April Performance exam !!!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: NA
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
April Performance exam !!!
Very hard I think, think I made it though.
Many new graph questions, almost no graph questions from the feedback. Also 2 new MEP graph question, both 3 markers !!!
Anyone had experience from this same exam? Any anwsers to the MEP-graph questions, (I put 2000ft. and 3540ft.)
Also, when approaching you should :
B) Make a "positive" landing, full reverse thrust, brakes AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
or...
D) Full reverse thrust, brake only BELOW HYDROPLANING SPEED
Bristol says B), but many others say D)
Hope I made it...
Many new graph questions, almost no graph questions from the feedback. Also 2 new MEP graph question, both 3 markers !!!
Anyone had experience from this same exam? Any anwsers to the MEP-graph questions, (I put 2000ft. and 3540ft.)
Also, when approaching you should :
B) Make a "positive" landing, full reverse thrust, brakes AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
or...
D) Full reverse thrust, brake only BELOW HYDROPLANING SPEED
Bristol says B), but many others say D)
Hope I made it...
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not that it makes much difference, but I noted that the answer said "as QUICKLY as possible".
I don't think it changes it, but if we're gonna talk about it!
It was in my estimtation a very unfair exam. I mean come on..nearly 50% of it was weighted in graph questions. Now for an exam that takes 1 hour to complete to do 34 questions. So if 7 of those (3 SNG, 2 Multi and 2 MRJT was the amount I believe) are graph questions and weighted with 2/3 marks. Each question has approx. 1min45secs to work on, which when considering that three of them required whizz wheel work and climb gradient formula transposition and calculation, we're already pushing it. So ok, let's make the answers REALLY close together and then we can make them do it again to check. That then becomes more time. It's unreasonable. There is no time left to think about the theory questions. In the exam room I was in, practically everyone was in there until the finish.
The problem with this exam is TIME. It doesn't matter how good you are. Unless you know feedback for this, your completely lost, as there is no time available to answer anything thoughtfully!!!
What is it that is being tested here exactly????
Oh well, onwards and upwards!!
Good luck everyone!
TB.
I don't think it changes it, but if we're gonna talk about it!
It was in my estimtation a very unfair exam. I mean come on..nearly 50% of it was weighted in graph questions. Now for an exam that takes 1 hour to complete to do 34 questions. So if 7 of those (3 SNG, 2 Multi and 2 MRJT was the amount I believe) are graph questions and weighted with 2/3 marks. Each question has approx. 1min45secs to work on, which when considering that three of them required whizz wheel work and climb gradient formula transposition and calculation, we're already pushing it. So ok, let's make the answers REALLY close together and then we can make them do it again to check. That then becomes more time. It's unreasonable. There is no time left to think about the theory questions. In the exam room I was in, practically everyone was in there until the finish.
The problem with this exam is TIME. It doesn't matter how good you are. Unless you know feedback for this, your completely lost, as there is no time available to answer anything thoughtfully!!!
What is it that is being tested here exactly????
Oh well, onwards and upwards!!
Good luck everyone!
TB.
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: uk
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Totally agree with you tubular bells. I mean come on, considering past AP exams have had 1 graphical question for you to do. The national average will have plummeted, as it did for the February AP exam.....
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: London
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I sat all four exams on Monday at Gatwick and was amazed at how many people were there for the 'Performance' paper (re-sits I can only imagine). The room was packed and no-one left before the hour was up.
My brain was pretty fried by then any way so am sure I'll be back in May to do that little baby again. Another 55 quid of my money going towards the rent of that nice shiney building at Gatwick!!
My brain was pretty fried by then any way so am sure I'll be back in May to do that little baby again. Another 55 quid of my money going towards the rent of that nice shiney building at Gatwick!!
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: uk
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Totally agree with what has already been said here, I was one of those also at Gatwick on Monday, Doing a resit!!, If I new as much as I did this time the last perf exam (December)would of past in December, but as it stands there is no way I could of pased it this time with all those graphs.
I fly in the real world and these graphs are useless, should just be theory. can't change it now whats done is done!
Good Luck Everyone!
I fly in the real world and these graphs are useless, should just be theory. can't change it now whats done is done!
Good Luck Everyone!
Jet Blast Rat
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Sarfend-on-Sea
Age: 51
Posts: 2,081
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't teach Performance, but I was wondering if anyone had considered a formal complaint to the CAA about the nature of the exam? It would be hard to do through the schools, as the instructors do not see the exam, they can't complain by direct experience, and there is a fairly strict procedure that only allows restricted grounds for complaint. It can be brought up at the next CGIs' meeting, but I as a humble subject instructor don't know if anything else can be done.
On the other hand you guys paid £55 each to be in that exam hall. You are the customer, and the CAA examiners are very clearly not doing the job they should be doing. You have been ill-served, and for some it may cost you a fair amount of money - a couple of months living without earning in some cases, i.e. thousands of pounds in delays to career. The CAA should be made to understand this, as some of them have never been in the situation and tend not to understand the reality of flight training from the student's point of view.
Who knows, maybe even the sale of goods act applies, as you have paid for a service.
On the other hand you guys paid £55 each to be in that exam hall. You are the customer, and the CAA examiners are very clearly not doing the job they should be doing. You have been ill-served, and for some it may cost you a fair amount of money - a couple of months living without earning in some cases, i.e. thousands of pounds in delays to career. The CAA should be made to understand this, as some of them have never been in the situation and tend not to understand the reality of flight training from the student's point of view.
Who knows, maybe even the sale of goods act applies, as you have paid for a service.
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Uk
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One to rule them all
The battles in the heavens over this point continue to rage aloft. The Ground Schools as ever are fighting on the students side I'm sure, albiet they are the under dogs. Together they must stand firm against the dark forces of Sauramon.
A genuine but humourous post
A genuine but humourous post
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks Sends Clowns, your help is greatly appreciated. It's such a pain when something like this happens. I've been getting top grades through all my exams and then something happens like this!? Doesn't the CAA actually look at the results and say "Hmmm, there must be something wrong here..."? I worked really hard at PF and put extra study time into it as a result of hearing about what had happened in the Feb exams, look where it got me?!
In addition, I've made a formal complaint through my school. They've agreed there's a problem and are taking it to the CAA. Looking at the response here, it's going to be very hard to ignore this, considering that students are from a variety of different schools, it's going to be difficult blaming it on bad instruction or lack of knowledge.
I guess we'll have to see what happens....
Thanks again,
TB.
In addition, I've made a formal complaint through my school. They've agreed there's a problem and are taking it to the CAA. Looking at the response here, it's going to be very hard to ignore this, considering that students are from a variety of different schools, it's going to be difficult blaming it on bad instruction or lack of knowledge.
I guess we'll have to see what happens....
Thanks again,
TB.
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Bristol, England
Age: 65
Posts: 1,805
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
To my knowledge representations have been made by OAT, BCFT, London Metropoliton, PGT and us. The comments from all the schools are similar and the examiners have certainly got the message. They ask you to bear with them and have promised a full review of the paper.
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: MANCHESTER
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Is this all being done in the hope that something can be resolved over our actual exam, or just the furture perf. exams to come? Its so disheartening when you literally put everything you have into studyin, then to feel that you probably wont achieve what you deserve. I even think its affected my performance in my other exams. Although you can try to tell yourself to forget about it until the results come out, it doesnt work like that. Its constantly in the back of my mind and you so dont need that wen you shud be cracking on with other revision
i did februarys perf exam and although i did pass, it was one of my lower marks. we had two graphs and after doing both 4 times i still got bang in the middle of two answers for the second one.
My only advice is to hammer the feedback so you are not reliant on the lottery of the graphs and if you can rip through the regular questions it will free up more time to attempt the graphs.
anyway... goodluck to all those sitting perf.
My only advice is to hammer the feedback so you are not reliant on the lottery of the graphs and if you can rip through the regular questions it will free up more time to attempt the graphs.
anyway... goodluck to all those sitting perf.
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: ex-DXB
Posts: 927
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would say the answer is 'B' also. Answer 'D' mentions nothing about landing - you need to land in order to be able to use reverse thrust, (If you are quoting directly from the paper that is.)
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: bournemouth
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Performance Exam
Having sat the exam in Feb and got 74% I resat in April. As everyone has found out it was an unachieveable paper and therefore after taking some advice from a 3rd party legal representitive I have made a formal complaint to the CAA.
In a reply they have acknowledged the problem areas in the paper and this is currently under hot debate at the belgrano. Actual words were 'we have launced an in depth investigation'.
I have also broached the topic of the new runway at Esbjerg of which the CAA seem to think exists 36. This too is being investigated. (Planning Paper mis print)
In conclusion there is a suspicious lack in audit and quality control on the exam papers and I have asked the CAA for details on their quality control procedures. If anyone is not happy with the paper in Feb or April I think you should make formal complaints. Safety in numbers........unless you all have lots of time and £55's to waste.
Will keep you up to date.
In a reply they have acknowledged the problem areas in the paper and this is currently under hot debate at the belgrano. Actual words were 'we have launced an in depth investigation'.
I have also broached the topic of the new runway at Esbjerg of which the CAA seem to think exists 36. This too is being investigated. (Planning Paper mis print)
In conclusion there is a suspicious lack in audit and quality control on the exam papers and I have asked the CAA for details on their quality control procedures. If anyone is not happy with the paper in Feb or April I think you should make formal complaints. Safety in numbers........unless you all have lots of time and £55's to waste.
Will keep you up to date.
Last edited by wessexairways; 7th Apr 2005 at 16:05.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Send Clowns
With respect to your occupation, links in the training business and not wishing to be rude; what is the substance behind such a statement and what does it mean in simple terms?
I only ask as I am one of the ones in the exam.
I don't want to read such things and get my hopes up, only to have them dashed later, because of a pep talk.
The CAA is taking this seriously - not sure of likely outcome, but it is being looked at.
I only ask as I am one of the ones in the exam.
I don't want to read such things and get my hopes up, only to have them dashed later, because of a pep talk.