared with the old paper exams. So more than ever, you need to ensure that you understand the subjects, don’t just learn for the purpose of passing the exam.
  • In particular there are scenario-based questions, which are used to test your ability to apply knowledge. Part of the art is to figure out what the underlying topic or question is, and to sift out the relevant info in the question from the potentially irrelevant.

What’s not changed?

  • The PPL theory syllabus is unchanged, and for convenience is published here https://www.caa.co.uk/General-aviation/Pilot-licences/Training-organisations/PPL-e-exams/
  • The exam software is clever enough to ensure that you get a reasonable mix of the different subject (so if you do AGK, you won’t get a test in which all the questions are on one topic e.g. instruments).
  • However, the syllabus does not help you figure out exactly what questions to expect.
  • You can still take the exam at any time convenient to you and your flying school.

Why have the CAA done this?

  • Arguably e-exams are the modern way to do things, and it mirrors what has already happened with CPL / ATPL exams.
  • The paper exams had been around several years, and some needed updating.
  • The exam questions are more secure and there is greater rigour in e.g. exam timing and marking.
  • The CAA say they will refresh a certain percentage of the questions each year – keeping the questions current, topical and relevant in case new safety issues or priorities emerge.
  • You get an immediate result

Navigating the PPL theory exams

Posted on February 27, 2021 by - General, Regulation, Test, Tips

What are the theory exams, when do I need to pass them and how can I go about learning? These are questions that most aspiring student PPL’s ask, sometime even before setting foot in an aeroplane.

The basics

  • There are 9 theory subjects, each with between 12 and 20 multiple choice questions.
  • You must pass all the exams in 18 months. The 18 months begins from the end of the month in which you took your first exam (pass or fail!) – e.g. if you took the exam on the 10th, you actually have 18 months + 20 days to pass the rest.
  • Your training organisation has to recommend you as ready for each exam.
  • You can take as many or as few exams in one go as you wish. You may have heard about the 6 sitting rule. Don’t worry – it has been abolished.
  • You can make 3 attempts per subject; a 4th attempt requires additional training and CAA approval.
  • In the unlikely event that you don’t pass all the exams within 18 months, you have to start all over again. Don’t let that happen!
  • You must pass all the theory exams before taking the PPL skills test.
  • Once you have passed all the theory exams, you have 24 months (from the date fo the last exam) to complete your training, pass the test and apply for your licence.

What are the subjects?

The 9 subjects are shown here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do I have to start the exams immediately?

  • I’d always recommend having a few practical lessons, and make sure that PPL flying is something you want to do, before investing time and money in theory studies.

Is there a preferred order for the subjects?

  • To some extent this can be governed by your own interests.
  • Most theory subjects will help your practical flying in some way and to varying degrees. For example, you will find that meteorology helps in figuring out whether your lesson will go ahead, and if it is suitable for cross-country flying. Navigation theory will help you plan your cross-country flights, although some students find that the theory makes more sense after the first few cross country flights.

  • There are links and overlaps between the different subject, between Air Law and Operational procedures, between FPP (Flight Performance and Planning) and elements of Navigation and Principles of Flight.
  • If studying more than one subject at a time, it makes sense to pair ne of the bigger, more challenging subjects with one of the easier or smaller ones.
  • Your training school will recommend what order to do things. Some require you to pass certain exams (for example Air Law, Human performance and Operational Procedures) before your first solo flight. And other exams before going solo cross-country (Navigation, Communication, Meteorology). The order shown below is a good approach.

How can I study for them?

  • The CAA don’t mind how you study, but bear in mind you will have to demonstrate readiness for test to your flying school – they may set you a mini-quiz for example, or examine the scores you have been getting in an online question bank.
  • Choose a method that suits your personal learning style and your own self-discipline (or lack of it). Options include
    1. Self study, from books or e-learning materials, testing yourself with an online question bank
    2. Self study, topped up with some one-to-one tuition from your instructor – perhaps focussing on the bits you ‘don’t get’ or would like to know more about
    3. Classroom ground school at your flying school, in a group or one to one. Traditionally these were face to face, but Zoom works just as well.
    4. Intensive one-to-one or small group ground school over a week or so – there are afew schools and individuals who offer this.
  • Do you have specific recommendations? Of course, please get in touch.

It sounds expensive, how can I economise?

  • Exams fees are about £50 each, so don’t waste money by failing a test because you’re not ready!
  • A set of books will cost around £100 to £150 and a set of practice paper books (highly recommended) are about £40. You could buy books second hand, but check that they are up to date editions.
  • Online learning materials and question banks typically cost £5 to £15 per subject per month. They are cost effective if you focus, learn quickly and over n to the next subject.
  • All inclusive intensive ground school for 9 subjects is of the order of £1000, whereas top-up instruction by the hour is about £30 per hour.
  • Clearly the most economical approach is self-study, perhaps augmented with focused top-up instruction.
  • With some e-learning, you might avoid buying any books, but many materials lack the detailed explanation you may need to understand a difficult subject.

Anything else?

  • An RT practical exam (the FRTOL exam) is also required. It is not one of the 9 subjects (though it des require a Pass in Communications theory). It does not have to be completed within the 18 months and can be done before or after the skills test (but you can’t apply for your licence until you have passed it).
  • We recommend that you pass the RT practical exam before your qualifying cross-country (QXC) flight.
  • I’ve heard that the exams are now Online? Yes, that’s correct. We’ll write more about that shortly.

And finally, remember – your aim should be to become a competent, safe and well informed pilot, it is not just about ticking the exam box.

Bad habits

Posted on August 27, 2019 by - Chat, Test, Tips

Back in the spring, I was doing Flight Examiner training with our CFI. One of the training exercises is to conduct an LPC (Licence Proficiency Check) on a lapsed pilot returning to flying. You know how some comedians are excellent mimics? Well our CFI can mimic the rusty or inept pilot to a T. She demonstrated more bad habits in 30 mins than I have seen in several years of biannual instruction flights. For example….

  • Poor RT – not using the full call-sign in initial calls, not following the conventional message structure, incorrect expression of numbers etc.
  • Being unaware of listening squawks. Listening squawks are a good way to avoid infringing.
  • Taxi-ing – not holding the controls fully back (which is the technique for most (but not all) aircraft); not performing the taxi checks
  • Take-off – insufficient rudder use, so not remaining centred on the runway during the take-off roll
  • Rudder – insufficient rudder in the climb (which causes a gradual turn and sub-optimal climb rate); Not using a squeeze of rudder in entry to and exit from turns, causing a momentary slip or skid.
  • Landing – landing flat with insufficient pitch up in the flare. This is a very bad habit which one day could lead to a bounce, collapsed nose leg and broken aeroplane.
  • Over-reliance on GPS navaids – poor PLOG and chart preparation and plotting. A great way to get lost when the GPS fails! 
  • Poor height-keeping on cross country flight – getting dangerously close tho the base of CAS  another way to infringe!
  • Getting off-track – and failing to use a recognised (and simple) technique to regain track promptly. Another way of getting lost, or infringing, or worse still at low level, running into an obstacle.
  • Lookout – poor lookout in turns – a well known cause of airproxes.
  • Steep turns – failing to add power to maintain speed and altitude. This could result in a stall / spin.

These are easy habits to get in to and they are things which an instructor will be looking for during a bi-annual instruction flight. But why wait for an instructor? It’s worth doing a little self-assessment and critique now and again (what happened there? why did I do that?), so that these things don’t happen when the safety margins are reduced by high work-load, distraction or poor weather.

Flight Examiner

Posted on March 7, 2019 by - Advanced training, General, IMC rating, News, Test

I am pleased to announce that I have passed the Assessment of Competence for the PPL Flight Examiner certificate. This means that I can now conduct LAPL(A) and PPL(A) skill tests, IMCR / IR(R) skill tests and LST / LPC tests for SEP rating issue / re-validation.