Originally Posted by
Rigga
I took my first CAA LWTR exam (A&C Turbine Helicopters) at Southall College of Technology in 1989 completing 150 vote-for-joe questions (with negative marking for incorrect answers) and four written questions. The pass mark was 75% (90% with negative marks)
Having passed that, I was called for my CAA interview at the old Heathrow office. The surveyor marched me down into a room in the cellar where I sat at a desk with a pencil and paper on it facing the surveyor, a blank wall and a tall, grey steel locker. The "interview" lasted 4 hours, with no rests, during which the guy literally went through a copy of the Section L for helicopters (which included supersonic intakes and exhausts) and I had to draw and calculate electrical circuits and draw control system diagrams to show my understanding of each subject as they were asked. On leaving the room I sheepishly asked how I'd done - "You'll do" he said. A heavy envelope landed in my hallway some 6 weeks later.
After that, I did another three CAA LWTRs and subsequent interviews - the last interview (Large Aircraft) being about 20 minutes (with a coffee) I am now a B1.1, B1.2 and B1.3 licensed QAM for parts 21J, 21G, M and 145. It is my job to make sure that the guys and galls we employ are "competent"...and I do.
I'm sure there was an, obviously, unwritten rule that the surveyors would make the initial issue of an LWTR as difficult as possible and for obvious reasons. Thereafter, progressively less so. I was asked, as were many others, to draw various diagrams from CAIP's which was "fun " and to complete circuits whilst explaining what the various components did. Interestingly, there was very little on AGS standards.
Ah, the infamous negative marking. ! I am intrigued however as to why, with your background, you didn't get a dispensation for " the vote for Joe " questions. There was mandatory Air Leg, four written and for me 60 of the latter. However, I'm also aware people of similar experience didn't get the dispensation for reasons that were never really made clear to them