PPL Air Law

[james.nottingham.198]

Im am currently doing my air law and have failed it twice. I have only got paper 010/03 left. Has any one done this paper? and can anyone remember any questions off it?

[Gulf Julliet Papa]

try learning the subject not the questions. Air Law is a rubbish subject but from what you have said it sounds like your learning technique is wrong. Try something different.

[TheKentishFledgling]

I'd second that. Air law (as with all the other subjects) is something you have to learn, otherwise I don't think it would be on the syllabus. You could always fly dual for ever if you don't want to learn it?

And I did the exam three years ago, so I think the questions have probably changed a bit.

tKF
(Chicago Convention, 1944 - forever in my brain :hmm:)

[wokkaboy]

James,
The exams are there for a reason - i.e. not to catch you out or put you down, but to make sure that when you do fly you are aware of the rules and regulations of the air that keep others and yourself safe.
Personally I think that Air Law is one of the most important exams there is. Knowing which way to turn if an aircraft is heading straight for you, what various ground signals mean and setting your altimeter correctly are all vitally important. The knowledge gained could also save a) your life, b) someone else's life and c) a very expensive court case/fine.
GJP is right, get a good overview of each area covered by the subject as pretty much anything can crop up. There's no easy way about it and no likes doing it, just gotta get your head in those books! Try and get hold of 'The PPL Confuser' book, that should help.
Also, get your instructor to do some one-to-one sessions with you and go over the core areas of the subject. I'm guessing you haven't been solo yet, but when you do, your instructor won't be there to help you out.
Sorry to sound like a broken record, but there's a big difference between learning the answers and learning the subject.:ok:
WB

[proprpm]

Have you tried the PPL Confuser Book. They have a lot of questions (and answers). Which parts don't you understand?

[Happyeater]

Found the Confuser and 'Airquiz.com' really useful so far. Perhaps if you want a different way to understand the exams, get the Oxford CD rom from Transair. I used them to help on Met, Nav and now Aircraft Technical and found them to be really good.

[hedges81]

Actually, from what I can remember, whilst the questions in the confuser for the other subjects were similar to those in the exams, air law was the one exception. Try getting the Thom book if you have the Pratt one, and vice versa. Might give u a different perspective on the whole thing.

[Cricket23]

I'd certainly endorse what the others have said about learning the subject and not the answers. From your previous fails, is there an area in particular where you are weak? Your Instructor should be pleased to help.
I would also endorse what has been said about the Confuser being useful and from a different perspective also Air Quiz. Of course they both want the correct answer, but they approach things from slightly different angles, so it's a good application of your knowledge.
I learned my 'stuff' from the Thoms books and would also recommend doing the short quizzes at the end of each section. This then breaks the job down into bite size chunks, and will give you confidence as your knowledge increases.
...and yes, I'm afraid, there's no substitute for hard work.
Good luck, and let us know how you get on.
C23

[stocker]

Perhaps you should ask your instructor to take you to various airfields/airports so you can see a lot of the airlaw for yourself, for example a local gliding club followed by a visit to a busy international should give you a better understanding of all the funny lines and symbols that you will come accross,ask him/her to explain every sign and every movement you see on the field. Try to fly through different airspace types and let them explain the criteria for safe flight and the reasons for the regulations for that type of airspace. This may sound a bit extreme but you are embarking on a costly challenge and a couple of hours extra at this time and on this level will bring huge benefits later.
You obviously have a problem understanding the subject matter so why not make some of it fun and therefore easier to remember.

[Jools508]

I also failed air law twice but thankfully passed on my third attempt. I found the PPL confuser the most help.

[wsmempson]

I found the OAT cd-rom very helpful (I failed 1st time round). You can go through the tutorials and then take the mock exams over and over again until you get to a stage where you'll pass the real one. 90% consistantly in the mocks equated to 80% in the real exam).

The main problem with the air law multiple choice exam (Other than that 75% of the subject matter being very boring) is that you are very often confronted with 4 answers that look more or less the same.

The issue here is that hidden amongst the details of the history of the foundation of IACO in 1948 and other suchlike nonsense, there are some things that you really MUST know and will use for the rest of your flying life.

Good luck with the studying, as you don't want to fail a 3rd time; The CAA then get involved and it all becomes very messy......

[Dave Gittins]

I've passed Air Law three times, coz it kept going out of date. Oh to have been better heeled in my youth !!!

:{

[Oxeagle]

Just passed my Air Law exam on sunday first attempt! :) I don't know what learning style suits you best, but I spent 2 whole days just reading through the AFE Air Law book. I did the revision questions after each unit and only let myself move onto the next chapter if I scored 80% or more, otherwise I had to go back and re-read the unit and retake the tests until I got over 80%. Try it, it may work for you! Also, I find that I have to have a real interest in something to be able to revise for it. If you have the attitude 'oh this is boring, I don't need to know all this' then maybe flying isn't for you, as you DO need to know air law otherwise you could find yourself in some really bad situations.

[remitrom2004]

James
Probably like most people you are taking it early in your training so you can chase that illusive first solo opportunity? the problem I had was that I studied the Thom book for ages, doing notes, then notes on notes, and thought I'd be fine doing the exam, how wrong was I! I did manage to pass the paper, only just though, and scared myself in the process, are all of the exams going to be this difficult/confusing? Well, since then I've passed all of them with good marks, I think the law exam gives you a bit of knowledge on what to expect the rest of them to be like ie questioning style/two possible answers etc
The confuser is something I didnt use for study just to test myself, I figured the exams were there for a purpose ie to test your knowledge of the subject not your ability to remember the correct question/answer combinations.
However you have a good chance of passing your third attempt, I am assuming you didn't get 0% on two exams so you're getting some questions right? Sit down with the CFI at the school or whoever is marking the exams, get them to debrief you on all of the questions and answers including ones you got right (hey you might have guessed some of them, I did!), I've no doubt that after two attempts you'll see some very similar questions on the third paper. Study the thom book again, and once you've done this by all means have a go at the tests in the confuser if you've got one, but don't use it unless you understand the subject a bit more (and bear in mind some of the answers in the confuser are wrong which definitely confuses matters)
Once you've got the law exam out of the way you'll tweak your studying style for the others, I found it the hardest exam and although the rest aren't easy I'm sure you'll get through them.
Good Luck

[Flik Roll]

By law, you are not required to have completed the Air Law exam to go solo IIRC. I most certainly didn't and passed first time just through gaining experience and not from studying the book day in day out.

[Lister Noble]

By law, you are not required to have completed the Air Law exam to go solo IIRC. I most certainly didn't and passed first time just through gaining experience and not from studying the book day in day out.


No, but most schools seem to want this,mine did,so could it be linked with insurance requirements?
I'm there tomorow so out of interest will ask.
Lister:)

[Flik Roll]

No, but most schools seem to want this,mine did,so could it be linked with insurance requirements?
I'm there tomorow so out of interest will ask.
Lister:)

Yeh I thought (and often wondered) why it was compulsory in some schools....!

[Fuji Abound]

"The exams are there for a reason - i.e. not to catch you out or put you down"

That sounds to me like the pat answer to give.

Multiple choice questions went through a popularity phase but have in recent times be dropped by most examination boards (of what ever complexion).

Why? Multiple choice questions are not very good at demonstrating the candidate has a command of the subject because the method is prescriptive in the type of question that can be asked, is susceptible to rote learning and by definition is designed to give you choices that are ACTUALLY intended to confuse.

Why was it popular? The paper(s) are cheap to mark, not open to markers interpretation, and the result is instant.

All that said, I am not detracting from the need to learn the subject by whatever means best suites you. Just don’t kid yourself that this type of examination is a very good way of demonstrating that the candidate HAS learnt the subject or that the questions are not there to catch you out.

[bettsy]

Try signing up with www.airquiz.com (http://www.airquiz.com), it really helped me pass all my exams first time.

[modelman]

I have just started the air law and thought at first I would never get it ( see my earlier thread).Got some good advice:read the book through ( I am using the Jeremy Pratt PPL2 book).then pick off each section at a time,making notes and diagrams as you go ( really struggled to remember the signalling lights meanings but used flash cards with my kids until it sunk in).
I then started using the 'Confuser',but realising I still was not ready for this,(got 65% on first 40 questions)will put it away until I really think I can get a reasonable mark.

Airquiz is good,but avoid using it over and over again.I had a about 5 goes on the first day I got it .( all fails).You actually get an email from airquiz advising against continuous testing.

You need to study any questions very hard as you can give away silly marks by misunderstanding the sometimes convoluted wording.

Make sure you have a good studying environment,switch you mobile off-I find that just snatching a few moments in lunch breaks is no use at all.

Plan to pass with the highest possible mark-you will feel greater achievement.
Good luck

[Lister Noble]

I agree with last post.
Read the questions really thoroughly as they are sometimes quite misleading,then read them again,do the paper then go back and check all the questions and answers again.
I know this sounds overkill but I was amazed how many questions I got wrong because I didn't read/understand the exact question.
Good luck.
Lister:)