Flight Radio Telephony Operators Licence

[PIC1DAY]

A bit confused about the radio test for the PPL. Is there a written test as well as the practical? If so, what's involved?

[Keef]

I may be out of date (usually am these days!) but when I did mine, it was a "practical" playing with a little box with switches, and chatting via the headset to a bloke in the next room.

If JAR have been at it, it's probably like A-Level mathematics by now... But I don't think so.

[jayemm]

Buy the PPL Confuser. It has sample test questions for all the areas to be tested. If memory serves me right, it's just a fairly straightforward multiple choice test. Your R/T will be covered as an implicit part of the GFT as well.

[DB6]

The R/T test consists of two parts, a written paper (30 questions in 30 mins, multiple choice - study CAP413) and a practical test in which you sit in a room with a pair of phones etc. and 'fly' a route with the examiner acting as ATC. You have to deal with things like Mayday calls, controlled airspace penetration etc. It's not too hard but you can fail it if you just breeze in with no preparation at all. If you are training at an airfield with no ATC i.e. just air/ground or similar then I would recommend a bit of tuition first.
Cheers DB6

[ECCM]

Having just recently passed my RT tests, I can say that if you study cap413 you'll be fine. There is nothing in the new PPL confuser for the communications exam.

My examiner was very helpful with the practical, and we didn't start until I was happy with everything being asked.

I also found the safety sense leaflet on Radiotelephony number 22 very helpful, which is free.

[Aussie Andy]

PIC1DAY: I did my R/T aural test yesterday afternoon at Wycombe (passed). There's nothing in the confuser that will help you for this, but I found two things very helpful:

a) Get a copy of a trial paper from your CFI. This will give you a REALLY GOOD INDICATION of what will be in the test. Key points include MATZ penetration; Relaying an intercepted Mayday; Getting a bearing from a VDF station; Getting through an area of Class A airspace on a Special VFR clearance.

b) Use the tapes (Airspeak Radiotelephony Cassettes by ASCO). You can buy them online for £12.95 (e.g. www.flightstore.co.uk/shopping/pages/books/telephony/0143.htm (http://www.flightstore.co.uk/shopping/pages/books/telephony/0143.htm)). I borrowed a copy from a mate...

Having said all that, I found the actual test easier than I think I had feared - if you're confident on-air when flying for real and have experienced a number of environments (Information, Twr, Controlled airspace, LARS etc) which you undoubtedly will do during your PPL cross-country training flights, then you'll be fine.

Note that you must pass the R/T written before you can do the aural. I did that a week ago, and found CAP413 and/or Trevor Thom's book #7 sufficient preparation. Again, get a trial paper from your CFI.

Hope this helps,

Andy

[This message has been edited by Aussie Andy (edited 27 May 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Aussie Andy (edited 27 May 2001).]

[Gerund]

Worth pointing out that Safety Sense leaflets are available online.

[PIC1DAY]

Thanks Team.

All the posts were very helpful. As it turned out I sat the exam on Sunday and passed. Next stop is the practical.

Do you have a web address for the Safety Sense leaflets?

[Gerund]

PIC1DAY -

Congratulations on your pass. The excellent Safety Sense leaflets can be found on-line at:

http://www.srg.caa.co.uk/ga/ga_home.asp?page=ssl

If you read these, there is little doubt you will end up a better pilot. In my view, many of them should be MANDATORY reading for the PPL. Happy browsing!