Knew things were heading this way.
I posted back in June that they were getting tough on the flight planning and general knowledge aspects and I was right. It is especially tough if you take the test at flight testing HQ in Bournemouth because they get bored with flying out the same place all the time so in typical CAA fashion they devise ways of increasing their interest levels and justifying the exam/test charges.
The examiner who "did me" asked for an explanation on take off and landing factors. Why lie eh? --> Most of us dump the knowledge straight after ATPL's so this question caught one rather off guard. No phone a friend either. Most of us just apply the factors but think not of why and how they are devised. Come to think of it: the ATPL's glossed over this rather important area but hey - let us not confuse JAA ATPL written exams with exams which actually examine us on pertinent information which might be of use during our impending flying careers......
The test is to certify us for flying
single pilot twin engined IFR which is at best taxing and at worse bloody dangerous and after passing that test we're cleared to fly off into milk in 30 year old aircraft on our own..... so it's kinda understandable that the authority should be authoritarian on the matter..... err.... cuz that's what authorities do ennit?
Shame they cannot sort out the waste of paper that is the ATPL writtens because that would save work for the flight test examiners eh....
VFE.