Ground School Exam Questions & Question Banks

[paco]

High Wing - I too have my suspicions! Here's a paraphrase of what I found on the Coanda effect:

"The reason why air flows faster over the top of a wing, especially since the molecules don’t meet up with the ones they started with, is that it speeds up because the pressure is lower, and not the other way around - Bernoulli’s process may start things off, but something else must take over.

For example, the length of the path taken by air flowing over the top of the wing of a Cessna 172 is only about 1.5% greater than it is under the wing, so only about 2% of the needed lift at would be developed at 65 mph (indeed, 2% is the figure calculated by aircraft modellers as to the complete contribution to lift from Bernoulli). On those figures, it would appear that the minimum speed for this wing to develop enough lift to keep the 172 in the air is over 400 mph, or, looked at another way, the path length over the wing would have to increase by 50%. The thickness of the wing in that case would be almost the same as the chord length!

Assuming the Cessna weighs about 2300 lbs, and is moving at 140 mph with an angle of attack of 5 degrees, the vertical velocity of the air its wing deflects is about 11.5 mph. Taking half of that (from the lift formula), Newton's second law shows that the 172 in the cruise must shift about 5 tons of air (about five times its own weight), of air per second to keep flying. That means it must accelerate all the air within 18 feet of the top of the wing.

That’s a lot of air! What’s happening is that the air bending around the top of the wing is accelerating the air above it downwards, leaving a gap, or a lower pressure until the air pressure is equalised. This lower pressure will suck air from the front of the wing and shoot it down and back toward the trailing edge. It is therefore the top surface of the wing that is the critical part, and the magical force called “lift” is really the opposite of the downward trend of the air."


Phil

[effortless]

Higher density fuel = greater calorific value per cube = more power until density causes flowrate problems.

High wing v. low wing is interesting. You get greater gound effect from low wing. Does this affect unsticking?

[Aynayda Pizaqvick]

Think effortless has got the second one sorted.
Remember that calorific value is a measure of energy per unit of mass (usually in either kJ/g or kwh/kg if a recall correctly). You have the same volume of fuel (say 1000 litres) so in this example in decreasing the s.g. you would have 50 kgs less fuel (750 versus 800kg). This would have a similar effect with regards to fuel flow (less little burny things going to engine per minute) but obviously with much smaller figures = answer b, decreased performance (of the aircraft engine at least).
For the first question I would go with answer c.
As already pointed out the top wing produces more lift than the bottom. An aircraft with a high wing normally has an airfoil shape along the complete length of the upper wing so the ratio of lift producing top wing to bottom would be higher on a high wing aircraft than one with a low wing configuration.
I think the reasons for low wing airliners is partly to do with safety and evacuating large wide-bodied aircraft passengers out over the wings when ditching and the like.
Of course I am willing to be proved wrong!

[smith]

The decision to use a high wing/ low wing from PoF is due to dynamic and static stability as far as I can remember, I suppose lift does come into it too.

The notion that a high wing has an uninterupted upper surface I don't agree with because you need a pressure differential between upper and lower surface and there is no lower surface and as such no lift created in this area.

CMIIW

[High Wing Drifter]

Smith,

Personally I don't get the lift reasons and I fired off a question in Tech Log asking about the general notion of lift the way it is taught.

The reason the Cessna may have slightly more efficiency could be related to stability in the sense that because it uses less dihedral (wing angle up a bit pointing lift vector toward centre) than a low wing, because high wings are generally more laterally stable as the weight is slung beneath the centre of lift...I guess. :8 :confused:

[scroggs]

As always, the questions are simplified to the point of banality! There are so many considerations involved that a discussion of the real-life implications of the various options is pretty much a waste of time. These questons can really only be answered by reference to the source material that produced them, rather than by genuine knowledge of the subjects at hand.

I suspect that 172driver has probably got the 'right' answers, or at least those the examiner is looking for, but I'm not an expert or current in CAA-type examination technique.

Scroggs

[bolty_1000]

I did what sounds like the same entrance exam a year ago. I was stumped on this high/low/mid wing Q for ages and in the end plumped for the high wing option.
If its the LMU exam you are doing then it is the right answer!!

[LeFreak]

Hi,

ICAO states that VFR minima in class B airspace are 1000 ft vertical and 1500m horizontally from clouds and 5 km vis below 10000 ft or 8 km above 10000 ft

In some jar question banks they state, when asked aboud vfr minima in class B airspace, the correct answer as 5km vis below 10000 ft or 8km above 10000ft and clear of clouds ..

This clear of clouds part worries me, as i thought clear of clouds was only a factor in class F and G airspace, below 3000 ft amsl or 1000 ft agl whichever is higher ..

Anyone knows what the correct answer should be?? My guess is the JAR-ATPL exams follow ICAO regulations but i wouldn't be surprised if this is one of those differences between JAR and ICAO ..

thanx,

Jan

[the flyingenglishman]

Hello, hope this helps.

ICAO state, in chapter 4 of annex 2 (visual flight rules), that in class B airspace aircraft must remain clear of cloud at all times, regardless of altitude. As regards to the vis, it is correct that 8km above 10,000 feet is required and 5km below.

The only other time you are required to be 'clear of cloud' is in class F and G below 3000 feet amsl.

The answer for the 'feedback' is CLEAR OF CLOUD and 5 or 8km depending on altitude.

Regards.

[LeFreak]

thanx for the reply ..

where did you find the icao statement?? in my copy of annex 2 chapter 4 is only one page and i don't see it mentioned.

And according to feedback questions clear of clouds should be correct instead of 5 or 8 kms and 1500 m, 1000 ft .., so i should just go for that answer when asked on the exam?

thanks again,

Jan

[the flyingenglishman]

Table 4-1 of chapter 4, annex 2 holds the answer.

In the exam go with clear of cloud and 8km vis. above 10,000' or 5km below 10,000' depending on how they ask the question. :ok:

Good luck!

[LeFreak]

Hi all,

tomorrow i'm doing performance, planning and m&b jar-atpl exams ..

getting closer to this date, fear, anxiety and nervosity are increasing :rolleyes: so i'm starting to get some doubts on something:


is it correct, that with increasing pressure altitude Vmca decreases (because the thrust on remaining engine decreases and thus the moment decreases)? In the feedback questions i have, they state vmca increases with increasing pressure altitude as being the correct answer ..

anyone could enlighten me on this one?

thanx!

Jan

[-IBLB-]

With increasing altitude, Vmca decreases on aircraft with non-supercharged reciprocating engines. The feedback you have, is wrong.

[Wannabe24]

I want to purchase a subscription to a website offering questions from the JAA question bank. I've been looking at Avationexam.com and aerosolutions.be. Anyone have experience of either? and would you recommend either? I'm aware of the Bristol bank too but it doesn't look as comprehensive as the other two. Thanks

[geordiejet]

Hey I haven't used those two, but I would recommoend bristol.gs, it is around Euro 70,- for three months access. I am currently using it, and I think it is excellent.

[learboys]

Hi there
Well firstly Im doing my ALTP distance learning. I can only tell you that the Bristol bank is excellent 10/10, I used it and managed to pass all my subjects in the last Jan sitting. Lowest mark 88% and even managed a 100%. They resemble the real thing, and it gives you an indication of what they will ask. However I remind you that CAA is aware of the banks and they do change the question wording and figures, to catch you out, so you have to know your work well. Dont just learn them off by heart you will surely fail, understand the question they are asking. I used the questions as well as crandfieldaviations web base and used google for alot of the explainations as alot of these questions arent really in your notes. I'm sure your training school has some sort of training base. What I noticed in the exams some questions have been worded negatively as where the answer previously was a positive answer is now a negative answer, so you really have to read the question. eg what will cause hypoxia(web base question), what will not cause hypoxia(CAA question). Some questions just dont make sense, there are no right answers and you have to then look for the most correct or closest to correct answer.

This is where they will catch you out if you dont know your work.
Good luck:)

[bolty_1000]

Im at one of the other ground schools and suplement my study with Bistol. Sat Radio Nav today......it was like they picked the questions right out of the Bristol Database! Worth its weight in gold!!!

[Kanu]

If you suffer radio failure whilst in receipt of radar vectors what would be your course of action (or words to that effect)?


There are 2 possible answers to this question depending on what CD / online question bank you use.

Possible answer 1.

Squawk 7600 and maintain last known heading for 3 mins then resume flight planned route.

Possible answer 2

Squawk 7600 and proceed back onto flight planned route in the most direct manner.


What do you go for if both the above answers were given?

[powdermonkey]

Bristol QBank:
A departing aircraft experiencing radio communication failure on an IFR flight under radar vectors has to:
Squawk 7600 and proceed back onto flight planned route in the most direct manner.

Hi, got this last month, answered as per the Bristol qbank and got 100%, so me thinks option 2 is the correct one.:ok:

[AreYouForReal]

If you suffer radio failure whilst in receipt of radar vectors what would be your course of action (or words to that effect)?


There are 2 possible answers to this question depending on what CD / online question bank you use.

Possible answer 1.

Squawk 7600 and maintain last known heading for 3 mins then resume flight planned route.

Possible answer 2

Squawk 7600 and proceed back onto flight planned route in the most direct manner.


What do you go for if both the above answers were given?

With reference to that, if you are being given radar vecters, ATC are keeping you clear of everything, including terain, therefore, if u loose radio contact while being vectered, you have no idea if within the next 3 seconds ATC were going to tell you to turn left to avoid the mountain. In this instance you would fly directly to your flightplan as you know u have MSA.
If you werent being vectered, then carry along the same track for 3 mins, to indicate to ATC that you have failure.

I hope this has answered your question.

P.S. I now hold the new record for the shortest coms exam. VFR was 3:30, and ifr was 4:25........Good luck to anyone trying to beat it.:p

[richc]

Pretty sure it's answer no. 1 (had a question in my IR 170a that related to radar vectors and loss of comms...).
Happy to stand corrected but faily sure I read this in a CAA publication recently.
Happy Landings
RichC

[mbcxharm]

Answer 2 is correct in general, since it is the ICAO standard. Answer 1 is the UK's published difference to the ICAO standard and applies in the UK. Most states also have subtle differences published.

[High Wing Drifter]

P.S. I now hold the new record for the shortest coms exam. VFR was 3:30, and ifr was 4:25........Good luck to anyone trying to beat it.
I took the whole time allowed and was last out in VFR comms and last with one other in IFR comms. I bet nobody can beat that.

[Yahweh]

Answer 1 is the correct one. Happened to me a couple of months back.

[RVR800]

Well thats about 50% for 1 and 50% for 2

What do these questions actually achieve........:confused:

Apart from making revenue for the CAA et al....

Encourages one to just learn the question bank like a parrot....

[Kanu]

True but the OAT cd claims 1 is the correct answer, and bristol online claims 2 is the correct answer.

Does beg the question of why we're still being asked this when two schools can't agree..:rolleyes:

[critical winge]

Ok guys (&girls), so you are going to maintain the last assigned heading for 3 mins and crash into a hill?

Gotta be 1 also
Should an aircraft communications failure occur while the aircraft is being vectored on one of these approaches, separately or as part of a STAR, the pilot is expected to comply with the communications failure procedure by selecting the transponder to Mode A/3 Code 7600 immediately. Pilots should always be aware of the traffic situation. For example, ATC may have indicated that your aircraft was second for an approach to Runway 06L; under these circumstances, the flight should be continued along the route that normally would have been expected under radar vectoring. In some cases of communications failure, pilots may need to dead reckon, or DR, a route to the final approach course. It is important to other aircraft and ATC for the aircraft experiencing a communications failure to continue the flight along a route that would permit the aircraft to conduct a straight-in approach and landing without unexpected manœuvring. Pilots are expected to exercise good judgment in these cases. Unexpected manœuvres, such as turns away from the final approach course, may cause traffic disruptions and conflicts.
If the communications failure occurs while being vectored at a radar vectoring altitude that is lower than a published IFR altitude (e.g., minimum sector altitude 25 NM), the pilot shall immediately climb to and maintain the appropriate minimum IFR altitude until arrival at a fix associated with the instrument procedure.
Modern technology has introduced new on-board communications capabilities, such as airborne telephone communications. Pilots who are confronted with an aircraft communications failure may, if circumstances permit, use this new on-board technology to establish communications with the appropriate ATC units. NAV CANADA publishes the phone numbers of ACCs, control towers, and FSS units in the CFS.
RAC - 6.0 INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) – GENERAL

http://www.tc.gc.ca/CivilAviation/publications/tp14371/RAC/6-1.htm#6-3-2


GO FOR 2 OR LOSE A MARK, THINK LOGICALLY FOLKS!!

also, remember 3 mins at jet speed of 210 kts (slow and clean ie no flap etc) or 3.5nmls / min = 10 miles or well on your way to being out of the Min Safety Area altitude.....Its obvious its 2, anyone going for 1 needs to redo their license.

BTW, only been doing it for over 20 yrs, so thats my cred on the answer!!

[Abu Bebo]

UK AIP ENR sec 3.2.4.1 states:A flight experiencing communication failure in IMC shall:
...









(c) (i) If being radar vectored, or proceeding offset according to RNAV, without a specified limit, continue in accordance with
ATC instructions last acknowledged for 3 minutes only and then proceed in the most direct manner possible to rejoin
the current flight planned route. Pilots should ensure that they remain at, or above, the minimum safe altitude.
(ii) If being radar vectored by an Approach Control Radar Unit (callsign DIRECTOR/RADAR/APPROACH), comply with the
loss of communications procedures notified on the appropriate Radar Vectoring Chart as detailed in the AD 2 section of
the UK AIP.









At Humberside airport, for example:
LOSS OF COMMUNICATION PROCEDURES





Initial Approach









Continue visually or by means of an appropriate final approach aid. If not possible proceed at 3000FT, or last assigned level if higher, to KIM NDB†.






Intermediate and Final Approach






Continue visually or by means of an appropriate final approach aid. If not possible follow the Missed Approach Procedure to KIM NDB†.
† In all cases where the aircraft returns to the holding facility the procedure to be adopted is the basic Radio Failure Procedure detailed at ENR 1.1.3









You may keep a copy of your pink pages to hand in your en-route planner, along with the radar vectoring area chart, but if you are in IMC getting the :mad: knocked out of you and you suffer a comms failure, you might not want to be digging around for such reference material. Its important to commit these emergency procedures to memory for when you really need them.

critical winge - its not very useful posting quotes from a Canadian publication when the originator of the thread is UK; just think logically about it :=

[bfato]

Ah, yes, if the UK CAA had set the questions then the UK AIP would indeed be the correct reference. However the questions come from the JAA question bank and my understanding is that ICAO rules are being examined, and not any national deviations.

As a Bristol student, I dutifully answered "Squawk 7600 and thereafter return to the route indicated in the current flight plan in the most direct manner."

The results are out next week...

[despegue]

Well people,

Isn't it so that there is the division between IMC and VMC?!?!

Been awhile, but I do remember that when in VMC it doesn't matter if you are VFR or IFR: continue VMC, land at the nearest suitable airport.
Bit unlogical in an airline environment, but is this not theoretically the rule?

[mbcxharm]

bfato,

I think you'll be alright with that answer, since the ATPL exams tend to test the ICAO standard rather than any state's published differences from the standard. A bit tight having the UK's specific difference to ICAO's standard as one of the options though!

despegue,

Yes, that is true, although this is not the point the exam question is testing (and it wasn't one of the options the original poster put forward).

[LeFreak]

Hi everyone,

in the feedback questions i have, following question is asked twice:

During an automatic landing, from a height of about 50 ft the:

a) glideslope mode is disconnected and the airplane continues its descent until landing

b) autopilot maintains a vertical speed depending on the radio altimeter height

c) autopilot maintains an angle of attack depending on the radio altimeter height

d) Loc and Glideslope modes are disconnected and the airplane carries on its descent until landing

In one instance the correct response is stated as b, in another instance the correct answer is stated as c .. does anyone knows what the correct answer to this question should be?

thanx!

Jan

[celtflyer]

Id go for C.
The Airbus Autopilot notes the AOA at 50ft and then begins to reduce AOA at 2degrees per second over an 8 second period. This is just a trend though as touchdown would have occurred in this timescale.

Not sure about boeing, but it would have the equivalent of flare mode also so to acquire the proper pitch on landing. But the time taken in the last 50ft and with little change of AOA the VS would change very little but none the less I guess it is arrested to some point so again I reckon C matches.

[High Wing Drifter]

Hmmm, to me the key event at 50' is that the autopilot no longer uses the Glideslope and manages the descent rate through the flare. I would go for A.

B and C seem wrong because the rate of descent is constant from 50' till touchdown so it isn't to do with the rad height from that point.

D is wrong because, I think, the LOC guidance remains.

Sorry for potentially confusing the issue.

[Dick Whittingham]

So far as I recall - which is not very far - at 45 to 50 feet radalt the autopilot drops the glideslope and in FLARE holds rate of descent at 2 feet/sec. Not all the way down, however, for at 5 feet radalt ROLLOUT is engaged and the nose progressively lowered. The question seems a bit oddly set. None of the answers are completely true. Which QB is it from?

Dick W

[LeFreak]

thanx for the replies so far .. the cqb i have is one that is used at our school .. the questions it contains are similar to the italian feedback questions and presumably also the bristol ones .. it does however have some mistakes in it but in a way that keeps you from putting all your money on the questions alone :}

i tried to find an anwser to this question in the oxford books but i can't seem to find a fitting solution ..

Jan

[BigGrecian]

I'm think the answer is B try posting on the JALS forum http://www.jals.co.uk/forum
its probably better suited to this kind of question.

[LeFreak]

just got back from the exam and all went well .. two of my colleagues did get this question, so it is for sure in the belgian CAA atpl questionbank .. still no idea what the correct answer should be ..

[Dick Whittingham]

Nice to hear it went well for you. In what claims to be the old Italian QB the question exists with the answer given as your b.

Dick W

[Piltdown Man]

A Fokker 100 uses the RadAlt to control its rate of decent onto the runway. Therefore, for that type, B would be correct answer.

[bolty_1000]

just done the exam.....answer is B

[LeFreak]

it won't make any difference for me anymore but thank you for confirming the answer .. always good to know and i hope it will be of some help for those coming after us ..

Jan

[jimbo jet set]

b is DEFINITELY correct. The autopilot maintains a constant rate of descent until touchdown referenced to the rad alt height. From memory I think the max ROD is 1.3 m/s. The reason for this is that the G/S signal becomes unreliable at heights this low- basically the same principle as the 'flutter zone 'overhead a VOR.

Enjoy

jimbo:ok:

[bfato]

The results are out. Can confirm that the examiner was indeed looking for answer 2, unless the question was appealed and the mark credited regardless.

[Dude~]

go for C. The Airbus Autopilot notes the AOA at 50ft and then begins to reduce AOA at 2degrees per second over an 8 second period.

Are you sure Celtflyer? Sounds bit odd to me. If AoA is 'reduced' at 50 ft, lift will decrease so rate of descent will increase leading to a bumpy landing...

Most of my landings are achieved by 'increasing' AoA at this point, thus reducing rate of descent to a minimum and thus a smooth touchdown.

Did you mean 'begins to 'increase' AOA at 2degrees per second'...?

[DTTogaLI]

A piece of the airplane fails while still parked. The reference document you use to decide the procedure to follow is: minimum equipement list

A piece of the airplane fails while taxiing.The reference document you use in the first place to decide the procedure to follow is:operations manual chapter Abnormal and emergency procedures

Following an indications of unserviceability while taxi to the holding point, what you consult first? minimum equipement list

Isn´t someting wrong? Could someone tell me why the difference in procedures between parked and taxiing? tnx

[BEagle]

No doubt someone will post the official eurocratic answer, but ask yourself what you would do if, say, you had an APU fire warning whilst taxying? Would you mess around trying to find out whether you could accept no APU for flight by looking in the MEL? Or would you first follow the Abnormal/Emergency checklist for APU fire?

[degothia]

Hello!
I need help with a question in Principles of Flight

"Full span Kreuger flaps will.......... lateral stability?
A) Improve
B) Incerase
C) Increase or decrease depending on speed
D) Not affect"
The corect answer is C) acording to the test but I have dificulties finding an explenation in my Oxford/Jeppesen book. Any sugestions on where I can read about this and other ATPL related subjects would be much apreciated. (Or just make it easy on me and give me the staight up cus Im very tierd right now...:O )
Thanks
D.

[Dick Whittingham]

Strange question! No trace of this in any feedback I have seen.

Normally Kreuger flaps are mounted on the root section of swept wings, where their function is to 1. increase lift and then 2. stall the root before the tips to check the normal tendency of swept wings to go nose up at the stall.

Any experts out there?

Dick W

[tinmouse]

I notice that the Bristol question bank for Principles of Flight has new questions in it.
Also when I did the last set of exams in February, they had totally changed the questions in the question bank for Flight Planning, and Human Performance, and Law! None, or very few of the questions, where recognised from feed back in the exam. All new questions! Has anyone any information on this, and where to get the latest feed back?
Cheers

[ColeTrickle]

A good start on this is reading the Feedback section in Bristol's JALS Forum. The students there give feedback of the exams quite regulary, sometimes even with (remembered) wording of the new questions.

Just look for post like "February Feedback"...

[Send Clowns]

If you care, or even notice, then you are going about this in the wrong way! Feedback is a way of practicing applyintg your knowledge to questions of the form you are likely to encounter, not a way of passing the exam by learning what questions are going to come up. It seems that tinmouuse might ahve inadvertanly come across the reason why!

[ColeTrickle]

I've passed my ATPL written for quite some time now ;-) , but I can still remember (besides learning all the relevant stuff) reading feedback being an importand part preparing for it.

The JAA ATPL written suffers from (sometimes) stupid questions, bad or weak wording and inconsistency. Reading feedback help's a lot.

As a pilot I like to prepare (a least trying to) using ANY available ressource, preparing for ANY circumstance, so why doing different when preparing for the written?

Have Fun

Cole

[hixton]

Agreed.
Some of the questions have the wrong answers chosen by the CAA:

In order to produce an alternating voltage of 400 Hz, the number of pairs of poles required in an AC generator running at 6000 rpm is:

(a) 24
(b) 8
(c) 12
(d) 4

Choose the correct answer and you loose the mark!

CAA answer (d)

Feedback is a must if you ask me.

[Send Clowns]

hixton

Errrrrmmmm ... and the correct answer is (d)!

Watch out though for a question asking for the number of poles, because of course that would be 8 - the sort of trick you will get used to by using feedback, but you don't need to have seen every question!

Send Clowns
(former ATPL electrics instructor)

[hixton]

Ha ha, you see, I even screwed up typing it out!
The question does actually say number of poles, but obviously means pole pairs as the answer is 4

[tinmouse]

I’ve done ten of these exams already now, and most people are aware of the way the CAA ask the questions, which are in misleading English (Word games) – feed back is essential if your going to spot this! It is most frustrating to see a question, and it appears there is no wrong answer, or your chosen answer is wrong, but you know your subject! I could find a great deal answers to questions given by the CAA, that would not be accepted in written form! (Old CAA exams for example). Most of the answers appear abstract to the question. If the CAA wrote the questions properly, the issue with feed back would not be with us.

I do understand that you cannot “learn” all the answers!
If you can answer all the feed back, and work everything out, and understand why you got the answer you have, whats the problem.

I don’t really want to go into the morals of studying through feed back anymore, please! (I’ve got Nav coming up!)

Send Clowns, I got 91 in Law, 87 HPL, FP and Performance not done yet. It appears I'm not going about it the wrong way.
Please don't jump to conclusions! I'm in a ratty mood this afternoon. :)

With regards to my original question….”I notice that the Bristol question bank for Principles of Flight has new questions in it.
Also when I did the last set of exams in February, they had totally changed the questions in the question bank for Flight Planning, and Human Performance, and Law! None, or very few of the questions, where recognised from feed back in the exam. All new questions! Has anyone any information on this, and where to get the latest feed back”?


Thanks for all your reply’s!

Cheers :)
Tinmouse.

[ItsAjob]

Go with Bristols feedback - 5 star!
Its alright the ground instuctors saying learn the subject inside out, its easy for them going over the same material year after year, sure it sinks in real good.
The amount of junk you have to try and store in your head over say 5 - 6 months is unreal especially if its all new to you.
Choose which ever method works best for you.

[Send Clowns]

tinmouse

I have given private tuition to numerous students who have failed exams (mostly Gen Nav, as that was my subject). I can assure you that unless you have phenomenal memory then if you are concentrating on the feedback to the extent that you notice each question that is "new" then you are going about it in the wrong way! Plenty of people will pass this way, but I am certain that whichever school you went to it is not the way your instructors have been trying to teach you* and you are not making efficient use of the time.

Other students have failed by this attitude. I have seen at least one from a school that shall remain nameless (but was once upon a time guilty of using feedback quality to attract students, thus encouraging this obsession) who admitted failing Nav 3 times because of concentrating too much on feedback. He passed after being taken through the basics of the subject so he understood what he was doing, and was not just mechanically going through the motions of "another question of type x(1)" followed by "another z(2)". Other less extreme cases passed easily when I took them through the basics, using feedback only to discover weak areas and test knowledge.

Feedback has its place, but if you know it that well and care enough that there are new questions to post here then I strongly suspect you have put the cart before the horse. Why should new questions matter at all?

*With the probable exception of certain specific and limited areas of pointless knowledge.

ItsAjob

Not only was I an instructor but before that I also learnt the whole lot in 6 months, back in 2000 when the feedback just wasn't available, alongside dozens of others.

It was more difficult then, but mostly because the CAA had not corrected the wording of the questions (I agree that some are still poor) and the instructors were still learning what they needed to concentrate on. Lack of feedback played a part, not least in making those two issues worse, but the inability to just go trawling through past questions was a postive point for most subjects.

[tinmouse]

Send Clowns.

No disrespect, but the only way to practice what you know (read in the book, and by tutor), is going through the feed back, the more I go through the feed back (Any feed back), the more I come across something I don’t understand - then the more I can identify any week spots in my knowledge! And I think this is a prudent way forward for this type of exam.

This is not learning off all the answers. I do not try to memorise the answers.

New questions matter because of the way they are worded by the CAA. I don’t see why after all my hard work (with trying to understand the subject) I should have to play word games with pigeon English!

I hope, that in the real aviation world, if ATC want me to put the A/C somewhere in order to get distance from another, - they don’t play word games with me.

I hope this puts us on the same page Send Clowns. If not, then in a world with no feed back, – how would I proceed to practice for these exams?

[mikegaff]

seen the web site you suggested looks good,there is a few prices there which one would you recommend?:ok:

[Send Clowns]

I am not saying you shouldn't use feedback. In fact I said the opposite. However I still think you are concentrating too much on it.

[BestAviation]

I am not saying you shouldn't use feedback. In fact I said the opposite. However I still think you are concentrating too much on it.

Let them carry on with the ”feedback only” thinking. Less people to compete with on future airline interviews ;)

OK – So I spent some sleepless hard nights the week of examination studying feedback….and passed with over 92% average (brag brag), but if I didn’t have somewhat of a clue beforehand….I don’t think it would have gone that well. I’d probably pass, but then what’s the point if you come of as a complete idiot on your airline interview?!

Try to learn this stuff the hard way and then reference feedback to learn the tricks of the JAA/CAA. Unfortunately too many questions seem like they want to catch you out rather then test your actual knowledge of the topic.

[ask26]

Hi there, I have 4 that I was wondering if people could help with:

1) An aircraft with a high Design Limit Load Factor allows a manufacturer to design for a smaller stick force/g
=== True or False

2) The stick force/g is a limit in use of an aircraft; the pilot can check this out in the flight manual.
=== True or False

3) Where is the discontinuity plane in a normal shockwave?
=== Normal to the surface
=== Normal to the relative airflow

4) Does a bow wave form at M=1.0 or just above Mach 1.0

[Grass strip basher]

Not sure on the first two but think the answers to the third one is normal to the airflow and the last one is just above mach 1 (according to answers to feedback questions I have done)... but I have been known to be wrong.... good luck tomorrow by the way

[A320sRcool]

Looking at my feedback questions
An AC with 10 seats how many extinguishers
Answer in data bank was one in cockpit 3 in cabin- is this wrong>??

[Alex Whittingham]

It's a typo from an old version of the CQB. It should have read `100 seats'.

[Cron]

I would be most grateful for suggestions as to the missing bits in this Question. (That's if there are any). Either way it's beyond me. Thank you in advance.


A ground feature was observed on a relative bearing of 325 degrees. The aircraft heading was 165 M Variation 25 (W) and GS 360kt. When relative bearing was 280, the distance and true bearing of the aircraft from the feature was:
a)..
b)..
c)..
d) Answer is 30 NM & 240 degrees:

[Blinkz]

It looks complete to me, you have everything you need to draw a diagram of the situation and then just use triangles to work out the distance and QTE.

-edit- actually no, you need a time between the two bearings to use with the GS to see how far you've gone.

[Sky Wave]

Have to confess to looking at my BGS notes.

I reckon B, Between 95 and 125kts. Looking at the Power versus TAS graph Vy is the speed where there is maximum excess of thrust available. (Power Available over Power Required).

Does this differ from Oxford notes?

[Dick Whittingham]

In much of what is taught on this and related subjects we rely on some simplified assumptions and basic examples of graphs of, for example, power delivered by jet engines versus speed.

This example is not one of them. The best rate of climb speed for a prop aircraft depends to a great degree on the shape of the power curves plotted, and there is no accepted definitive curve to rely on. Therefore we say that the best prop rate of climb speed is low, somewhere near Vimd.

On that basis, answer B looks right. You can't say that the ROC speed is EXACTLY 125kt, and it is certainly not anywhere near 95kt

Dick W

[pugzi]

Dick is right,
General accepted teaching theory for the JAA is:
For a prop:-
Vmp is Vx (best climb angle speed), Best En-route Endurance speed, Min ROD speed.

Vmd is Vy (best ROC speed), Best En-route Range speed, Min angle of descent (best glide range).

Pugs

[mafoo]

Hi All :)

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, so apologise now if it isn't.

Have come across 2 questions today and wont get the answers confirmed for a couple of days so was wondering if anyone could tell me what they think the answers might be. Ill go hunting to get my answers as well.

Q1: An aircraft with QNH of 1010hPa set overflies a hill, elevation 1650ft, where the actual QNH is 998hPa. If the altimeter reading is 2500ft the aircraft will clear the hill by:- (assume 1hPa = 30ft).

a) 2010ft
b) 1340ft
c) 490ft
d) 850ft

Q2: An air mass is said to be absolutely unstable when the lapse rate within it:-

a) is less than DALR
b) is greater than DALR
c) lies between SALR and DALR
d) is less than SALR

Will get my answers back and post again in a minute :) Cheers for any help :)

M

[Canada Goose]

well I think the answers are

1. c
2. b

Cheers,
CG

[IMC007]

I agree with Canada Goose

1. C
2. B

[mafoo]

I have one last one :) Cheers for answering, its much appreciated.

1. The diurnal variation in surface air temperature is minimized when:-

a) OVC and windy conditions exist
b) OVC and no wind exists
c) Clear skies and strong winds exist
d) Clear skies and no wind exists

[Canada Goose]

again ........ I think

1. a

Cheers,
CG
:8

[helicopter-redeye]

Using the 'elimination' method you can loose the answers with 'clear skies' as these are big diurnal range conditions.

If it is windy as well you get some mixing at the surface so less chance for outbound insolation.

[howflytrg]

Answer to one is C 490 ft.

1010-998 = 12mb x 30 =360ft.
2500-360=2140 ft.
2140-1650 = 490ft clearence.

remember HIGH TO LOW LOOK OUT BELOW!

[mafoo]

Helicopter-redeye... Would you agree with "a) OVC and windy conditions exist" as the answer to that question?

[airmiles]

Can anyone please help with this altimetry question. I thought I had the correct fomula but I cannot seem to get the correct answer. Here is the question. Please give me the working out. Thanks
Given an indicated altitude of 10,000ft and an actual OAT of -20C, you set your altimeter setting to a local station setting of 29.62. If the station elevation is 2500ft what is your actual altitude?
Answer a) 9250ft b) 9550ft c) 9850ft
Cheers,
Airmiles :ok:

[Con-Trail]

First advise: always draw the question.

I got close to B... but I had to convert into hPa

ISA deviation is -15 C which is 600ft lower than indicated altitude.
But your altimeter setting is increasing the true altitude...

Might be completely off though...

C-T

[airmiles]

That is the right answer, but can you show me the formula you use? I thought I had the correct formula but obviously I don't.

Thanks,
Airmiles.

[dlav]

The trick to altimetry is always draw a diagram, and get as much practice as possible, doing questions over and over again.

The formula to use is 4 x (ISA dev) x per 1000ft.

Try that and remember to work out if your adding or subtracting the difference.

High to low, look out below etc etc.

dlav :ok:

[FlyingSpanner]

Someone has emailed me the general questions the examiners should use for the 170A oral test on the day.

The first one on the list is: "Why is there 2 altimeters in the aircraft?" now if this was an IR exam that is fair enough, but since I am heading off for a CPL test it is surely not relavent as the CPL is a VFR flight and as such the aircraft is not required to have 2 altimeters......

Any info would be appreciated, if anyone knows!!! :}

Flying Spanner :ok:

[buggingout]

there's a whole list of questions that may be asked for both CPL & IR and this is one of them......obviously not as relevant for CPL but not completely silly

have a look at appendix 3: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/SRG_FCL_06_A.PDF (this is probably what you have been sent)

..and note question inaccuracies such as the words headings not tracks etc.

if nothing else just best to answer the question if it's asked so you "give a good impression"....

(answers include "redundancy / set QFE on one leave other on QNH etc. / cross-check for errors)

good luck with the test

[Jinkster]

Best rule of thumb - two of everything in case it fails!!

2 pilots in an airliner - just in case one fails!!

[Spelunker]

I have two questions that I have trouble figuring out:

During an autoland the electrical system is automatically configured to provide the triple redundant power sources necessary for the three autopilots.
Does this mean that there will be a total of 3 seperate electrical power sources to the autopilots i.e. each autopilot has one individual AC supply, OR
each autopilot has an AC and DC supply to it (in effect a total of 6 power sources)??

I have two books that sort of contradict each other. One says that the C AP receives its power source during an autoland from the standby AC & DC buses (so C AP has 2 power supplies). Whereas another book says that it receives it from the hot battery bus via an inverter(C has only an AC supply).
SO.... during an autoland there are 3 independent power sources for the three autopilots but does it mean that
a) 3 power sources; each AP has 1 AC supply
b) 4 power sources; L AP = AC, C AP = DC & AC, R AP has AC
c) 6 power sources; each AP has AC and DC supply

2nd Question

Which of the follwoing is not an input into the autopilot?
a) IRS
b) altitude barometer
c) rate gyro
d) yaw damper couplers

Personally i think it is D, but doesnt the Air Data COmputer provide the AP with the altitude info?, this sort of makes answer B wrong?

Your help is greatly appreciated
Thanks,
Spelunker

[Cron]

Would appreciate any help with a definition of 'Useful Load', here is the related Q:

Q. The term 'useful load' as applied to a light aircraft includes:
a. Traffic Load and usable fuel only.
b. Revenue portion of load plus usable fuel
c. Pilot(s), operating items, pax, baggage, cargo and usable fuel.
d. Revenue portion of the load only.

Thank you for your help.

[Alex Whittingham]

This is one of a short series of questions in the current CQB with answers that incorrectly suggest the useful load includes 'operational items' and I think the given answer to this is (c). The UK CAA agree with us that the marked correct answer is wrong & have corrected the UK exams so that (a) is correct. They have also advised the JAA 'experts' of their error. Does that help?

[cott9]

I was just practicing air law papers and I got a couple of those questions about the combinations of letters that are not permitted to appear in an aircraft registration. Like PAN and XXX.

Does anybody know if there is a definitive list of these, I have searched all over the place without any luck, so I thought maybe somebody on here might know.

Cheers in advance.

[asuweb]

Not sure about a definitive list but the following are not permitted:

SOS
PAN
XXX
TTT

also, any combinations starting with a "Q" implying a "Q" code. 5 letter combinations used in the international code of signals are also not permitted.

Hope this helps,

[K1PILOT]

:rolleyes: Hello guys, can anyone pls advise me how and where to buy a JAA ATPL question books with answers? There are some web sites giving an online entry but I am looking for a paper copy question bank, if it is available.I would appreciate any help.
Thanks :))

[sega]

www.aviationexam.com

[Mercenary Pilot]

You could use the Bristol or CATS online Q-Bank (which are printable I believe)or just buy one for £10 from a very popular online auction site.;)

[paco]

A paper copy would be over 900 pages - I know - I'm writing one! Just go to ebay!

phil

[Jimmy The Big Greek]

Just wondering how good reseblence does Bristol question bank give you.

I guess that they change some numbers but can the CAA do major changes of a question in the JAA question bank?

Is it ok to just use the question bank for the airlaw with the separation questions or is it possible that there are going to be "traps" set out by the CAA.

[potkettleblack]

Speaking from experience as having used the Bristol database over the past six months I can tell you that they don't change numbers at all. In fact most of the questions were word for word in my last batch of exams which included air law, instruments and airframes and systems. Have the last couple next week so I will let you know if its still a similar theme.

[littco]

I would have to say for the exams I have sat, 95% of them are identical, the only differences I noted where that the wrong answers to the questions can be different but the right ones are the same, if you get my drift. I sat IFR and VFR comms and all of the questions in my exam where on the question bank.

I don't think you can go that wrong using the BGS question bank.

[bean_ian]

Sorry for my ignorance guys, but what is the Bristol Question Bank and where can i get my hands on it?

[boogie-nicey]

Try this my friend ....

http://www.atponline.gs

That should hopefully help, good luck with the exams

[potkettleblack]

A little tip for you as well. The subscription only lasts for 3 months so work backwards from the date when you are going to sit the exams. Don't do like I have done and get overly keen and sign up there and then only to realise later that your subscription runs out a week before a set of exams and have to fork over another £50.

[potkettleblack]

There is nothing like a good conspiracy theory eh? The CAA have known for years that the schools have had old copies of the database all stemming via our Italian and Spanish friends. Nothing has happened.

Now Bristol has used its market position by virtue of putting through so many students each month to develop IMHO a pretty comprehensive database of the current question bank. Again nothing has happened. Perhaps the reason is that the CAA don't have any legal grounds to take an action?

[potkettleblack]

Here's a challenge for you. How many people do you reckon that buy a course actually get around to sitting any or all of the exams. We reckoned 50% at most based purely on gut feel and a bit of anecdotal evidence.

[Delta Uniform]

from the question bank...can anyone help me with these questions for Nav and how you work them out?
1) 5hr 20min 20 sec corresponds to a longitude difference of?
2) the constant of a cone of a Lambert conformal conic chart is 0.3955. At what latitude on the chart is earth convergency correctly represented?
3) On a direct mercator projection, at lat 45 North, a certain length represents 70nm. At Lat 30 North the same length represents?

[neil_1821]

I have just started reading notes for my ground school training and i just read up on the SHELL model. One of the questions asks Temperature, humidity and pressure are considered:

Liveware
Environment
Software
Hardware

I said it was environment however the correct answer is software as environment realtes to adapting the environment to the pilot so can someone explain to me why it is software?

thanks

[asuweb]

Answers:

1) There a 4 mins per degree of longitude. Therefore the answer should be around 80degrees, 5 mins

2) Take the inverse sine of the constant of the cone: 23 deg, 18 mins approx.

3) measurment/cos(lat) * cos(new lat) : 70/cos(45) * cos(30) = 85.7NM

[dlav]

Hi guys n' gals, could anybody tell me if the database on BGS is any good for radio nav, Mass and Balance and OPS?

Got the last 7 next week, wish me luck! :\ `:ok:

[asuweb]

Good luck mate.... You'll need it!! :}:D

Only messing.. I really should be studying too. :ugh:

[Jimmy The Big Greek]

Is there anyone else here that finds the CRP5 to be useless for the exams.
I really hate this equipment. I bought the CPR5 and the oxford CRP5 cd but I hate it.

I have not found one question that I can not resolve with my formulas and it is faster and more accurate than the CRP5.

Also when flying in turbulence I prefer to use my calculator instead of fumbling and drawing lines on a CRP5.

[asuweb]

The CRP-5 is an excellent tool. If you know it like the back of your hand, it will save you time.

Formulas are all very well, if you have the time to remember them, and yes, they are probably more accurate, however that level of accuracy isn't really required.

Also, I find using the CRP-5 with one hand easier than using a calculator with one hand.

If you find formulas quicker, then use them, personally, I prefer the CRP-5.

[Jimmy The Big Greek]

Just one advice Delta Uniform. You probly know this but it makes the questions much easier.

When calulating questions regarding time and degrees there is a function on basic calculators which makes life easier.

I have a casio fx-82MS and on the keypad it has the sign (,)

So when I calculate the first question I just type the following.

5,20,20,/0,4 and you get 80,5,0

[TRISTAR1]

It seems your notes are wrong.

Enviroment is the answer.

[neil_1821]

thanks tristar, I will have to tell the writer that it is wrong

:ok:

[dlav]

Anymore comments on just how up to date the feedback from bristol is? Any subjects in particular?

[potkettleblack]

I will let you know after this week when hopefully I have these pesky exams done and dusted. In my last sitting a couple of months ago they were superb. Did MET, instruments and airframes and systems and had no complaints.

[asuweb]

In that case he'll find out for himself. :} Good luck guys..

[Cron]

Would appreciate guidance with the below, which I hope has response (b) as a typo.

Q: Max allowed take off mass limit 37200kg
Dry operating mass 21600kg
Take off fuel 8500kg
Pax on board: male 33 (@85kg), female 32 (@85kg), children 5 (@32kg),
Baggages: 880kg

The max cargo that may be loaded is
a) 901
b) 585
c) 1098
d) 1105

Thank you in advance for your help.

[asuweb]

Current T/L = Baggage + Mass of Pax
= 880 + 2805 + 2720 + 160
= 6565 kg

Current T/O Mass = DOM + T/L + Fuel
= 21600 + 6565 + 8500
= 36665 kg


Max Cargo Load = Max T/O Mass - Current T/O Mass
= 37200 - 36665
= 535 kg.


I would say it is certainaly a typo.

[Cron]

Sorry folks, finger trouble, got me pax and children masses wrong:

Q: Max allowed take off mass limit 37200kg
Dry operating mass 21600kg
Take off fuel 8500kg
Pax on board: male 33 (@84kg), female 32 (@84kg), children 5 (@35kg),
Baggages: 880kg

The max cargo that may be loaded is
a) 901
b) 585
c) 1098
d) 1105

Typo remains?

[asuweb]

It's not a typo, answer B is correct.

Current T/L = Baggage + Mass of Pax
= 880 + 2772 + 2688 + 175
= 6515 kg

Current T/O Mass = DOM + T/L + Fuel
= 21600 + 6515 + 8500
= 36615 kg


Max Cargo Load = Max T/O Mass - Current T/O Mass
= 37200 - 36615
= 585 kg.


Hope this helps,

[Cron]

Thanks Asuweb, not only can't I type, I can't add up either!

[dlav]

Hi all,
regarding the Bristol Online question bank for Air Law, has anybody any experience/information, on how how up to date it is?

Many thanks

dlav



11 down, 3 to go!

[badboy raggamuffin]

ave not taken the air law exam, so cant comment on that.
But judging by todays instruents exam and the others ive taken so far, the CAA questions are exactly the same as bristol, almost word for word.
Makes you wonder how the people at bristol got hold of em?
Ud think the CAA would wise up to it, as it does somewhat make a farce of the whole exam system, not that im complaining!

[Deano777]

Hi all,
regarding the Bristol Online question bank for Air Law, has anybody any experience/information, on how how up to date it is?


cough***spot on***cough ;)

Good luck with the rest of your studies

[Remove-Before-Flight]

Gooday all....

Just wondering how often does BGS update the online question because in all my atpl exams i've done so far there is an ever increasing number of question I have not yet seen?? Please I am by no means running BGS down because the online question bank is awesome and helped me with my exams!

Keep up the good work BGS!!!!:D

[potkettleblack]

How do you "search" the database? I have spoken with mates who would just click on the mock exam button and do the practice tests. Unfortunately this runs the risk that you will miss some of the questions as they are generated randomly.

It isn't made all that clear on the website but under the search function you have different ways of working your way through the database. The first is to just do all questions from start to finish as a mock exam (say 600 odd for POF, 900 in MET etc). The 2nd and a much better way if you don't want to be sat at the pc all day is to tell the programme to give you a batch of questions. For example you can tell it give you numbers 1 to 100 say and then on your next visit do 101-200 etc. My approach was to do it this way and type into a word document any questions that I struggled with along with the question ID number. Then after a few weeks I would go through all the problem childs as a final refresher by searching just on those particular questions with their associated ID number.

[Jimmy The Big Greek]

What is correct?????????

During a take-off into IMC conditions with low ceiling the pilot should
contact departure control:

Bristol bank says: "After take-off".

Italian bank: "When advised byTower".

My personal experience is "When advised byTower" but which answere does the JAA folks want?

[potkettleblack]

I would take the Italian feedback with a pinch of salt. A number of the answers are wrong and a number of the questions within that feedback have been appealed over the years and subsequently removed from the database.

[Jimmy The Big Greek]

so should I go with bristols answere?

[Cron]

Would be most grateful for the steps to the solution of this. Thank you in advance for your help.


An aircraft is tracking 270°M at ground speed 180kts. At 1000 hrs, an airfield bears 358°M. At 1006 hrs, the same airfield bears 004°M. Using the 1:60 rule, estimate your range from the airfield.
a) 090
b) 180
c) 720
d) 360

[Alex Whittingham]

You've travelled 18NM and the bearing has changed by 6º. This means each degree = 3NM. At 60NM 1º = 1NM, for 1º to be equal to 3NM you must be three times as far away, 180NM. How did I do?

[Cron]

Thanks A, I was hoping for a formula, I like formulae. But thank you anyway.

[mcgoo]

I was hoping for a formula

question + alex@BGS = answer

[BobC]

Cron

Here's a formula, but you really should be able to work out the answer from a knowledge of the 1-in-60 rule (on which the formula is based).

Distance = grounspeed x time for bearing change (min)/bearing change (deg)

In your example, distance = 180 x 6 min/6 degrees = 180 nm

Bob

[JUST-local]

Hi all

I am booked in to sit the atpl rnav paper (and others) next month!

I am on a full time course and have just started looking at feedback which is provided by the school and other sources.

Anyway enough fluff.....

Q. The receiver aerial for a NAVSTAR/GPS system should be mounted?

My training providers answer.
In the vicinity of the receiver to avoid long transmission lines.

The answer given on a well know website.
On the upper side of the fuselage in the vicinity of the centre of gravity.

I have read around the subject and my training provider has explained their answer. can anyone tell me which is the definitive answer and why?

Thanks

[G_STRING]

With regard to the CPL/ATPL theoretical subjects:

Is there a defintive list anywhere, which details all or most of the calculations you have to do within each subject.

In MET For example:
At a certain position, the temperature on the 300 hPa chart is -48°C; according to the tropopause chart, the tropopause is at FL 330. What is the most likely temperature at FL 350

I know that there are various question banks available, but what I'm looking for is the format of the calculations so the syntax can be learnt in order to answer the given questions. (A bit like leaning how to manipulate formulae in algebra)

[matt_hooks]

Q. The receiver aerial for a NAVSTAR/GPS system should be mounted?
My training providers answer.
In the vicinity of the receiver to avoid long transmission lines.
The answer given on a well know website.
On the upper side of the fuselage in the vicinity of the centre of gravity.


I would say that upper side of the fuselage in the vicinity of C of G is correct. I would be interested to hear your providers justification for their answer!

[BEagle]

1. "At 1000 hrs, an airfield bears 358°M. At 1006 hrs, the same airfield bears 004°M."

Basic sine rule (used to be taught at 'O' level) :hmm: :

(a/sinA) = (b/sinB) = (c/sinC)

Here, A = 86°, B = 6°, C = 88° and b is 18 nm (6 minutes at 3 nm per minute).

Thus a = 18 sin 86° / sin 6° = 171.78243 nm, so at 1000 the aerodrome was 171.78243 nm away. Similarly, at 1006 it was c = 18 sin 88° / sin 6° = 172.097 nm away. Dropping the perpendicular from B to AC at D gives the closest point of approach to the aerodrome CD as 171.78243 sin 88° = 171.67778 nm; this occurred at 171.78243 cos 88° = 5.9951203 nm travelled after 1000 hrs, i.e. at 1 min 59.54144 minutes after 1000 when the aerodrome was due North.....

Assuming a flat earth, that is......:rolleyes:


Or about 180 nm away! :D

2. As for the GPS antenna question, the answer which provides the optimum view of the sky is best. So, it has to be on an upper surface; proximity to the receiver is not particularly crucial provided that cable attenuation limits are observed. Time difference between signal arrival at the antenna and at the receiver can be compensated for, but since that will be the same for all satellites seen and it is only the time differences which matter, it isn't that important. But the antenna velocity needs to be the same as the vehicle velocity, so if you put a GPS antenna at the wingtip and rolled rapidly, it would get a bit confused, I would guess. So, all-in-all, I would go for upper surface close to the centreline - to eliminate errors induced by high pitch rates then yes, close to the CG will probably be optimum....

Upper surface, on the centreline and as close as possible to the receiver to reduce attenuation losses in the downlead would be my answer.

3. Met - I really hate met. But 300 hPa at ISA is roughly FL300, the ISA lapse rate is about 2 deg per 1000 ft to the trop and constant above, so my guess would be -48 -6 = -54 deg both at the trop and at FL350.....

(Or, for metric people, 33000 ft = 10058.42 m, 300 hPa = 30065 ft = 9164 m and the lapse rate is 6.5 deg per km. So at FL330 it would be 0.89442012 x 6.5 = 5.813 deg cooler, i.e. -53.8 deg C.)

[alberto86]

hi all,

I'm thinking of buying the official OAT ATPL question bank CDs. Is some of you using it ? Are questions the same as in the ATPL examinations or are they different? thank you

[JetSetJ]

Buon Giorno:ok:

The Oxford CD is OK, but it is quite dated!! My recommendation would be to spend £50 on gaining access to the Bristol question bank, it's fantastic!!!! I have sat 7 of my JAR's and found Bristol to be top notch, it gave me so much confidence when i actually sat the exams - which i think is pretty important!!:D

Remember your attitude determins your altitude!!! If you think you can't, you won't. If you think you can, you will;)

The £50 allows you 3 months access to their database.

Hope this helps!!

Ciao

JetSetJ:ok:

[potkettleblack]

I brought the CD and found hardly any questions in the current exams at all. The BGS on the other hand was superb. Just make sure you time the subscription to coincide with your first sitting so it doesn't run out when you need it most.

[Waryhawk]

I'm also giving a thumbs up for the Bristol online question bank, the format of the questions is more realistic as to what you'll get in the actual exams. I also have the Oxford CD and don't rate it as high as BGS.

[Cron]

Would be most grateful for why the answer to this is (a) and not (b). Some explanation as well would be very much appreciated.

Thank you in advance.


An a/c is over position A (55 30N 060 15W), where B VOR (53 30N 060 15W) can be received. The Mag var is 31W at A and 28W at B. What is the radial from B?
a) 028
b) 332
c) 031
d) 208

[Kanu]

Because when getting a radial from a VOR you only use the variation at the VOR?


EDIT: The A/C is 360 true... The VOR is south of the A/C with 28 deg var west putting true noth to the northeast of the VOR's position. It's much easier to draw it out than it is to type it sorry

[cantw82fly]

I've found an online question bank at [URL="http://www.aviationexam.com"]It claims to have 14,000 questions and costs 50 euros for 2 months or 120 euros for 12 months (all subjects) or cheaper for individual subjects.
It's run from The Czech Republic.

Anyone had any experience with it? Are the questions up to date?

Any feedback gratefully received.

[Noiseboy]

I have been using it during my exams, for the 10 I have taken so far my average is 96% so there must be something good about it! If a question looks wrong or badly worded it is possible to leave comments and they are either updated or a reason given for the answer so the questions tend to be up to date. I also like the study progress section where you can see which areas need extra revision.

[airyana]

from my experience the Bristol QB is excellent as well.

[cantw82fly]

Thanks for info.

I'm already using the Bristol questions. Just thought I might broaden my horizons a little.

After all - it's only (more) money!!!!

[JetSetJ]

Hi there:ok:

Just a quick question for you guys who have utilised the Bristol QB. In your opinion whats the feedback like for subjects such as radio nav, gen nav, mass and balance, performance, flight planning,air law and ops??

Regards

JetSetJ

[buggingout]

I didn't use the QB for module 1; and wouldn't have used it for Gen Nav / Flight Planning / Performance & PoF (Mod 2) as you need to practice and understand the calculations and techniques IMHO.

[Note/ Bristol give you all the information to pass the exams without using the QB....it's a tool to enhance your exam preparation]

Air Law : couldn't believe how good it was, I was struggling due to not being able to revise Air Law for more than 30 seconds in any one week! Was getting 50 - 60% at most during the brush-up course and wasn't improving.

What I did was absolutely tan the Air Law QB a couple of days before in the exam week. Exam went well....took me 12 minutes and got 98%, virtually all down to the QB [was 6 months ago so it may not be up to date.....but I'd be surprised if it wasn't]. But I did this as a last resort....would have loved to been able to absorb all the info that Bristol had given me.

Op Procedures : thought QB was very good.

Radio Nav : as Op Procedures.

Mass & Balance: all the feedback you get is excellent, paper or QB

Good luck :ok:

[and remember the best advice is to learn the subjects as throughly as possible, stuff from your exams will crop up when you're doing your CPL & IR etc......and you do want to be a professional pilot!]

bugging

[Hour Builder]

Going through Bristol's first MET progress test and this popped up:
An aircraft with the airfield QNH correctly set and flying at an indicated altitude of 2000ft is approaching ground of 1500ft elevation. The OAT at 2000ft is minus 9ºC. At what true altitude will the aircraft overfly the ground?
a)2020 ft
b)1520 ft
c)1980 ft
d)1960 ft
Answer is c, and I know I hate MET but I get the answer as 340ft :confused:
My logic:
ISA @ 2000' = 15 - (2 x 2 )= 11 deg
ISA is 20 degrees different from OAT (11 + 9)
Therefore, as there is 4% height difference for every 10 deg temperature difference.... = 8%
8% off 2000= 160ft.
True alt = 2000-160= 1840ft.
Question asks height a/c will fly over ground> 1840-1500 = 340 ft.
I know it's late but what am I doing wrong?
HB

[NavPilot]

HB,
Your calc looks correct from first glance....however, am not an expert in the matter, but shouldn't airfield QNH correctly set read airfield 'QFE' rather than QNH?? QNH is regards msl...why wld we refer QNH to airfield..?:confused:

[Hour Builder]

reading the question again, I think my answer would now not -the 1500 at the end, as it asks for true alt and not QFE.

Still get 1840 ft though

[hixton]

It cant be C can it??
You only apply the 4% rule to the airspace between the A/C and the ground - 500ft.
8% of 500 is 40.
2000 - 40 = 1960

[Hour Builder]

sorry answer is D.

i cut and paste question from PC software, and looked in my hard copy for the answer. (pc software and hard copies have answers in different order)

that makes sence.....nice one.

[expedite08]

Morning everyone!

Just a quick one.

Do the mocks in the Bristol QB contain questions that are more likely to turn up in the exams, or are they just randomly picked form the database? Not sure if anyone knows but thought I would ask just to see.

I must say ive found the QB an excellent tool to go with the notes. Some very interestingly worded questions in there! All good fun though!

Any info would be much appreciated.

Many thanks,

Expedite :ok:

[littco]

From experience the questions from the Online QB are randomly picked from the database, but do give a pretty accurate picture of what is in the exams..

You will find though that the same question can turn up more than once in the database, so while some subjects may have 600 questions quite a few could be repeats, just worded slightly different etc.

The best way is to do a sequencial exam questions 1-100 and then the 100-200 etc until all are covered and you're happy with them.

[potkettleblack]

Littco has a good point. If you want to make the best use out of the database then you need to go through each and every question using the search function. I set up a word document and cut and paste any that I got wrong and then used that as a master list highlighting the areas I needed to bone up on.

As to the relevance of the database to the exams you are about to sit it will depend on whether you hit an exam where the CAA have introduced new questions that aren't yet picked up by BGS. I finished off a few months ago and as a rule of thumb I would say 70-80% of the exams were word for word from the database give or take a little bit of grammatical licence. The rest were variations of the same theme and only the occasional odd ball appeared that I hadn't seen. If you were to spend a month going through the database then you would clean up. Most people I have chatted to tended to only use the database in the final few weeks and very few actually bothered to go through every question.

[Droopy]

Anybody tried using the QB for the IR theory? Slightly different syllabus I know but there seems to be little in that way for just the IR.

[busaidy222]

hello guyz....i am going to do the least module of my ATPL in November and i wanted to know how is HPL-POF-PERF-M&B-MET exams are they similar to the feedbacks Q in "Bristol" website????
If any 1 knows plz give me a answer......
thanks

[Aussie]

Gday all,
Bout to sit my first few JAA exams shortly, lookin at investing into the Bristol online question databank.....
Anyone used them and can tell me how valuable they are?
Aussie

[Callsign Kilo]

I just sat performance and around 85% of the Q's were similar to those on BGS.

Mass & Balance, similar again, if you can crack the feeedback and handle the CAP you will be fine

POF, again a lot on BGS, however in my paper (July) there were a few newish looking q's there. One or 2 performance related q's as well ie calculations using the T-D / W x 100% formula

As for the rest, I am pretty sure that you will see a lot of similarites from BGS.

Goodluck

[mcgoo]

I have used them, priceless!

[busaidy222]

thanks for ur help callsign kilo :ok:

[XL319]

What is the pass marks for the ATPL exams?

[adwjenk]

Hi,


Pass mark is 75% for the fATPL!

For the exams use Bristol ive heard its top notch espically with regards to last months systems paper!

But don't purly really on feedback either!

[BlueRobin]

Yes make sure you make full use of the Bristol forum to get explanations of feedback answers you don't understand, check the Feedback forum to see what the CAA are introducing and finally when you do the exams, contribute your own feedback so that others benefit (as you did).

[Hour Builder]

Pass mark is 75% for the fATPL!

no such thing as a fATPL

when you go get your licence from CAA, please dont ask, "excuse me Mr Licensing person, my licence doesnt say frozen ATPL on it" :p

pass mark is 75% for all licensing exams, bar IMC which is 72%.

[adwjenk]

Well if you want to be accurate the pass mark for the JAR-FCL ATPL theoretical exams is 75%

:ok:

[High Wing Drifter]

no such thing as a fATPL
Tell that to LASORS!

[Hour Builder]

you tell me where the requirements for a licence called "frozen ATPL" are in Lasors then

[Deano777]

I think we're digressing from the question here somewhat, and being a little over pedantic, I think we all know what is meant by the term "pass mark is 75% for the fATPL" :)

[Hour Builder]

very true, was simply trying to hint that there is no such thing as a frozen atpl exam, or a frozen atpl licence.

and I am pretty sure lasors does not use that term

[Aussie]

Thanks mate,

Anyone else out there care to comment?

Aussie

[Waryhawk]

I've been using Bristols question bank and its money well spent, questions they have are good preparation for the exams.

[Brian304]

Well when I was studying in OFT in orlando, which is part of cabair, one of the members told us to use the bristol databank as it was very close to the questions which will be on your atpl tests. He just said he did the questions non stop for a week and passed. Well it was the same with me for my PPL, I just used the AFE questionbank and passed them all. Anyway hope this helps.

BRI ^^

[rwhites]

its all well and just good learning the answers:= . but you will need to know some or most of the subjects especially when you have an interview for an airline.
oh i did use the database and it helped a lot.
the lerning never stops.:sad:

[pipertommy]

Think its good to consolidate your knowledge AFTER the course work. with the question bank:ok:

[Aussie]

Thanks guys


looks like i might fork out the dosh and give it a go!

Aussie

[Jimmy The Big Greek]

Well, I have received some private messages regarding "how did it go".

As you know I studied the bristol question bank and all I can say is that 100% of all the question where identical with the bristol questionbank.

Anyway, I passed 12 exams and failed 2 (NAV and Flight planning).

It was really hard because I did 14 exams on only 4 days. Basicly I was doing exams between 8:30 to 15:30 each day.

Here are my results:

COMUNICATIONS VFR 95%
COMUNICATIONS IFR 95%
SYSTEMS 94%
HUMAN FACTORS 93%
RADIONAVIGATION 92%
OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES 90%
ATC (LAWS) 90%
PERFORMANCES 88%
METEOROLIGY 88%
INSTRUMENTS 88%
PRINCIPLES OF FLIGHT 88%
MASS AND BALANCE 81%

[adwjenk]

Hi,


Bristol question bank is great but YOU MUST have the general knowledge from the ATPL subjects on the whole you will be better off in the long run! Especially with regards to Principles of flight, that you have to learn the theory and know how to apply it!

Also whats the point in spending hours going through the books when you could sit and learn the question bank!!!

Also using question banks is a good way to find you weak areas, then you can target your revision etc!!

Best of luck to everyone with ATPL exams in November I’m sitting my first set of 7 then and already nervous as anything!!

[Jimmy The Big Greek]

You are right about that. You need to have the basic understanding before doing something like this.

I am converting my FAA license to JAA and I wanted to finnish as soon as possible and I really think that without the questionbanks it would have been impossible.

[pilot-320]

Every question bank , feedback etc is helpful and yes it is reccomended using it! but learning something about 6000 questions by heart that means u have the ability to read 200 pages with ease!!
ill use them for consolidation and practise!! friends failed interviews because the didnt know MET properly! I missed my lecture today due to high temperature indication (fever) and i feel really bad even worst i must say!
efficient study and notes is the tip! spend a week consolidating and i agree tha BRISTOL questionbank is good but that depends!! i cant use it as i am not allowed to print out and i am not a computer guy!! my eyes hurt after spending time in front of a pc! (dont even think about commenting about my scanning in glass cockpits!! IT IS NOT THE SAME!!!):O

HAVE FUN EVERYONE!!!

[andrewX]

This is just a quick one, and hopefully it hasn't already been covered. Apologies in advance if it has, but upon using the search function the computer said no.

I was just over on the atpl.gs website taking some practice exams, and I keep getting my averages pulled down with the wind questions when I use my crp5. I checked on the exam progress monitor, and the questions that I am getting wrong are mainly made up of crp5 windface questions.

Does anybody know if it's okay to take my older Jeppesen flight computer to the exam? It's just that the wind face on that is a lot smoother and (for me at least) provides the correct answer almost all of the time.

Thanks in advance.

Andrew

[ric180880]

I have just done that exam and we were told you are free to take in which ever type of wizz wheel you want.

[Lightning_Boy]

Not sure if you can use the E6B though, as it has the instruction of how to use it printed on it. :=

[badboy raggamuffin]

try unscrewing the wind side of the wizz wheel, taking it off and giving the whole rotating mechanism a good scrub with some washing up liquid. Its very likely that it will be filthy with bits of pencil and eraser which will hamper greatly its accuracy. Had the same problem myself, gave the wheel a good clean and you wouldn't believe the improvement, just dont loose the screws, then you'll be fooked!

[DC-8]

You could also solve wind questions drawing a triangle and using trigonometry (sine and cosine theorems, etc.). You'll get the most accurate answer. I did like that in the exam and worked fine.

[boogie-nicey]

Hmm, maybe you're using a different method that's a bit inaccurate. There appear to be a number of different methods that student's get taught and some are more accurate than others. On my brush up course I was goofing up Wind Calculation questions too until the RAF chappie next to me pointed out where I was going wrong.

[High Wing Drifter]

Andrew,

I gather that the CAA exams are set with a CRP. Therefore, you should achieve best results with the same device. I gather from conversation that the different slide rules can produce slightly different results. I seem to recall from the Gen Nav that the answer groupings were very close.

From my own experience, I can say that it is possible to get the CAA questions right using the CRP, but it requires ALOT of practice with the wind down method to get one's accuracy and speed to converge suitably.

A strange tip is to dust all the moving bits with talculm powder, creates a very smooth action, makes them much easier to use :D

[Ollie268]

Hey, just started my ATPL ground training and a few of my class and I are getting stuck on the explaination of RAM RISE, RAM AIR TEMP...etc can anyone give a good explaination as to what it is?! :ugh: :O

Thanks alot :ok:

[WingletTurbo]

Gentlemen,

Is the Bristoldatabase of questions good all accross Europe or just for the CAA Database?

Sorry if this question has been answered previously.

Thanks in advance.

-WT

[Blinkz]

Well ram rise is the increase in air temperature due to the friction at high speeds. As I remember it is negligible under 300knots. Basically as an aircraft travels through the air at high speeds the air is compressed as it cannot get out of the way quick enough. This compression increases the temperature. I think thats right, altho ground school was quite a while ago :ugh:

[andrewX]

Cheers for the help guys. I gave the CRP5 a good clean and the results are far more accurate. Very encouraging.

Thanks also to whoever moved the thread. I'll know where to direct my questions in the future.

I was reading through some of the earlier posts and would have to say that I prefer the atpl.gs question bank - I used both bristol.gs and atpl.gs in my first module, but in this module I am only using atpl.gs - as far as I can tell the questions are exactly the same for half the price (probably the Scotsman in me that likes that part!)

Joking aside tho, the best bit is probably the performance monitor thing they have. I knew I was making a mess of the wind questions, but that really highlighted how bad it was!

Hope that might be of some help. Anyway, cheers again. Glad I got that sorted out before November!

Andrew

[smith]

Its not the friction that causes the temp rise it is the compression of the air against the temp probe that increases pressure at the air and causes temp rise.

[WingletTurbo]

Are these databases that people continuously refer to (Bristol, Oxford, Voltare, etc) good all across Europe or only England?

[potkettleblack]

The majority of posts on pprune are from people going through the UK CAA/JAA system. From my limited understanding of how the system as a whole works it appears that the various JAA member states are using different versions of the CQB. I know when I was using the BGS database about 4 months ago it had a splash screen when you logged on to confirm which country you were sitting the exams to ensure that the questions were as accurate as possible to those current in your relevant country.

Let everyone know where you are planning on sitting the exams and perhaps others may have advice from outside of the UK which is more helpful to you. Good luck, they are thoroughly ball aching to say the least:)

[WingletTurbo]

The majority of posts on pprune are from people going through the UK CAA/JAA system. From my limited understanding of how the system as a whole works it appears that the various JAA member states are using different versions of the CQB. I know when I was using the BGS database about 4 months ago it had a splash screen when you logged on to confirm which country you were sitting the exams to ensure that the questions were as accurate as possible to those current in your relevant country.

Let everyone know where you are planning on sitting the exams and perhaps others may have advice from outside of the UK which is more helpful to you. Good luck, they are thoroughly ball aching to say the least:)


Thank you for your responce :)

I am intending on sitting in on the JAA ATPL exam in Poland next June. I still yet have to find out information regarding endorsements/signoffs/course completion certificates in order to take the exam. However, I began studying the Oxford books already.

How did you like the BGS database? Can you please provide a link to this website.

Thanks in advance.

-WT

[d2k73]

Simple question really but theres been a heated debate or two about this one!

If the ambient temperature is -61° C at 39 000 ft the temperature deviation is:
a. ISA -4.5°
b. ISA -7 °
c. ISA +2°
d. ISA -2°

My understanding of the question is that in the ISA the air temperature will become isothermal at -56.5°c therefore making the deviation from ISA -4.5°, but apparently it's not correct!

Any help on this one would be great!

[Hour Builder]

I think I'm with you on this one. At +36000 feet you are in the stratosphere where OAT is -56.5° C.

Only thing I am wondering, is if ambient temperature (mentioned in the question) and Outside air temp are the same thing. With -61° C OAT at 39000ft then answer is ISA -4.5.

[BlueRobin]

Is this an assessment or an actual exam question?

[Alex Whittingham]

I would agree with ISA -4.5º. Where is the question from?

[the dean]

d2k73...

long time since i did any exams but to my mind you are told the ambient temperature( which i assume like you reads OAT ) is -61.

we know IAS at 39000 feet should be -63 ( altitude X 2 = -78...+ 15 for sea level so -63)...but the OAT is -61 therefore the OAT is +2 on IAS..:ok:

correct me if i'm wrong..??:=

do you know the correct answer..??:confused: ...i'm interested..

the dean.

[smith]

Troposphere stops at 36,090ft and remains isothermal at -56.5oC after that so answer should be -4.5oC

[Hour Builder]

I would agree with ISA -4.5º. Where is the question from?

If Mr W thinks its -4.5º then take that as being true.....:ok:

I'm glad I thought the same too.

HB

[catherine]

Have been using the Bristol GS feedback site (wonderful I know) but living in the middle of nowhere have rather limited internet access. Have been looking for other feedback sources available on CD inc Oxfords CD-rom, jeppesen and also noted there are some CDs available on good old eBay.

Has anyone used any of these or am I better off sticking with Bristol and gate crashing friends for their internet?

Cheers

[Mercenary Pilot]

The best thing is to get a copy of the complete question bank. Theres always a new one floating around (it usually comes from Italy).

If no one you know has a copy, get it from e-bay. :ok:

[helicopter-redeye]

The Ox CD overlaps some of the questions on Bristol but is more limited (and obviously not updated..).

Keep with the Brizzle Q bank (get a broadband connection to remain in the modern world).

I have a copy of the Oxford CD you are welcome to borrow if you are UK based (I don't need it any more).

h-r;)

[tinmouse]

I have heard that Oxford students may have the Latest Feed back from the Databank (As in the up-to-date Databank)?

Can any oxford students confirm this?

Thanks

[Mercenary Pilot]

Can any oxford students confirm this? That would NOT be clever, use of these question banks is not "offically" allowed and the CAA do monitor these boards!

I'm sure OAT guys (and girls) along with some students from every other school in Europe (and the JAA approved U.S. ones) have got the most recent disk including all the appendices. :\


:ok:

[potkettleblack]

Not sure if this is a practical work around for your circumstances.... but I found that you can log onto the BGS question bank and load say all the questions for a subject and the software seems to save itself into your pc's memory so that as long as the pc/laptop is kept powered on you can play for as long as you like. Found this out after having a dodgy wireless connection at some accomodation I was using for a short while.

[INSIDEVIEW]

Hi there
someone please help me with this


assume aircraft
11700ft local QNH at 2000 ft temp (+2)

Someone ....:confused:

[Flying Farmer]

Give us a clue, whats the QNH and the transition altitude

[expedite08]

So the big question!

Has the Bristol OQB lived up to its name on this months round of exams? Would be good to get some feedback as have my mod 1 next month! :eek:

Many thanks

Expedite :ok:

[neilia]

I've just done PoF, AGK, Instruments, M&B and Performance.
Give or take the odd question, Bristol has been absolutely spot on.

[nad]

Hello All
Plodding through my ATPL subjects at the moment via distance learning, quite impressed with the textbooks from my school, very comprehensive.
But that is just the problem when it comes to ATPL Law, there is just too much information to take in!
In other subjects I try and gain a good understanding of the material,then attempt the assessments issued with the notes, then about a week out from the exam will give the Online Question Bank a go just to confirm my understanding and to pick up on any oddly worded questions.
But with Law I just feel swamped,there are just so many items they could choose, my noggin just isnt big enough!
Any tips, advice?How good is the BGS Databank in this regard, is it up to date/comprehensive enough just to thrash and hope for a pass?
Thanks in advance, Im off to bury my head back in the books.
Nad

[Rob's Dad]

How good is the BGS Databank, is it up to date/comprehensive enough

;) (if 98% pass is comprehensive enough). Air Law's one of those subjects which slowly begins to sinks in the more you complete progress tests and use the BGS site.

[nad]

Thanks Robs Dad and for your Pm KMS
Have started flogging the Question Bank and have already started to improve my score each successive time, if they ask me questions from the Database only I should be sweet:ok:
So my next question of course is, how many non Database Qs do they tend to throw in? is it just pot luck each exam?
Right back to trying to get my head around the book!
Nad

[jonjon]

Hi Nad,

I have so far passed 9 of the 14 exams and currently studying the last 5 (M&B, Flight Planning, Ops, HPL, met) and the Bristol questions have been very similar if not exactly the same as the exams:
Air Law was pretty much word for word the same thing, out of 76 questions in the exam I think only 2 or 3 were not in the Bristol bank. The same can be said for AGK (except Instruments, there were quite a few new questions), Perf and of course IFR/VFR comms.
I tend to really understand everyhing rather than learn answers like some people do, but don't stress yourself with Air Law, read the book once, not more, than do the feedback questions, and unless they change ALL the questions, you'll be just fine.

Some students I know who just took the Flight Planning exam this month were surprised as most questions were NOT in the Bristol bank, the Gen Nav exam had also noticeable differences. Our lecturers (I'm doing a full time course) told us the CAA is rolling out new questions...

Good luck with your studies!

JJ

[Curvature]

Hi All,

I am looking for some opinions on the usefulness of the few JAA ATPL question banks available online. In particular I am thinking of paying the £50 for access to Bristol's database, however before I do spend the cash I would like to hear from anyone who has done so and then sat the exams. Is there a great deal of relevance of the database questions to the actual exam? Or am I better just to stick with the manuals? Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Curves;)

[mcgoo]

Bristol OLQB is spot on, I would certainly advise you to get that.

[dartagnan]

same thing for me. In my time, when I did my atpl, this didn't exist.
If i had to redo again, I would sign with Bristol.gs to guaranty a 100% at the exams.
and the good thing, is they probably update their database regularly.

[just_go_to]

I too would recommend the Bristol Database but offer a few words of advice-

1) You need to know the subjects. If you only learn the question database then you may pass the exam but you will not do well. In my recent experience about 80% of questions were SIMILAR to Bristol but there were also questions that were new. You will not get 100% with the database alone!

2) Does your school already offer Feedback? If so, you may find it is very similar to Bristol. So did Bristol copy your school, or did your school copy Bristol?

3) Think long term. Databanks will help you pass exams, but further down the line will you retain the knowledge required for interviews and more importantly your future career?

[helicopter-redeye]

Unfortunately, the more Q's you do the more chance you have of passing those :mad: exams.

£50 < failing one paper.

2 X sittings = £100 well spent

plus all the other Q's you get from your school

plus the trial exams you do on the course with your school.

You will have seen a "high proportion" of the actual questions that you get in your exams.

h-r;)

[boogie-nicey]

Remember that this also helps form the foundation of your professional knowledge and passing 'tests' is just a bureaucratic hurdle for now. Later on you'll be expected to know this stuff for 'real applications' especially the interview!

Whilst you're at it why now study the material backed up with feedback questions rather than simply shortcutting the process and loosing the opportunity of knowledge.

[Curvature]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I think my initial post could have been a lot clearer. I am primarily using my school's manuals to pass the exams, and the question bank was seen as a secondary aid, I was not planning to use just one or the other!

Nevertheless, I think Bristol will now see my £50.

Curves;)

[looptheloop]

I am just about to sign up to study for the ATPL with C.A.T.S at Cranfield- for its location and after a good chat with the staff there who impressed me with their enthusiasm. I will be doing the distance learning route with the hope of working part time alongside studying. What other 'extras' would you recommend i get to help my studying? i have read the posts of people suggesting getting the Bristol question bank- anything else I should consider to go along with what the school will provide? I like to read from more than one source, so that I can get a wider understanding and feel more prepared for the range of questions.
Let me know what i should ask Santa for! And if anyone else has an opinion of C.A.T.S I'd love to hear it.
Louise.

[AlphaMale]

Well I intend to sit my exams in 24 months :\ ... but I am reading through 'JAR Professional Pilot Studies' by Phil Croucher. Phil sold it to me on Ebay and it's a nice book to read through. *Didn't say I look forward to reading it every other night but it's certainly not a chore.

Cheaper than all the text books and probably easier to read. ;)

I'm sure I'll finish it within 24 months :p

Andrew

[catherine]

Would someone be able to post when the dec results are out? Am away from home and will have to drive up to collect them when they arrive (not sure I really want to know but hey - hopefully a good xmas pressie!)

Ta!

[potkettleblack]

The bristol BGS forums are always a good lead I found when the results are out if you don't get much joy from here. Good luck.

[MIKECR]

The CAA posted the results today. Normally you would have them by tmrw or Thursday by the latest. Not sure though how things will work with the Xmas mail. You could always phone your groundschool provider tmrw, they should have received the 'electronic' results earlier today.

[mcgoo]

Yeah I phoned my school earlier and got mine

[catherine]

Cheers guys, will psyche myself up to give them a call!

[TheOne83]

Hi fellow friends; :O

i was wondering if someone could give opinions on witch question banks they found really helpful while studying for the ATPL. I will be starting with my ATPL in february
and was wondering the 3 following options;

Bristol CBT http://www.atponline.gs/jalo/index.asp
Aviationexam http://www.aviationexam.com

My school offers me Nordian, witch looks quite ok and i think you get only acces via your school, but here is the link anyway https://www.itslearning.com/index.aspx

The reason why i'm asking is because some friends told me that both aviationexam.com and bristol are very good and helpful. Just in case Nordian doesn't work to good or lack of questions i was considering to join the other. :)

Any info from any current or passt student would be grate to see what you think about it and how did you find the questions, progress follow, feedback etc.

Much appreciated;

/niko :O

[hpcock]

I am just about to sign up to study for the ATPL with C.A.T.S at Cranfield- for its location and after a good chat with the staff there who impressed me with their enthusiasm. I will be doing the distance learning route with the hope of working part time alongside studying. What other 'extras' would you recommend i get to help my studying? i have read the posts of people suggesting getting the Bristol question bank- anything else I should consider to go along with what the school will provide? I like to read from more than one source, so that I can get a wider understanding and feel more prepared for the range of questions.
Let me know what i should ask Santa for! And if anyone else has an opinion of C.A.T.S I'd love to hear it.
Louise.

Hi Louise

I finished my ATPL with CATS some time ago, & was wholly satisfied with what I got. Passed everything 1st time - as did the majority of my class - with minimum fuss.

As per the question bank, I would say that what you get from CATS is as good as, or even better than the BGS one - I have both of them. Included in the course was full access to their Web-based training facilities, Computer - based trining package (re. The Question Bank), a whole load of progress tests & consolidation papers - all of which contain qu's directly from the JAR Examinations. However, the most pleasing thing about my course was the fact that CATS didn't churn out a bunch of q & a reciting robots, but well informed & educated pilots.

On a recent fly in to Cranfield, I did get the chance to drop my head in & had a chat with Stuart Smith - HoT @ CATS. He showed me some of the improvements & advancements made to the course since i had left, inc On-Line study guides - which looked very good, the Web Based had been markedly improved, & was proving very popular with students from other schools aswell.

I think everything you need in order to do well at the exams is all catered for by CATS.

Anyway, sorry to go on for so long, but I hope you share the same success there that I had.

Good luck
HPC

btw - forgot to mention, the Oxford Met CD is worth the investment - imo, its a good supplement to the CATS Study Guide.

[MIKECR]

Nearly mugged the postie this morning! Finally got my Decemeber results, all 14 done and dusted, all 1st time passes. Its going to be a great xmas after all!!

[TheOne83]

No one with info?? :confused:

[2close]

83,

I used both Bristol and aviationexam.com (Written material plus on-line version) and managed a very good average and trust me I am no spring chicken nor am I an exceptional student.

Bristol is the more aesthetically pleasing and it gives you explanations of some of the answers. You can also search for questions in specific areas by using keywords. As a student of Bristol GS I can also query specific questions with Bristol instructors via the Bristol GS forum, however, I do not know if this applies to non Bristol students.

Aviationexam books are grouped into subject areas which makes practising specific areas as you move through your studies quite easy whilst the on-line version has far more flexibility in that it is split into EXAM and STUDY modes. In the latter you can choose the subject areas a lot easier and you can go over specific questions time and time again. The down side is that you are not provided with worked answers and whilst comments can be posted and sometimes other students will help out, the staff aren't very pro-active and when challenged over the answer to a question tend more often than not to give the stock answer 'That's what the JAA state' without any rational answer.

Bristol I believe concentrates on UK CAA questions whereas the aviationexam QB has about 14,000 questions, a lot of which are from mainland EU NAAs. Saying that, having just checked my records I have only viewed 5,000 of those questions.

Also, aviationexam retains a record of your exam scores plus average percentages.

Bristol costs £ 100 for 6 months whereas aviationexam on-line cost the same for 12 months. You can buy the books and on-line version from aviationexam for about £ 160

It's a horses for courses matter of choice - personally I'm glad I used all three but obviously it cost a lot more. If I was limited to only one and was taking the UK CAA exams I would go for Bristol but only provided I had access to the forum, otherwise I would go for the flexibility of aviationexam.

HTH

2close

[TheOne83]

Thanks alot 2close :)

I'm going to get both FAA and JAR licenses so it was good to hear your positives comments about it. Much appreciated!

/niko

[2close]

Hi 83,

Whilst I would also recommend purchasing a FAA QB (ASA, Gleim, King, Sportys) whatever, you will fly through the majority if you have previously studied JAA ATPL but there are still some differences that you need to be aware of.

2close

[TheOne83]

Hi 83,

Whilst I would also recommend purchasing a FAA QB (ASA, Gleim, King, Sportys) whatever, you will fly through the majority if you have previously studied JAA ATPL but there are still some differences that you need to be aware of.

2close

I see.. Any web links maybe?? :)

It will be first flying and studying FAA, then after a couple of years back to europe for my JAR exams. As soon as the FAA theorical is completed i will move on to JAR even if i have 1 year left to come back to europe.

[2close]

I am in no way affiliated to any of the following and, apart from the King FAA PPL and Sporty's FAA IR video courses, which I found very beneficial, can't really comment.

Get yourself a copy of the AIM which contains the relevant FARs, etc. asap.

www.gleim.com

www.sportys.com

www.kingschools.com

www.asa2fly.com

HTH

2close

[TheOne83]

Hey 2 close! Thanks again! The websites look quite interesting! You wrote also something about the videos, witch training videos did you used??

Thanks for your feedback, much appreciated :ok:

/niko

[2close]

King Schools FAA PPL & Sporty's FAA IR.

[looptheloop]

I agree, i used the kings school dvds for my FAA IR and they were good especially as they were flown and filmed in the same airports i was using. I found this website really useful and practised repeatedly before sitting the written exams for both PPl and IR. www.mywrittenexam.com (http://www.mywrittenexam.com)

[BritishGuy]

I will be attempting the JAA Written exams shortly for a second time in my life (first time I got 12 exams, then a 71 and 74% on last sitting for Met and PoF).
I know the exams have changed somewhat since I attempted them. They've developed somewhat more....there are question banks available etc.
I have my FAA ATP and fly for a commercial outfit in the US - but to be honest with you, I feel my prospect will be better back in Europe (and worldwide) at that. I need to get these exams out the way with and need a little advice with what is the most efficient way to tuck these away. Bear in mind I'd passed 12 of the 14 exams back when the JAA exams were a lot newer and a bit of an experiment.
I've been a JAA instructor at one of the JAA flight schools in the US a while back and some of the guys I instructed - well, god knows how they got though the exams (didn't seem the brightest of the bunch) but they have one over me as I don't have the exams! When I asked them what they did, everyone vowed that feedback is the way ahead.
I know that feedback has become more and more refined since I attempted the exams -but would like to know if reading refreshed notes and feedback will guide me though the exams this time around. Also, someone was telling me that Jan '07 will see a new databank of questions introduced into the system - hence current feedback may be not as effective. Any word on that?
I know feedback alone doesn't work and hard work always pays off, but as with anything, I want to make this attempt as painless as possible. Any advice, pointers etc would be much appreciated. Also, the BristolGS website (with feedback questions on).....worth it's weight in gold?

Thanks.

[n90bar]

Hi there,

I am sitting the first 7 of my ATPL exams this week, so I cant be sure about Bristol feedback but it certainly has been mentioned time and time again that it is essential to help brush up on those less well known areas and that the questions are very similar to what you could expect to find in the real exam. As for the JAA databank changing, I believe the changes arent taking place until later in the year - but don't quote me on that.
Certainly for the purpose of the JAA exams that a good set of notes and with the feedback available it should stand you in good stead! Some training providers also offer CD-Roms that teach you the syllabus. I have found for some areas (especially Met, it isnt my strong point either) that these are a valuable source of information.

Good Luck

[JamesECU]

hi i have nearly got my Australian CPL and will sometime convert it over to a JAA ATPL. does anyone know what the exams are like compared with the CASA ones, how long is each exams and are they multi-choice computer based like CASA?

thanks

[Dan 98]

Hi Britishguy,
I went through Bristol, the feedback was very good and reflected the exams that I sat. The online data bank is also very good. I believe it is slightly more expensive now, it was £30 for 3 months when i did it but it may be more than that now, even still well worth the money.
Good luck

Dan