PPL Communications Exam

[Distinctly Average]

I have the PPL Communications exam coming up shortly...

I've read Pratt and CAP 413, but there is nothing in the Confuser?

If anyone would kindly share any hints n tips on what kind of questions to expect, I would be most grateful.

Thanks!

[High Wing Drifter]

If you mean the written exam then disregard all texts, except CAP413. You must identify the verbatim answer (if one exists) not necessarily the real world answer! Also, learn VDF, Radio Failure, Pan and Mayday procedures thouroughly. Don't skip a section (other than obviously IFR related) cos you think you know it alrady. There are gotchas lurking

Good luck

[Keygrip]

....and all "definitions" and station "identifiers".

Like "Which is the odd one out?"
a) Ground,
b) Tower,
c) Approach,
d) Radar.

"What is the meaning of the word 'Over'"
a) I am overhead,
b) I've finished speaking, you may respond,
c) I have more to say in a moment,
d) Did you understand what I said?

and by way of confirmation from what HWD said...

VDF, Radio Failure, Pan and Mayday procedures

[Keef]

'Orrible questions! Which is the odd one out?

Ground, cos we haven't got that at Southend?

Radar, because they haven't got that at Naples?


Yes, know CAP413 inside out and backwards, know how to do a PAN and a MAYDAY call, know how to do a MAYDAY RELAY just in case. Know radio failure procedures.

Do they still do the "ditting the PTT" if the microphone fails?

[QNH 1013]

Which is the odd one out? I honestly don't know, unless its Ground because its the only one that doesn't control you in the air. However they are all callsigns for an ATC airfield (c.f. AFIS or A/G). Was this an actual exam question? I'm worried if it was, because I thought my RT was good yet the answer isn't obvious to me.

[Evo]

That's a relief - I couldn't work out which one was the odd one out either

The RT written exam isn't bad. If you are most of the way through the PPL then you've encountered enough RT to pass it. There are a few obscure questions, but not many.

[Whirlybird]

I don't know the answer either.

Ground...because the others control you in the air?
Radar...because the others are used for arriving/departing traffic, radar only if you're passing by (er...I think?)

It's a really really unfair question!!!

Seriously, if I got that question, and it really mattered (eg, I failed by a couple of marks) I'd take it up with the CAA, who are not unreasonable about such things if you argue your case well.

[FlyingForFun]

There is nothing in the Confuser?

Ah, but there is - you just need to know where to get it!

The latest (JAR) issue of the Confuser, for some reason I can't figure out, doesn't have an R/T exam. But the older version does. What you need to do is find someone at your local friendly airfield who has a copy of the old version - probably someone who did their PPL pre-JAR. Ask if you can borrow their Confuser, and you have a practice R/T exam.

To tell the truth, the exam is easy enough that you probably don't need the Confuser. But even so, doing a Confuser exam first always gives a big confidence boost, so it's worth trying to find it.

FFF
--------------

[CPilotUK]

DA,

Purchase a copy of 'Questions & Answers for the PPL Course' by Jim Stevens & Jeremy M Pratt. It is similiar to the Confuser but also has RT.

It is very good in my humble opinion and you should be able to get a copy Here.

Places like Amazon and Transair might also sell it.

Good luck

[Distinctly Average]

Thanks for the info...

1.Would KeyGrip kindly advise the answer to his/her tricky question posted,...?

2.If anyone has the old pre-JAR PPL Confuser, and would allow me to take a photo copy of the relevant pages, please let me know! That would be very useful.

Thanks

[bsfish2003]

Are you also taking the practical exam to get your R/T licence?That,I found, was the most stressful of all the ground exams!