Principles of Flight - Monday
060605
This subject has alot of evil questions, so I was
a little nervous for this one. The exams was somewhat
easier than expected, and it stayed off the hardest
parts of the subject. Questions about: Lift, drag,
propellers, load factor, supersonic flight
Airframes/Systems/Powerplant -
Monday 060605
This is a subject that alot of people hate. It is
really an interesting subject though, because it
is actually relevant. Unfortunately there is alot
of questions about things that is completely useless
that we never are going to use.
The biggest surprise on this exam was the focus
areas. I was expecting alot of questions on jet
engines and big aircraft, but alot of the questions
were related to small planes. Piston engine questions
about mixture, carburettor, magnetos etc. Also questions
on de-/anti-icing system, pressurization system,
about 4-5 electrics questions and some questions
on fire detection and oxygen systems.
Instrumentation - Monday
060605
A subject you should think is fairly easy, but they
dig pretty deep into the different instruments so
this exam could be scary. Fortunately it contained
a whole bunch of basic pitot static questions, which
probably accounted for around 40% of the exam. Other
than that there were some questions on gyro, flight
director, autopilot, yaw damper, GPWS ("Whooop
whooop, pull up") and sensors.
General Navigation - Wednesday
080605
Alot of students find this subject difficult because
of alot of math, so you need to keep focused on
this one. There weren't as many calculations as
I had expected. Alot of questions on distance, speed,
time, maps (lambert conformal, direct mercator,
polar sterographic), Point of Safe Return, Point
of Equal Time, decent planning, FMS and IRS/INS
Radio Navigation - Wednesday
080605
Easier than expected. Quesions on NDB, ILS, Radar,
Transponder, Airborne Weather Radar, RNAV, EFIS,
Doppler shift and GPS.
Airlaw - Thursday
090605
Basically as expected. Airlaw is a huge subject
because it's alot of memorization required. On the
other hand there is some logic to some of it and
some is also similar to what we know from the States.
Alot of Abacus studying did the trick on this one.
Questions on: ICAO, holding, instrument approach,
departures, airspace, ATS, seperation etc.
Meteorology - Thursday
090605
The nemesis of many ATPL students. A huge curriculum
which goes into alot of detail demands alot of study
effort to pass the exam. Even though there is alot
of memorization, you'll get furthest with understanding.
I had abit of trouble in the beginning until I found
Oxford
Met CBT. Without it, I would probably have had
a much harder time at the exam. There questions
about climatology in different locations around
the world, and I had expected to get questions like
"what months can you expect tropical storms
in Darwin?". But the NCAA had been doing a
good job here. All the climatology questions was
about Europe. Not that it made things easier for
me, because I've been spending more time reading
on the rest of the world. As in the Airframes/Systes
exams there were emphasis on icing, which of course
is important when flying in Northern Europe.
WEEK 2
The first week was without doubt the most demanding
in regards to how the subjects were spread out,
so it was a great relief to be half way. I spent
the weekend reading a bit and relaxing. The rest
of the week I basically spent studying non stop.
Flight Panning - Monday
130605
This is the longest of all the exams, and the reason
for that is that there is alot of charts, graphs
and tables that need to be used. Again I had expected
there to be an emphasis on fuel, speed and distance
calculations for big jet aircraft, but there were
very few questions about this. A bunch of questions
on ATS flight plan, some questions on VFR and IFR
charts, instrument approach plates, safe altitudes,
calculation of GS, TAS, Mno, Drift angle, PET, PSR
and Fuel.
Performance -
Wednesday 150605
This exam can be tricky, cause you have to keep
good control of all the different definitions and
factors that play in. Questions on what different
configurations do to the performance limited take
off mass, a bunch of definitions, some regulatory
factors for take off/landing distances and some
aerodynamics.
Mass and Balance - Wednesday
150605
Fairly easy subject, but with a few questions it
doesn't take many errors to screw this one up. Questions
on floor loading/running load, CG, stability, definitions
on different masses, standard masses and some regulations.
Communication IFR/VFR - Wednesday
150605
This exam is underestimated by people, because they
consider it easy. It is definitely among the easiest,
but if you don't read before the exam, it can easily
be busted. I got questions on stuff I don't normally
think about, and it doesn't take more than 6 wrong
to bust this one. As long as you read the book before
the exam, it should be easy. Questions on phraseology,
definitions, communications failure and distress.
Human Performance and Limitations
- Thursday 160605
I definitly don't like this exam. Even though I
think this is a very important subject for the training,
it is not very constructive to read about it. Alot
of memoriation is required and most of it disappears
after about a week. I'm looking forward to the MCC
course in August which is practical training in
this subject, which I think I will gain alot more
from than reading about it. The focus areas was
as expected: hypoxia, hyperventilataion and stress.
Some questions on human physiology (eyes, ears,
lungs etc.) and of course some typical HPL questions
written by some fancy psycologists.
Operational Procedures - Thursday
160605
Another memorization subject like Air Law. This
relates to regulations and procedures for commercial
aviation and can be both interesting and frustrating.
Questions on equipment requirements (oxygen, fire
extinguishers, crash axe, megaphone, public address
system), and other general regulations.
It's a great feeling to have come this far. To
study for 14 exams at once did work out, though
it did demand alot of focus and energy. It would
be better if the exams were spread out over several
exam periods, but the NCAA doesn't feel like that
is such a good idea. I know that in other countries
there is the possibility to take the exams once
a month, while in Norway it is every 3 months. Probably
economic reasons, but thinking about the 7000 kroners
we each pay to be able to take them, you should
think that it was enough to cover everything. We
were 20 students taking the exam now, and I assume
that the conference room and the exam guards all
together doesn't cost more than 140 000 kroner.
In case it does, sign me up.
Relaxation and a little work is on the schedule
in the coming weeks. Next step in the training is
MCC course in August.
If you have made it all the way down here, you
have been extremely patient.
