[Micromouse]

Hi Wayne,

how did the mock skills exam go?

I'm sure you'll be ready for the RT exam after the lesson the other day, but I was wondering, did you not have to do position reports on your cross country flights or other Nav exercises?

Just curious if the ATC varies across the country.

Mock skills is this afternoon…. But I will let you know. A MATZ/ATZ, and a class D crossing to plan with all the what ifs…..

Yup I had to do a couple of position reports on my XC, but it was location based and requested. The bit that threw me was ‘give a position report’, but every one I have every done has been requested and the way the notes appear to be was just give a position report.

Wayne


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[Andrew Sinclair]

@Irv Lee hear hear!

It won’t do the pilot any favours later on when they are flying operationally!

[SteveC]

@flyingearly
If you name the examiner and course, I suspect there would be an interview with bread and water at Gatwick for your examiner and maybe a new test for you.
(although I think there is a 50-50 chance of me guessing who and where)

Me too....

[flyingearly]

I'd have no qualms about doing a new test....my radio work is competent and this was actually the thing that irked me when I did my FRTOL in the first place: like the OP here, I went in with a certain set of expectations, did all my revision and was very assiduous, only to feel really disappointed when the actual session was pretty superficial and the assessment almost non-existent. But more than that, I felt a bit short-changed that others on the course had passed when it was clear they really hadn't studied sufficiently, or were making really fundamental errors that - rather than being concerned about - the examiner was then using as a point for discussion and learning.

I won't name and shame here as I'm not sure what it will achieve, but happy to cross-reference privately and see if you're right...!

For the OP, my advice still stands though: forget about the test. A test is an assessment of a minimum standard. You should strive to be the best you can be in all aspects of airmanship, of which radio skills is one area.

One thing I used to do - although I expect I'm a bit of a saddo in hindsight - was whenever I went walking with the dog in the local forest, I'd have a few conversations with myself playing not just the pilot but also ATC. I'd make up a situation, or if I struggled to do that would plan a little flight the night before and then walk through it and talk through it as I went.

Another 'fun' thing (also probably put into the same drawer marked 'worrying behaviour'!) is when driving, I'd try and say out loud registrations of each car I passed using phonetic alphabet. When having lessons, it's amazing how quickly you get used to flying - and saying - G-ABCD but then get flummoxed when you're asked to be G-DCBA in a test scenario, flying a different aircraft. Practice, practice, practice (even now, I like to talk through flights in my head).

[Andrew Sinclair]

I wouldn’t worry about saying VRNs out loud, I am sure I have been left with PTSD from sending/receiving morse. Not even plain language, 5 figure cypher groups. I still find myself doing it when I see a group of numbers together.

[skydriller]

@flyingearly I certainly dont recognise that description of the RT exam - at least not as one of the first JAR PPLs. I recall being in a room with headphones on "pretend flying" an entire flight routing, condensed in time, with someone else (possibly 2 different people?) pretending to be ATC etc.

Im intrigued as to if there are differences wrt JAR/EASA PPL (or whatever it is called now) , LAPL or NPPL?? That wouldnt account for it, would it?

Regards, SD..

[T6Harvard]

That is so wrong!
Mind you I have often wondered how the intensive groundschool and exams in a week work? If starting from scratch there is surely virtually no way the current PPL exams can be crammed for all in a week, and the volume of stuff certainly won't be retained thereafter.

@flyingearly , I had used the radio alphabet years ago but it didn't spring quickly to mind so I also practice by reading the odd line of text or place names to help quicker recall.

Definitely going to be practising radio calls. A friend has offered to be ATC / FISO / MIL and D&D but I'll have to write her part out onto crib sheets because she is not a pilot. That will benefit me as well though, getting it into my head another way

(Not so sure that wandering the lanes pretending to be a pilot talking to an invisible Controller will keep me out of trouble )

[Paul_Sengupta]

I am sure I have been left with PTSD from sending/receiving morse. Not even plain language, 5 figure cypher groups. I still find myself doing it when I see a group of numbers together.

Oh, you were one of *them*...?!

[Micromouse]

That is so wrong!
Mind you I have often wondered how the intensive groundschool and exams in a week work? If starting from scratch there is surely virtually no way the current PPL exams can be crammed for all in a week, and the volume of stuff certainly won't be retained thereafter.

I did the intensive week, and intense was not the word, it was worse!! however I had spent 3 months with the books, so used it as a refresher and boost before the exam, and it was worth it. I agree cannot see how you could do such a school without a decent amount of prep.

Wayne


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[T6Harvard]

That sounds like the only way to make good use of it @Micromouse . Well done at getting through the week!

I've just asked school to book me the Comms theory exam (and Human Performance), no date chosen to sit it yet, will have to check availability of ground examiner in a couple of weeks' time