PPL: FRTOL exam before the skills test?

[Happy Wanderer]

Can someone advise please - CAA Standards Doc 9 (2.1.8 pg 7) quite clearly states (well in my mind anyway) that under the heading 'Flight Radio Telephony Operator's (FRTO) Licence' 'an applicant must have passed the RT Ground Exam prior to attempting the skills test'. The ATO I currently contract for swear blind that this stipulation refers to the PPL Communications theory exam and routinely allow students to undertake the skills test BEFORE the FRTOL exam.

Who is right?

HW

[Whopity]

They are both correct. The RT ground exam is the same exam as the PPL Communications exam, there is only one exam. It must be taken before taking the Skill Test in accordance with FCL030:
(a) Before a skill test for the issue of a licence, rating or certificate is taken, the applicant shall have passed the required theoretical knowledge examination, except in the case of applicants undergoing a course of integrated flying training. In any case, the theoretical knowledge instruction shall always have been completed before the skill tests are taken.
The FRTOL is a UK national licence and the RTF Practical test does not have to be passed prior to taking the PPL Skill Test however; it is recommended that applicants pass it prior to solo navigation exercises.

[Happy Wanderer]

Ok, thanks Whopity. Does seem a tad confusing this given that (a) the heading above the relevant text in the standards doc specifically refers to the FRTOL, and (b) why single out the PPL Comms exam and not the remaining eight PPL theoretical exams? All need to be been passed before the skills test as you say.

HW

[Whopity]

Actually Stds Doc 19 not 9. I suspect its an attempt to clarify that the RTF Practical is not a prerequisite whilst the RTF or Comms written is.

I came across a case recently where the candidate had sat the ground exams in another EASA State and therefore the Comms paper does not match up with the UK FRTOL. When the candidate sat the UK RT written exam to obtain the FRTOL he made it quite clear that it was simpler that the one he had taken elsewhere.