[zie]

Hi all, before anyone says yes their is a topic like this already but it’s from 2015. Thought we can freshen up this topic .

I have already done air law and operational procedures. Passed both and they are pretty much identical in many ways.

What other subjects are similar that worked for you?
Or what order of exams did you guys/girls do?


Thank you.

[Nero]

I did three sittings consisting of:

1. Air Law, Operational Procedures and Human Performance

2. Met, Aircraft General & Principles of Flight

3. Flight Performance, Planning Navigation & Radio Aids Communications

Worked for me, passed all first time and not too heavy per sitting

[SteakAndAle]

Does anyone know anything concrete about changes to questions when they go online this year? I've only heard rumours.

Planning to knock out Air Law & Op procedures this weekend then human perf next weekend while it's still the same sitting. My lessons got scrubbed today due to a dodgy altimeter so figured I may as well hit the books instead

[Flyingkeyboard]

Haven’t heard anything about specific question changes, but I’m interested to know if current passes’ will be honoured. I have everything passed and am about to start the flying again with a view to finishing in the next couple of months. Would be good to know if my passes will be honoured in the event that the new system is fully rolled out.

[SteakAndAle]

On a related note: does anyone else think that the Pooley's Air Law + Ops Procedures books are a bit ****? Most of the information is there, but it feels like it's been cut-and-pasted together. Sections within chapters are laid out haphazardly, there's a lot places where it explains the "what" without the "why" (OK, now I know what Special VFR is, but when/why would I use it?), and for some of the finer details I've had to go to the AIP for a proper explanation or to resolve a contradiction.

Not the end of the world, but given that I shelled out £25 for a new & up-to-date copy it's a bit disappointing. Would be interested to know how the AFE book compares...?

[NewbieFH]

Following, as I'm about to start mine, will be doing the electronic version (as apparently my FS is a pilot for it)

Ref Pooleys, I thought the same about the books, only read Air Law so far, but its very mis match, uses acronyms then about 5 pages later actually shows what it means. again i understand what SVFR now is but no idea when i would use it.

[Fellsteruk]

Taking all the effort to go online I’d expect some new questions but then if the topic ain’t changed and the questions still valid why change them also for a lot of topics the questions couldn’t really be changed I mean “name this part” it’s a spar, that ain’t gonna change.

I think the main benefit for it being online “for the CAA that is “ and that’s they can give you a test which randomly pics from hundreds or thousands of questions. Today your given one of a handful of set tests the school have.

As for order I did.

Sitting one:
Air law, human performance, operational procedures

( they changed the rules “no more sittings” so I thought hey I’m doing one at a time why give myself extra stress)

Sitting two:
Aircraft General Knowledge

Three: Principles of Flight

Four: Meteorology

All above passed my plan is to get comms done next my oral next then I’ll do nav and flight planning together.

I think we have to do nav exam before we can do the XC so I may have to good that sooner

[SteakAndAle]

Taking all the effort to go online I’d expect some new questions but then if the topic ain’t changed and the questions still valid why change them also for a lot of topics the questions couldn’t really be changed I mean “name this part” it’s a spar, that ain’t gonna change.

Aye, agreed - my only concern would be re. Air Law given how often it changes (apparently)

EDIT: just seen this thread - perhaps not!
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=116311

[Fellsteruk]

Just read that topic

I mean it’s a valid point made that you need to learn the topic and not the question banks, personally ppl tutor has been good but the questioning Ive found closer to the actual exam is the pooleys guides.

Maybe this helps to catch people who just learn the question banks and not the topic

[SteakAndAle]

I agree that one should be learning the subject not the question banks, but IMO the problems are:

1) There is a lot of material in each subject, but the number of questions in each paper is low (16 for Air Law, 12 for Ops Proc etc.): this doesn't leave a much margin for error. You could study hard and understand the topic well, but it doesn't take many flubbed questions before you fail. A longer test would tend to "average out" to demonstrate your overall knowledge better.

2) Some of the things you are tested on are not very relevant. Airspace types, VFR minima, actions on fire - very important stuff! The minimum age to be issued a PPL? Not something I should need to memorise, IMO.

Hence we all end up "playing the game" a bit i.e. doing lots of practice tests to learn where you'll probably be caught out. Then when the format changes significantly it all goes sideways!

I don't mean this as a "rah rah, I'm too good for exams" post - I just think they could be done a bit better.

[SteakAndAle]

Amusingly, I've started reading the Comms book and it actually gives a much better explanation of airspace types/ATC services/aerodrome rules than Air Law does!