Lesson 10 - 6th December
Exams
As well as the practical aspect of learning to fly, there is also the theory. Before I can get my licence, I will need to complete a General Skills Test (GST) and also complete 5 exams and the 2 separate Radio Telephony exams that allow me to operate the radio. This makes 7 exams in total. They are:
After the previous lesson, I spoke to Dave about the exams and agreed it would be a good idea to get started on them and not leave them until the end. I booked myself in to do the Air Law exam and the Communication/Radio Telephony written exam. The Radio Telephony practical exam needs a half day to be arranged.
I had done plenty of study leading up to the exams and also used QuizAero to help me revise and take mock papers, so I was hopeful, albeit not 100% confident!
The first thing to say is that the actual papers are not like the QuizAero mock papers. With the Air Law paper, the questions are more 'wordy' in the way they are phrased. They also seemed to concentrate on different areas than QuizAero. However, I managed to pass getting 17/20 on the first attempt.
On to the Communications paper. This was clearly different as the paper gave 4 possible options whereas QuizAero only had 3 options. Like Air Law, the questions were more 'wordy' and a lot more confusing. There were questions that were not covered in QuizAero and perhaps I should have picked them up from the books, but this was not to be.
Before sitting this paper, I sat 2 mock papers and scored 16/20 on one and 25/30 on the other. Having discussed the ones I got wrong with Dave, I took my first attempt at the real thing. Only 12 questions on this so the margin for error is smaller and you need to get 9/12 or 75% to pass. On my first attempt I got 8/12! Bugger. I really thought I had blown it for the day and was really angry with myself! However, I didn't realise that there are various papers and you are allowed to take multiple attempts in each sitting, doing a different paper each time. Based on this, I had another try. Lots of different questions and this time ........ 8/12 again! Double bugger!! As time was pushing on, and I had other commitments, I had time for one final attempt. I took my time and made sure I read the questions properly. I am sure I took a bit longer than the allowed 20 minutes and this time scored 12/12 so a 100% pass! Finally!! I was very pissed off at myself for taking 3 attempts, but at least it is done.
So it is 2 down 5 to go! Dave suggested that I look at Aircraft Technical next. I will start with a view to doing that in the new year and not try to push to do it earlier.
There was no actual flying today as the weather just wasn't playing ball. Having said that, I was quite wound up after the exams, so it was probably a good thing.
As well as the practical aspect of learning to fly, there is also the theory. Before I can get my licence, I will need to complete a General Skills Test (GST) and also complete 5 exams and the 2 separate Radio Telephony exams that allow me to operate the radio. This makes 7 exams in total. They are:
- Air Law
- Aircraft Technical
- Human Performance and Limitations
- Meteorology
- Navigation
- Radio Telephony Written
- Radio Telephony Practical
After the previous lesson, I spoke to Dave about the exams and agreed it would be a good idea to get started on them and not leave them until the end. I booked myself in to do the Air Law exam and the Communication/Radio Telephony written exam. The Radio Telephony practical exam needs a half day to be arranged.
I had done plenty of study leading up to the exams and also used QuizAero to help me revise and take mock papers, so I was hopeful, albeit not 100% confident!
The first thing to say is that the actual papers are not like the QuizAero mock papers. With the Air Law paper, the questions are more 'wordy' in the way they are phrased. They also seemed to concentrate on different areas than QuizAero. However, I managed to pass getting 17/20 on the first attempt.
On to the Communications paper. This was clearly different as the paper gave 4 possible options whereas QuizAero only had 3 options. Like Air Law, the questions were more 'wordy' and a lot more confusing. There were questions that were not covered in QuizAero and perhaps I should have picked them up from the books, but this was not to be.
Before sitting this paper, I sat 2 mock papers and scored 16/20 on one and 25/30 on the other. Having discussed the ones I got wrong with Dave, I took my first attempt at the real thing. Only 12 questions on this so the margin for error is smaller and you need to get 9/12 or 75% to pass. On my first attempt I got 8/12! Bugger. I really thought I had blown it for the day and was really angry with myself! However, I didn't realise that there are various papers and you are allowed to take multiple attempts in each sitting, doing a different paper each time. Based on this, I had another try. Lots of different questions and this time ........ 8/12 again! Double bugger!! As time was pushing on, and I had other commitments, I had time for one final attempt. I took my time and made sure I read the questions properly. I am sure I took a bit longer than the allowed 20 minutes and this time scored 12/12 so a 100% pass! Finally!! I was very pissed off at myself for taking 3 attempts, but at least it is done.
So it is 2 down 5 to go! Dave suggested that I look at Aircraft Technical next. I will start with a view to doing that in the new year and not try to push to do it earlier.
There was no actual flying today as the weather just wasn't playing ball. Having said that, I was quite wound up after the exams, so it was probably a good thing.
Purchases this post
Air Law Exam - £30
RT Written Exam - £60 (charged for 2 attempts)
Totals
Total Costs = £3138.91
Total Hours PA-28 = 1.05
Total Hours Icarus C42 = 9 hours 50 minutes
Air Law Exam - £30
RT Written Exam - £60 (charged for 2 attempts)
Totals
Total Costs = £3138.91
Total Hours PA-28 = 1.05
Total Hours Icarus C42 = 9 hours 50 minutes
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