PPL RT Practical
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Amsterdam
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there was no need for him to mentioning where going via
So as far as I'm concerned, include those "via" points that are relevant to the controller, no more no less.
It's quite a time since I did mine but I recall that at the end, I was Speedbird 1, number 10 for finals at Old Warden......
I think it was at that point I realised I'd passed
I think it was at that point I realised I'd passed
I did mine as a 1-day crammer with a senior ATCO. As a glider pilot rather than GA I found the practical unnerving - by the end I was like a rabbit in headlights and about to fall apart. Breezed the written paper but I'm good at that sort of thing. Found an incorrect answer while I was about it.
I didn't get to make a MAYDAY or PAN PAN - I got to relay a MAYDAY.
I got the licence on the grounds it will never get easier, and whilst an RT licence currently is required for glider pilots it might be in the future, and it might be useful in the meantime. However I need to find a way of practising it and as someone who avoids CAS like the plague....
Someone who did it the year before me said that if you get told about conflicting traffic and asked if you can see it, saying no is the prelude to getting bombarded with instructions to deconflict the two of you! Easier to say yes. Of course don't do that the real world unless you really can see it.
I didn't get to make a MAYDAY or PAN PAN - I got to relay a MAYDAY.
I got the licence on the grounds it will never get easier, and whilst an RT licence currently is required for glider pilots it might be in the future, and it might be useful in the meantime. However I need to find a way of practising it and as someone who avoids CAS like the plague....
Someone who did it the year before me said that if you get told about conflicting traffic and asked if you can see it, saying no is the prelude to getting bombarded with instructions to deconflict the two of you! Easier to say yes. Of course don't do that the real world unless you really can see it.
I didn't get to make a MAYDAY or PAN PAN - I got to relay a MAYDAY.
I must have done the relayed MAYDAY correctly as I passed. I remember waiting and listening to see if anyone else is talking to them - would jumping in immediately be a pass or a fail?
Join Date: Jan 2008
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You wouldnt jump in immediately in real life would you so presume the test wants to see the same.
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Chesham, EGTB Booker
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i had to bring this old thread back to life. I am trying to prepare for the RT practical exam. I have taken my skill test and this is the only bit left. Now I have a few hours in my logbook and everything in the test should not be anything new to me expected maybe controlled airspace and SVFR.
What is your opinion, would anybody without much prep be able to pass the RT Exam?? It should be easier as you do not have to fly the plane but just pay attention to the radio...
Do many of you take the test before finishing the flight training (this i would deem harder since you are still learning the basics.) ?
Should i rather spend more days reading the cap413 to be able to reply word by word as outlined in the book?
I know my RT is not bad and had no complaints from instructors etc or over the radio. I also know there will be calls I have not had been confronted with yet and thus the reply might not be word perfect.
Is it just a VFR flight? How much controlled airspace etc will be part of the exam?
I think I am getting myself a bit too nervous..
There is a sample VFR flight in the CAP413 in chapter 10.. would this be the complete test flight??
What is your opinion, would anybody without much prep be able to pass the RT Exam?? It should be easier as you do not have to fly the plane but just pay attention to the radio...
Do many of you take the test before finishing the flight training (this i would deem harder since you are still learning the basics.) ?
Should i rather spend more days reading the cap413 to be able to reply word by word as outlined in the book?
I know my RT is not bad and had no complaints from instructors etc or over the radio. I also know there will be calls I have not had been confronted with yet and thus the reply might not be word perfect.
Is it just a VFR flight? How much controlled airspace etc will be part of the exam?
I think I am getting myself a bit too nervous..There is a sample VFR flight in the CAP413 in chapter 10.. would this be the complete test flight??
Join Date: Jun 2003
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I would definitely recommend revising the examples at the end of Safety sense leaflet 22 (Safety Sense Leaflet 22: Radiotelephony | Publications | CAA) as some of them bear an uncanny resemblance to my RT test!
If you're confident with your RT already, you may not need any practical training, but an opportunity to practice using the exam equipment may help as it's not at all like a real radio.
Good Luck
If you're confident with your RT already, you may not need any practical training, but an opportunity to practice using the exam equipment may help as it's not at all like a real radio.
Good Luck
Join Date: Aug 2005
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As long as you know the all stuff in CAP 413 Supplement 3 you should be fine - you'll get "lost" (QDM/bearing etc) and probably have to relay a mayday or have some sort of pan-pan ("engine running rough..") and transit plenty of CAS ..
I managed it as a glider pilot - I found it difficult to get my head around the different handovers as radio use in the gliding world is very casual.. good luck
I managed it as a glider pilot - I found it difficult to get my head around the different handovers as radio use in the gliding world is very casual.. good luck
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I did mine between QXC and skills test. I think it's fair to say you will get a Mayday or Pan. I was told these carry a hefty proportion of the marks so practice them to get them word perfect. And when the emergency's cancelled (as it will be otherwise you can't continue the flight!) remember to call up and say something like. "G-XX, engine now running fine, continuing to <original destination> cancel Mayday/Pan"
Also think about radio failure (if you get no response go back to the last frequency for a radio check then explain there was no response from <Wherever Radar on 123.450> please could they call them up and see if there's a problem).
Read the exam briefing carefully and consider if there's any part of the route where you'll be with a LARS and should ask for traffic or deconfliction instead of basic service.
You will almost certainly get a MATZ penetration, ATZ transit or SVFR clearance.
Good luck!
Also think about radio failure (if you get no response go back to the last frequency for a radio check then explain there was no response from <Wherever Radar on 123.450> please could they call them up and see if there's a problem).
Read the exam briefing carefully and consider if there's any part of the route where you'll be with a LARS and should ask for traffic or deconfliction instead of basic service.
You will almost certainly get a MATZ penetration, ATZ transit or SVFR clearance.
Good luck!
Join Date: May 2006
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I did the computerised one *very* recently - part of the requirement to get a JAA one off the back of my existing ICAO one. Much of it has been said already, but I'd offer the following:
I was given a brief which contained a 'plog', however, the computerised plane 'flies' its self along the route - it uses time compression in the quiet bits (which stops as soon as you press the PTT). That means calculated timings are irrelevant. You're expected to use /set QFE/QNH and transponder codes as you go, including correct (standby-change-on) use of the transponder. There was an 'emergency' scenario and a zone transit in mine, as well as the potential for diversion, QDM's, mayday relays and the like.
It also means that the whole thing is quite compressed - Being honest I found I was a little pressured - not flat out, but it was reasonably intense. My examiner advised me to keep it simple, and talk to the minimum number of people - sound advice indeed. I was also advised if it took me more than 10 mins to 'plan', I was overthinking it - I concur there too - writing down too much stuff (I did) is just confusing, I would stick to who, when and initial calls - if you can't regurgitate the responses fairly easily, it's perhaps premature to take the test. A dry run would be worth its weight in gold.
I was given a brief which contained a 'plog', however, the computerised plane 'flies' its self along the route - it uses time compression in the quiet bits (which stops as soon as you press the PTT). That means calculated timings are irrelevant. You're expected to use /set QFE/QNH and transponder codes as you go, including correct (standby-change-on) use of the transponder. There was an 'emergency' scenario and a zone transit in mine, as well as the potential for diversion, QDM's, mayday relays and the like.
It also means that the whole thing is quite compressed - Being honest I found I was a little pressured - not flat out, but it was reasonably intense. My examiner advised me to keep it simple, and talk to the minimum number of people - sound advice indeed. I was also advised if it took me more than 10 mins to 'plan', I was overthinking it - I concur there too - writing down too much stuff (I did) is just confusing, I would stick to who, when and initial calls - if you can't regurgitate the responses fairly easily, it's perhaps premature to take the test. A dry run would be worth its weight in gold.
Join Date: Dec 2009
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I have a question about the call for a training fix with a D&D station
(1) you call 121.5 with "London Centre, G-XXX, request practice pan"
would you than say:
Practice Pan, Practice Pan, Practice Pan, G-XXX, request training fix
or would you say:
or Training Fix, Training Fix, Training Fix , G-XXX request trainign fix
(1) you call 121.5 with "London Centre, G-XXX, request practice pan"
would you than say:
Practice Pan, Practice Pan, Practice Pan, G-XXX, request training fix
or would you say:
or Training Fix, Training Fix, Training Fix , G-XXX request trainign fix
I am not saying this is word perfect
The correct call to request a training fix is "Training Fix, Training Fix, Training Fix, G-ABCD".
The correct call to request a Practice Pan is "PRACTICE PAN, PRACTICE PAN, PRACTICE PAN, London Centre, G-ABCD".
See CAP413, Chapter 8, paragraphs 1.9 and 1.8 respectively.
Radiotelephony messages are categorised so as to give an order of priority. Distress and Urgency calls commence with MAYDAY or PAN and are the two Emergency Categories which use a common format known as the Emergency Messgae.
A Training Fix is categorised as "Direction Finding" it is not an Emergency Message and takes the next order of priority. The two categories should not be confused.
A Training Fix is categorised as "Direction Finding" it is not an Emergency Message and takes the next order of priority. The two categories should not be confused.
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I PASSED
the exam was funny but weird and not like real flying. I had too much paperwork in front of me and I had to look on the map and virtually move the plane to the next waypoint.
I had to relay a mayday call and also carry out a pan call due to rough running engine. Other than that I had to get a true bearing, pass a matz and controlled airspace via svfr.
All in all not bad but I was taking it too serious writing about two pages of information down. This I would never do in real.
So now I am waiting for the licence to come back.
the exam was funny but weird and not like real flying. I had too much paperwork in front of me and I had to look on the map and virtually move the plane to the next waypoint.
I had to relay a mayday call and also carry out a pan call due to rough running engine. Other than that I had to get a true bearing, pass a matz and controlled airspace via svfr.
All in all not bad but I was taking it too serious writing about two pages of information down. This I would never do in real.
So now I am waiting for the licence to come back.
