I'm not saying the exams have to be easy or easier per se.
I like the fact the FAA has a simpler, (relevant content) exam process but their oral exam system keeps you in check. Nothing more daunting than an examiner picking your brains at every turn for two hours before you even fly! Fail that oral exam and you don't even fly, and your test fee is gone!
Just be fair. Get rid of the extra stuff that isn't pertinent to pilots. Like why should we know all the ins and outs of an AOC management structure? If I want to start my own airline, surely there are aviation consultancy firms and aviation lawyers who specialise in that.
Air Law and Ops should be one exam, with condensed content.
Both Comms exams should be one.
Meteorology is a fascinating subject, but I'm not a meteorologist or scientist. I'm a pilot, so make it relevant to the reality of the day to day job where we take the raw weather information, interpret it and make the go no go decision. why do I need to know about every wind and weather system around the world? If I fly in a particular part of the world, I'll learn their met system. And if I only fly short haul out of Europe, why would the monsoons be of relevance to me?
Polar stereographic projections? When last did an Easyjet or Ryanair pilot fly over the poles to get to Malaga? Or when did a flight instructor need to use it to take his/her student from Biggin Hill to Shoreham?
I know its not impossible to do, but that doesn't make it right for the syllabus to stay the same when its clearly seriously flawed!
If they don't want get rid of all the extra nonsense, then atleast increase the sittings from 6 to 8 or 9 and the time from from 18 months to 2 years. That way people would have more time to learn the material and retain the knowledge. Isn't that what learning is about?
And I sincerely hope the quality control mechanism for overseeing these exam questions get overhauled too.
Its amazing how this profession can allow this to continue almost unchecked.
Last edited by VxVy; 18th Jan 2017 at 08:19.