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PPL Exams

While reading the latest Pilot magazine published in the UK, I noted a letter sent in from a QFI and examiner in Chelmsford in which he remarked that there will be a requirement under EASA for a PPL to pass 9 exams, and they must be completed in 6 sittings. He also remarked that this will no doubt put people off wanting to become a PPL, and I agree. When I signed up 7 years ago, I was so keen to get a PPL, I'd have still signed up, but 9 exams for a non-commercial license seems crazy. Even if it seems that two of the current subjects (Air Law and Operational Procedures, Aircraft technical) have the same content but split into 4 exams instead of 2, its not an attractive change in my opinion. The number of books / exams should really be going down, not up!

On the one hand, it seems that EASA is making the IR a tad more attractive with the CBM IR, while on the other hand actually making the PPL more unattractive.

Thoughts?

It is absolutely ridiculous.

EGTK Oxford

While I agree that the whole thing is a bit silly, does anyone know if the syllabus has actually increased - or even changed at all?

When I took my exams (only about 18 months ago now), they really weren't all that difficult. I spent a couple of evenings swotting up on each one with the AFE book and used the AFE Q and A book for some very targeted revision the day before. It was a little more difficult than the driving theory test (UK) - but not much.

EGEO

But it just adds procedural complexity. Do one exam, make it cover everything so you have still have to study it all. Make life easier while lowering the exam time needed.

ie adopt the FAA system.

EGTK Oxford

does anyone know if the syllabus has actually increased

To be honest I dont, I havent looked, and I dont know when this will be effective, though I am assuming this QFI has this information on good authority and it seemed liked a good discussion point.

ie adopt the FAA system.

I agree. I enjoyed reading the PPL books and I was in no rush, but I am sure I have learned much more from my instructors, my mistakes, and from forums such as this than I did spending nights contemplating things like the coefficient of lift, which I know interest some people, but dont interest me (not at PPL level anyhow).

I actually did the exams in 2 lots - air law before I went solo and the rest in one morning. There's nothing to stop anyone doing this (other than school scheduling/attitudes).

Splitting them 50/50 would probably be the ideal.

I agree thoough, the extra paperwork generated is pointless - and about 30% of the content is unnecessary (while a huge load is missing as well - eg. everything you need to do if you come to own a plane...).

Edit to add: The exams must have been recently amended to cover the Air Law changes in EASA licensing. Do they also cover the new SERA regulations?

EGEO

The actual # of exams is not so important. You can sit them at your local school, anytime.

What is needed is a syllabus overhaul.

My younger son (16) has recently made a start on this stuff, which made me revisit the topic with the "benefit" of 13 years' flying experience.

What makes the PPL theory different from the JAA IR theory is that while a good 90% of the IR theory is irrelevant or useless bunk, a lot of PPL theory is needed to fly correctly, safely, etc. Also you need to know the radio e.g. always read back clearances, etc.

But still a big part of PPL theory is useless. They need to take that out, and replace it with stuff that is actually needed; probably mostly "operational" type stuff.

Just look at how many UK PPLs post questions on pilot forums along the lines of "how do I fly from Southend to Lydd". I would never criticise a pilot posting that, but his/her instructor and examiner ought to be made to account for a dodgy training and skills test signoff.

Still, I don't suppose this will ever happen, because the JAA/EASA IR is happily being dished out to pilots who then cannot fly IFR from A to B (without some mentoring) so we probably can't expect the PPL to be any more useful!

The problem is that while somebody who has done the long haul to get an IR is probably going to be motivated and savvy enough to sort out the extra info, the average PPL won't have the contacts (you generally don't pick up any useful contacts within the school environment because experienced pilots are not encouraged to hang around there) and will just pack it in. So... we get the ~90% attrition rate of new PPLs.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

What makes the PPL theory different from the JAA IR theory is that while a good 90% of the IR theory is irrelevant or useless bunk, a lot of PPL theory is needed to fly correctly, safely, etc. Also you need to know the radio e.g. always read back clearances, etc.

Radio and Air Law are both about right IMO, but the degree of relevance and completeness varies a lot through the others (some discussion of VRF radio use abroad using something other than the UK ATSOCAS system would be good).

"how do I fly from Southend to Lydd"

Flight planning is probably the worst - concentrating solely on generating a useful plan for dead reckoning, and requiring a silly degree of acuracy in one's measurement (much more accuracy than anyone can fly, especially at PPL level). This is even worse on the IMCr exam (which does also have some essential stuff on radio aids - it could be worse). Nowhere is there any mention of GPS, computerised flight planning or the modern NOTAM system - i.e. exactly the things I use planning flights post-PPL.

The biggest omission is around understanding/managing maintenance of one's owna aircraft. The current system is immensely complex and impenetrable, and without a good dose of luck anybody buying their first plane will be stung quite badly (I was lucky, my engineers are very good)...

EGEO

The original JAA concept was that there would be one exam covering all the PPL subjects with 120 questions. Why? because they copied the idea from the FAA. There never really was a JAA PPL, just a National PPL with a JAA sticker on the front as each State carried on as before. The UK kept its multiple exams and has around 240 questions in total.

EASA is quite specific, there are 9 subject areas and there should not be more than 120 questions so that looks a lot less to me that 7 individual exams with 240 questions. The problem seems to be that the CAA can't come to terms with this new requirement!

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