The absurdity of the requirement for RAF pilots to take this silly exam was highlighted to me recently when I examined a particular pilot on exchnage duties who'd flown into our base for the sole purpose of doing this daft exam to gain the FRTOL he needed for his ATPL (A). He obtained 100% on the written exam (Qualified Service Pilots are exempt the 'practical'), then got back into his Tornado, joined airways and flew back to his base in Southern Germany. The fee? 3 bottles of Bitburger Pils.......