Failed part of PPL Nav test
 

I have just recently taken my PPL NAV, but failed Section 3b, ie maintenance of altitude, heading and speed. I have yet to do the the general handling test, eg Stalls, PFL, etc etc.

Now, does this mean I have failed the complete NAV, and need to do the whole thing again, or can the Examiner just make sure that I do 'better' in the general handling tests.

At the moment your test is incomplete. It should be completed in full first. The final result then will determine which sections need to be reflown.

Icarus Wings, it is acceptable for a candidate to sit the PPL Skill Test in 2 parts. Part 3 on its own (but including part 1 and 4abc), then do Parts 1,2,4,5,6 as the second test. This is spiltting the Skill Test into a Nav part and a GH part. This method however is not recommended.

Clouded Yellow, it sounds as though you have achieved a partial pass on your test, but it is difficult for me to comment without having the full facts. Did your examiner not de-brief you fully on the result? I should be surprised if he/she did not.

Your experience is one reason the PPL skill test should be attempted as a complete test, otherwise it can get a bit messy.

Yeah, i know it can be split but i thought the whole test had to be completed before any result can be given.

IW - you're right in that, until all of the test is done, you don't know if it's a pass, partial or fail. In this case it would seem that partial or fail are now the only 2 possible outcomes.

CY - your examiner has told you that part of the nav section has been failed. This means that the whole of Section 3 is failed. He can't be specific about what you'll have to refly until the rest of the test is done. If you are successful in the rest you will have to refly the departure, nav section and an arrival. If you fail any other item on the rest of the test then you will have gained a full fail and will need to be retested on everything.

My Examiner has told me to that I will have to fly a Nav leg in the second part of my test. If I can can demonstrate that I can maintain altidue, heading and speed then I will pass. I can then proceed to do other sections.

It is true that I will be tested on the departure and approach items again, and need to pass these for a second time, but I was advised to split the test by my instructors who thought doing it all at once was generally too much for most students.

My examiner has said that having read all the CAA papers, it is not exactly clear what must be done in this circumstance, and he has used his best judgement.

All will be revealed tomorrow !

Failure of any item of Section 3 means a failure of all Section 3. So long as you don't fail any other section in the Skill Test you will have to retake the whole of Section 3 that will also include the planning, departure and arrival phases.

You cannot fail 3b and simply repeat 3b with the rest of the test! If you do it will not be accepted.

Standards Doc 20 tells the examiner what to do. Para 7.4.1 states: A FAIL in Section 3 shall also require a repeat of Section 1 and items a, b, and h of Section 4.