What is driving this is that the current paper based exam system is in such as state that UK exams are not being accepted by some EASA countries and they have to move to the new system to be compliant.
i was at the Kettering show today and it is clear that much work has taken place. The 6 sittings nonsense has gone, up to 4 attempts per exam. £10 to book each one, examiner fee on top.
The biggest downer is the only feedback is going to be the learning objective failed so unless the examiner actually sits there and notes what the questions are, feedback is little more than "better luck next time".
to reduce risk, it is the Aspeq system as used for ATPL exams but adapted for PPL. And still our little Micky mouse 12 question exam papers to follow the existing system. this reduces risk and there may then be an opportunity to do say one exam on core subjects like AL, MeT, HPL and Nav in one exam, and the rest specific to A or H as another, with maybe a standalone Comms exam. This would mean subsequent further change - what's the chances of that?
the team implementing it are taking a lot of feedback so it looks very positive. But I do predict a surge in those taking paper exams so that they don't get caught as Guinea pigs in June.