Getting a private pilot’s license (PPL) can be described as
- showing you know the textbook
- showing you know how to fly.
The requirements for getting a PPL say that the two final exams a student must pass are, guess what:
- a written exam covering all ground school material
- a flight test covering all necessary flying skills
As of four days ago, I had only these two exams between me and my license. I scheduled a written exam slot for Wednesday morning, wrote it, and passed! I could just leave this post as it is now, but maybe I should share some details in case someone reads this while preparing for their exam.
The format is 100 multiple-choice questions, possibly delivered on a computer. I happened to write the exam at a location that did have computers, and it was actually much nicer than on paper, I think. I wasn’t tempted to glance at the next question (although I still could if I wanted), I could “bookmark” questions I wanted to be able to come back to later, and I never had to erase a changed answer. The program graded the exam immediately after I told it I was done, so I knew my score within a minute – very nice.
There are four sections: air law, navigation, meteorology, and general aeronautics knowledge. The overall pass grade is 60%, but each of the four parts have to be passed above 60% as well! That makes it impossible for a meteorology-lover like myself to bomb air law yet pass the exam, not that I did of course.
Study material is not obvious, but it is around. Here are a few places to look:
- A flying club’s practice exams – are usually harder than the real thing
- Transport Canada’s practice exam (look online for document TP 13014E, very useful)
- From the Ground Up – this book has been called the pilot’s bible
- Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) for the tricky air law stuff
- Pilot Training Handbook for things like illusions and unusual attitudes
Personally, I am thrilled that it’s over, and now (the last few days) I have been putting in hours of flight time with my instructor, so he can recommend me for the flight test. On Sept. 6 or 7 I will do the pre-flight test with the instructor, then he will let me schedule the actual test for sometime that week. Actually it would be much sooner except that I’m going on a trip until then. After that, I’ve got my license and will hopefully be flying people around often in the following weeks.