I got my first ticked in 1993 and the second in 1996. I can tell you that the CAA don't give them away with cornflake packet tops. The oral has always been seen as the survayor testing your knowlidge in the trade you are applying for, and also a survay of you the bloke (or blokess as the case may be)as fit and proper to hold a license. But the license is only the first hurdle. You then have to sit an approval board with the company who employ you before you can hold approvals, and in my case, I found the approval board more stressful than the CAA oral. One thing that I have noticed is that the CAA seem to fail more candidates at the oral stage now than I ever remember. Is this just bad luck on behalf of the candidates, or have the CAA tightened up the rules? I feel that at least one oral is necessary, just to make sure that the candidate is up to the job.