Reply I got from CASA after my complaint about the 94% failure rate of the new FP exam:
On behalf of the Director of Aviation Safety, thank you for your feedback.* The Director has asked me to respond to you.
*
To maintain the integrity and quality of the flight crew licensing system, CASA recently made minor adjustments to the numeric parameters of the ATPL flight planning examination.* In other words, the figures used in some of the questions have been changed, without changing the substance of the question.* For example, a question that included a wind speed of X knots now has the wind speed value set at Y knots.* The question is otherwise the same.
*
Such variations are consistent with real-world flight planning requirements. Airline pilots are expected to be competent in basic mathematics, as well as the principles and methods of planning a flight in an air transport environment. A well- prepared candidate who has thoroughly studied the training syllabi should possess the necessary skills and knowledge to pass the flight planning examination.
*
CASA has not substantively re-written any exam questions. *The syllabi, form of the questions, thread, context or narrative within the questions has not been changed.
*
Historically, flight planning has always demanded a high level of skill and knowledge in flight planning principles, as well as competence in technique. *These are the minimum competencies that CASA would expect from a pilot wishing to undertake the duties of an air transport pilot.
*
CASA is mindful of recent increases in ATPL exam failure rates, and is looking into the basis of that.
*
*