Failing Exams..
and apparently my instructor screwed his BGT first time round.... It seems that it can be an english exam more than anything sometimes eh... 
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Everyone fails something or screws up in their aviation career.
I failed my CPL Aerodynamics exam by 1 lousy mark! Then I took the re-sit 1 week later and failed by even more. I was so discouraged but I stuck to it and sat for the exam for the third time a few weeks later and passed!
Then I have heard people who have got 100% in Aerodynamics failing a subject as simple as Meterology! We all have our strengths and weaknesses.
I failed my CPL Aerodynamics exam by 1 lousy mark! Then I took the re-sit 1 week later and failed by even more. I was so discouraged but I stuck to it and sat for the exam for the third time a few weeks later and passed!
Then I have heard people who have got 100% in Aerodynamics failing a subject as simple as Meterology! We all have our strengths and weaknesses.
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haha i got 68% for cpl nav (dno how i failed!), a week later passed wit 100%, in fact failed 4 cpls but havent failed one atpl/irex since. Comes down to how much work you put in and how much time u have to do the exams.
gud luck
newagebird
gud luck
newagebird
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Bob Tait is generally the way forward, however if you can afford to get the Trevor Thom texts as well it's a help. The key I've found is practice questions, either in the books, or via the web (again Bob Tait are excellent). With PPL, knowing your TAFs, basic nav stuff and performance charts are key - these questions are usually worth multiple marks. Also, your visual flight guide can be taken into the exam - some people seem to forget this, and there's ALOT of answers in that book - just tag it well.
Stick with it and you'll get it sorted no problem.
Stick with it and you'll get it sorted no problem.
The only ones that are really relevant IMO is CPL met nav and Airlaw. Most of the GK stuff you 're learn' on the job as to what the operator requires you to do. Human Factors is mostly a load of wank though there are a couple of things in there that are useful. You will never ever ever use Echo in real life and P charts are very self explanatory for the type you are flying. Floor loading and PNR/ETP comes in handy for the ATPL's. Aerodynamics is boring and only useful if you want to be an instructor and impress students with complex diagrams that no one ever understands and
I think it's BS that you can't self study. I have self studied the lot from CPL all the way through to ATPL. Failed a CPL Airlaw exam (cause I rocked up thinking I had booked performance, then tried to give it a crack without the documents with me.
the CPL and ATPL subjects are more the fact you can pass and understand CASA 'Engrish' and mostly irrelevant to the job as a pilot. I mean manual flight planning in a Boeing 727!!!
I think it's BS that you can't self study. I have self studied the lot from CPL all the way through to ATPL. Failed a CPL Airlaw exam (cause I rocked up thinking I had booked performance, then tried to give it a crack without the documents with me.
the CPL and ATPL subjects are more the fact you can pass and understand CASA 'Engrish' and mostly irrelevant to the job as a pilot. I mean manual flight planning in a Boeing 727!!!
Silly Old Git
Dont waste yer time studying
Sit the exams and take note of the questions
Ask ya mates after the exam what the answers were
Sit them a few more times
You will eventually get a paper you recognise
Sit the exams and take note of the questions
Ask ya mates after the exam what the answers were
Sit them a few more times
You will eventually get a paper you recognise
tinny, that could work out rather expensive couldn't it? 
I blew more than one of my IR renewals with only partial passes. Helps to make sure you have the correct freq dialled up when turning inbound on the ILS.
Fact is mate, a lot of people will go through all manner of exams and tests during their flying career. Some will breeze everything others will stumble along the way but at the end of the day, how good a pilot you are will not be measured by you exam scores but how well you fly the aeroplane.
Someone once said to me, "you're only as good as your last act". Wise words I thought.
I blew more than one of my IR renewals with only partial passes. Helps to make sure you have the correct freq dialled up when turning inbound on the ILS.
Fact is mate, a lot of people will go through all manner of exams and tests during their flying career. Some will breeze everything others will stumble along the way but at the end of the day, how good a pilot you are will not be measured by you exam scores but how well you fly the aeroplane.
Someone once said to me, "you're only as good as your last act". Wise words I thought.
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You know the strange thing I find..
A CASA pre req report like airlines require will show all of your ability to misinterpret some stupid fineprint question and thus fail a theory/cyber exam by 1 mark or so yet it wont give any indication to your prospective employer of what sort of pilot you are.. g/a concerned this isnt a prob with the check flight with Chief Pilot but for an airline?
Moody,
dont worry too much- just as everyone says keep studying and applying yourself. Weve all failed at least one ahha- well unless your some sort of genius in which case you should be probably teaching ATPLS!
Buy the Avery practice qs- they are available from the local pilot shop or even online.. Practice them- but most vitally learn from mistakes- learning from your ppl stuff now could do you a world of good for cpl/atpls later on.
N
Edit: just read this thread was on 2 yrs old haha, ah well not to waste a post!
A CASA pre req report like airlines require will show all of your ability to misinterpret some stupid fineprint question and thus fail a theory/cyber exam by 1 mark or so yet it wont give any indication to your prospective employer of what sort of pilot you are.. g/a concerned this isnt a prob with the check flight with Chief Pilot but for an airline?
Moody,
dont worry too much- just as everyone says keep studying and applying yourself. Weve all failed at least one ahha- well unless your some sort of genius in which case you should be probably teaching ATPLS!
Buy the Avery practice qs- they are available from the local pilot shop or even online.. Practice them- but most vitally learn from mistakes- learning from your ppl stuff now could do you a world of good for cpl/atpls later on.
N
Edit: just read this thread was on 2 yrs old haha, ah well not to waste a post!
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I did my BAK and PPL when I was in year 9, I found that back then I had time to study much more. I did my CPLs during my VCE years and found I kept failing easy exams (one exam i resat 3 times) so I had to put them on hold to finish school. Thats probably all thats wrong, there is a lot to learn and you've got HSC, dont expect too much.
I self studied IREX and ATPL's (bar flight planning) between work but gave myself plenty of time on each exam and passed them all first go. So that extra time and less piled up on you does help.
I self studied IREX and ATPL's (bar flight planning) between work but gave myself plenty of time on each exam and passed them all first go. So that extra time and less piled up on you does help.
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Practice exams are invaluable
You have to get to know how the questions and answers are framed. Practice exams help you to tune in to how they present the material.
The frustrating thing is that you often know the correct answer but it isn't offered as an option. You need to find the MOST CORRECT answer. This approach is BS. It comes down to exam technique rather than knowledge.
I failed my PPL exam twice! Eventually using practice exams I came to understand that the problem was not my lack of knowledge of the material but rather my lack of knowledge of the exam format.
The frustrating thing is that you often know the correct answer but it isn't offered as an option. You need to find the MOST CORRECT answer. This approach is BS. It comes down to exam technique rather than knowledge.
I failed my PPL exam twice! Eventually using practice exams I came to understand that the problem was not my lack of knowledge of the material but rather my lack of knowledge of the exam format.
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Bob tait is certainly the way to pass. His prac qnts in his books are pretty much what you get in the casa exams- i think he helps write the casa exams! I used all his books and passed all CPL exams first time. I used the flight school text for irex and failed, then used Bob and got in the 90's. So stick with him.
Have heard Robs text is good to- met the guy- very knowledgable! If there is any concepts you struggle with, your instructor will be a godsend- particularly for aerody! They will usually have very simple yet effective diagrams to explain alot of aerody stuff.
Lastly -dont bother sitting your exam if your not confident on the content- you'll end up wasting your money- Sit it only when you know you are ready!
Have heard Robs text is good to- met the guy- very knowledgable! If there is any concepts you struggle with, your instructor will be a godsend- particularly for aerody! They will usually have very simple yet effective diagrams to explain alot of aerody stuff.
Lastly -dont bother sitting your exam if your not confident on the content- you'll end up wasting your money- Sit it only when you know you are ready!
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Failed PPL twice and barely scraped through the third time, but averaged 89% on CPL exams (despite failing performance once) and got 96% on IREX. PPL is HARD. Don't be too down on yourself.
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Go to the CASA website and find the syllabus you need to study for:
Civil Aviation Safety Authority - Syllabuses and standards
Then just study whatever is written there in detail. If you can do all the things listed you cannot fail. If you want tuition than make sure you go to a ground school where you are taught by experienced instructors who know = SENIOR flight instructors (Grade 1) or theory instructors who hold or helt a pilots licence.
As to "who can tell em the questions" let me say this. In the beginning theory acts in the place of experience. It is important. Secondly, if you want to advance in the aviation game your initial theory is the base on which to build. Consequence: Learn the stuff.
Civil Aviation Safety Authority - Syllabuses and standards
Then just study whatever is written there in detail. If you can do all the things listed you cannot fail. If you want tuition than make sure you go to a ground school where you are taught by experienced instructors who know = SENIOR flight instructors (Grade 1) or theory instructors who hold or helt a pilots licence.
As to "who can tell em the questions" let me say this. In the beginning theory acts in the place of experience. It is important. Secondly, if you want to advance in the aviation game your initial theory is the base on which to build. Consequence: Learn the stuff.
I think the problem with the PPL exam is you need to study a broad area and can be asked any questions in a fairly large theory syllabus. This leaves a lot of room for knowledge gaps if the hard yards are not put in. (and let's face it there is much to learn in all aspects of aviation)
With the CPL/ATPL syllabus over 7 exams you can micro manage and devote your resources to study the specific areas for the required subject. PPL is basically small portions of the 7 areas of the CPL syllabus crammed into one exam.
Thinking back to the level of knowledge that I had as a PPL (even a fresh CPL) is quite scary especially considering some of the circumstances I found myself flying VFR to which today in a multi crew turbine aircraft I would more than likely stay on the ground and wait it out!
With the CPL/ATPL syllabus over 7 exams you can micro manage and devote your resources to study the specific areas for the required subject. PPL is basically small portions of the 7 areas of the CPL syllabus crammed into one exam.
Thinking back to the level of knowledge that I had as a PPL (even a fresh CPL) is quite scary especially considering some of the circumstances I found myself flying VFR to which today in a multi crew turbine aircraft I would more than likely stay on the ground and wait it out!