The Private Pilot's Licence Ground Exams
Theoretical Knowledge and Written Tests Needed when Learning to Fly
Sep 8, 2008
Prospective pilots need to do more than just learn to fly an airplane or helicopter. They need knowledge of how their aircraft works, they must be able to navigate, they should be able to read the weather, and know about a number of other subjects too. So student pilots need to do quite a lot of studying and then take some written exams.
These Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL) exams differ slightly in different countries in the world. This article will explain the system in Europe, with a brief account of the differences in the USA. The details may vary in other countries, but the general idea will be the same, since the knowledge pilots need is very similar.
PPL Exams in Europe
Students usually study alone, but there are formal ground school courses at some flying schools. For the student requiring a course whose own school does not have one, there are advertisements from private tutors in some of the aviation magazines. However, for most people the subject matter is not too difficult, and learning by self-study, with help from a flying instructor occasionally, works very well.
There are exams in seven different subjects:
- Air Law and Operational Procedures
- Aircraft General and Principles of Flight
- Navigation
- Meteorology
- Radio Telephony
- Human Performance and Limitations Flight
- Planning and Performance
There is also a radio telephony oral exam.
All the exams are multiple choice, and the pass mark is 75%. Students take each exam at their own flying school. Three attempts are allowed, and if the student fails the exam a third time, he or she will need to obtain another paper from the CAA at extra charge.
After the first successful pass, all further exams must be passed within 18 months. All of the exams will then remain valid for a further two years to allow for license issue. If a license is not issued within this two year period all of the exams will then be deemed to have time expired, and must be retaken.
It is important to note that a student is not allowed to undertake a PPL skill test until they attained a successful pass in all of the written exam papers.
PPL Exams in the USA
The final test is taken at specific test centres. A certificate of graduation from a pilot training course conducted by an FAA-approved pilot school is required, or a statement of accomplishment certifying the satisfactory completion of the ground school portion of the course. Other proof of having completed the ground study is acceptable, and students should contact their own flying schools for details.
A Word of Warning!
Some flying students try to just learn the answers to the questions, using books such as The PPL Confuser, which are sold for this purpose. But this is not a good idea. Most of the knowledge required for the test will be needed when the student becomes a pilot, and short cuts like this could leave him or her with dangerous gaps in their knowledge. It is best to get one’s nose into the book and learn as much as possible – it could save the pilot’s life in the future!
Related Articles
Training for a Private Pilot’s Licence
See also the author’s Blog, which has an on-going series of posts about her Private Pilot’s Licence Course.
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