PPL Exam Success

My notes on how I sat and successfully passed the PPL ground school exams.


Many people start with the Human Performance exam as this is generally perceived to be the easiest to study for and to pass. This is what I did and achieved a perfect 100%!

I followed this up with Aviation Law, passing with 92.5%. You will learn a lot here about how to handle yourself correctly on the ground and in the air. You will also need to have successfully passed this examination before going solo, which makes sense as you will be the pilot in command of the aircraft at that time and so it will be your responsibility to abide by the laws of the air.

I took a few weeks of preparation before sitting Meteorology. In the mean time took, and passed, my medical. The extra revision time for the meteorology exam was worth it when I got a 100% pass rate.

Next on my schedule was the Flight Performance and Planning exam as it follows naturally in Trevor Thom's book 4 along with the Aircraft General text. I scored 95% and had a personal dispute with one of the answers provided in my PPL Confuser. See my diary page elsewhere for more details.

It was another 6 weeks before I took the Aircraft General exam. I thought this would be quite simple but there is just so much to cover and I wanted to get everything right. In the end I passed easily with 88%, but some of the questions were quite tricky and you really have to know the detailed principles behind the mechanics.

The following week I re-read the Radio Telephony text book. I'd already read it early on during my training but after a few hours in the air it made much more sense. I passed with 87%.

So only the Navigation exam remained for me to complete the paper set. I sat this and passed with 100% on the same day as I went solo. That was quite an achievement on one day.

There was quite a break before the Radio Telephony Practical. I wanted to leave this until as late as possible so that I would have acquired as much real world experience as I could. In my case the practical examination was undertaken away from the flying school. Check with your school on how and where this practical test is sat.


The remainder of this post gives further background on each of the examinations in the order that I sat them. With each examination overview there are a few sample questions to give you a feel for the style of questions.

Human Performance and Limitations

20 questions in 30 minutes. 64 example questions in the PPL Confuser.

Attention UK Pilots!
This is the book that you need for this subject:
Air Pilot's Manual Volume 6: Human Factors and Pilot Performance

Subject Matter

Human Factors and Pilot Performance - Human Physiology and High Altitudes, Eyesight and Visual Illustrations, Hearing and Balance, Am I Fit To Fly?, Stress Management Fatigue and Sleep, Information Processing, Judgement and Decision Making, The Flight Deck

Safety, First Aid and Survival - Safety and Care of Passengers, First Aid, Survival

Sample Questions

Q1. Approaching a runway that is significantly smaller than previously expected may be perceived as:

1. nearer than it actually is
2. at its actual range
3. farther away than it actually is

Q2. Respiration is a spontaneous act regulated primarily by:

1. the amount of oxygen adhered to haemoglobin
2. atmospheric pressure
3. the carbon dioxide level in the blood

Q3. Co-located controls within a cockpit that operate different systems should be designed to:

1. both look and feel different
2. look the same but feel different
3. both look and feel identical

Aviation Law and Operational Procedures

40 questions in 1 hour. 156 example questions in the PPL Confuser.

Attention UK Pilots!
This is the book that you need for this subject:

Aviation Law and Meteorology (Air Pilot's Manual)

Subject Matter

Aviation Law and Legislation, Rules of the Air, Aerodromes, Altimeter Setting Procedures, Airspace, Air Traffic Services, Visual Flight Rules, Instrument Flight Rules, Pilots Licences, Operation of Aircraft, Distress Urgency, Safety and Warning Signals, Search and Rescue, Accident Investigation Regulations

Sample Questions

Q1. At night, whilst in level cruise, you observe at the same altitude as your aircraft, an anti-collision light together with a green navigation light on a steady relative bearing of 310 degrees that appear to be getting closer. This indicates there is:

1. another flying machine on a collision course with you and it is you that must give way
2. another flying machine on a collision course with you that should give way to you
3. a glider on a collision course with you and it is you that must give way

Q2. In the event of an aircraft accident at a licensed aerodrome during which injury to persons or damage to aircraft is sustained, whose responsibility is it to inform the appropriate authority?

1. The police
2. The pilot in command
3. Any responsible person

Q3. Unless directed by an ATCU, the commander of any aircraft entering UK Airspace from a foreign FIR where transponder operation is not mandatory should squawk:

1. 2000 mode Alpha
2. 2000 mode Alpha simultaneously with mode Charlie
3. 7000 mode Charlie simultaneously with mode Alpha

Meteorology

20 questions in 1 hour. 109 example questions in the PPL Confuser.

Attention UK Pilots!
This is the book that you need for this subject:

Aviation Law and Meteorology (Air Pilot's Manual)

Subject Matter

The Atmosphere, Heating Effects in the Atmosphere, Atmospheric Pressure, The International Standard Atmosphere (ISA), Wind, Cloud, Thunderstorms, Air Masses and Frontal Weather, Icing, Visibility, Weather Forecasts and Reports

Sample Questions

Q1. Hail is most likely to be produced by:

1. AC
2. NS
3. CB

Q2. A pressure gradient stimulates the motion of air from:

1. a region of low pressure to a cyclonic region
2. a region of high pressure to a cyclonic region
3. a region of low pressure to a region of high pressure

Q3. If flying at 2000ft just below cloud in rain with an OAT of between +4C and +6C there would be a risk of:

1. carburettor icing
2. rain ice
3. rime ice

Flight Performance and Planning

20 questions in 1 hour. 88 example questions in the PPL Confuser.

Attention UK Pilots!
This is the book that you need for this subject:
The Aeroplane, Technical (Air Pilot's Manual)

Subject Matter

Flight Planning - Introduction, Pre-flight Briefing, Route Selection and Chart Preparation, Compiling a Flight Log, The Flight Plan Form

Flight Performance and Planning - Airworthiness, Airframe Limitations, The Atmosphere, Take-Off and Landing Performance, En-Route Performance, Weight and Balance, Wake Turbulence, Ground Effect, Windshear.

Sample Questions

Q1. If air density is increased above International Standard Atmospheric conditions, the take-off distance required at full throttle compared with that for standard conditions will be:

1. the same
2. less
3. more

Q2. The total weight of an aeroplane together with its total contents at any particular time is referred to as:

1. the gross weight
2. zero fuel weight
3. the tare weight

Q3. Flight for maximum range in a piston engined aircraft is achieved by flying:

1. at or just above the minimum drag speed
2. at a higher speed than Vno and at the lowest altitude that is safely possible
3. at a lower speed than for maximum range and at the lowest altitude that is safely possible

Aircraft General Knowledge and Principles of Flight

50 questions in 2 hours. 149 example questions in the PPL Confuser.

Attention UK Pilots!
This is the book that you need for this subject:
The Aeroplane, Technical (Air Pilot's Manual)

Subject Matter

Principles of Flight - The Forces Acting on an Aeroplane, Weight, Aerofoil Lift, Drag, Lift/Drag Ratio, Thrust from the Propeller, Stability, Control, Flaps, Straight and Level, Climbing, Descending, Turning, Stalling.

Airframe, Engines and Systems - Airframe, Aeroplane Engine, Carburettor, Fuel System, Oil System, Cooling System, Engine Handling, Electrical System, Vacuum System, Landing Gear Tyres and Brakes.

Flight Instruments - Pressure Instruments, Gyroscopic Instruments, The Magnetic Compass.

Sample Questions

Q1. Air density, which is integral to airframe and engine performance, is proportional to:

1. temperature, and inversely proportional to pressure
2. pressure, and inversely proportional to temperature
3. humidity and temperature

Q2. Induced Drag:

1. is not a factor of airspeed
2. is reduced as airspeed increases
3. is increased as airspeed increases

Q3. High speed flying control flutter is eliminated by fitting:

1. servo tabs to the trailing edge
2. balance tabs to the leading edge
3. mass balance to the leading edge

Radio Communications

30 questions in 1 hour. 66 example questions in the PPL Confuser.

Attention UK Pilots!
This is the book that you need for this subject:
Air Pilot's Manual: Radiotelephony v. 7 (Air pilot's manuals)

The radio telephony practical will take up to 2 hours. You will typically find yourself in isolation with only your headset and microphone for communication with the instructor. You will be asked to initiate and respond to radio telephony exchanges on a simulated cross country flight.

You will be tested on your knowledge of general communications, but also those areas you may not have used in the real world: SVFR clearances, PAN-PAN and MAYDAY calls, talking to the military, talking to various types of controllers etc.

It is quite hard going but once you get into the swing of things it becomes quite natural.

In addition to any text books or study guides I would highly recommend that you download CAP413 from the UK Civil Aviation Authority. CAP413 is the definitive radio telephony manual published by the CAA. You will find it invaluable for your studies and especially when preparing for your radio telephony practical exam.

Subject Matter

Learning the Language - Cockpit Radios, What to Say, Aerodrome Operations, Aerodrome Information

Flying Further - Airspace Classification, R/T in Uncontrolled Airspace, R/T in Controlled Airspace

When Things Go Wrong - Emergency Procedures, Radio Failure Procedures
How Radio Works - Fundamentals, Radio Wave Propagation and Long Range Communications

Sample Questions

Q1. The instruction 'ORBIT RIGHT' means:

1. turn right to avoid conflicting traffic
2. standard right hand circuit
3. make a 360 turn to the right

Q2. 'SQUAWK 1234' means:

1. select the code 1234 on your SSR transponder
2. go to Squawk 123.4MHz, they have your details
3. select COM 123.4MHz and Squawk for ident

Q3. When may the phrase 'TAKE-OFF' be used by a pilot?

1. only when acknowledging a take-off clearance
2. never: it is a phrase only ever used by a ground radio station or ATC
3. only when requesting immediate departure

Navigation and Radio Aids

20 questions in 1 hour. 116 example questions in the PPL Confuser.

Attention UK Pilots!
This is the book that you need for this subject:
Air Navigation (Air Pilot's Manual)

Note that for this examination you will need to take with you your CRP Computer, a suitable ruler, protractor and chinagraph pencils. The flying school will provide the correct edition of the ICAO 1:500,000 navigation chart.

Subject Matter

Basic Navigation Theory - The pilot / navigator, Speed, Direction, Wind Side of the Navigation Computer, Calculator Side of the Navigation Computer, Vertical Navigation, Time, The Earth, Aeronautical Charts

En Route Navigation - En Route Navigation Techniques, Navigation In Remote Areas, Entry/Exit Lanes and Low-Level Routes

En Route Navigation With Radio Navaids - Introduction to Radio Navigation Aids, Radar, DME, The NDB and the ADF, The Relative Bearing Indicator (RBI), the Radio Magnetic Indicator (RMI), The VOR, VHF Direction Finding (VDF), Introduction to RNAV and GPS.

Sample Questions

Q1. Given a W/V of 26015kt and track of 296T, what heading and TAS should be flown to maintain a groundspeed of 120kt on track?

1. 112T at 132kt
2. 300T at 132kt
3. 292T at 132kt

Q2. When using a direct reading magnetic compass to make an anticlockwise turn onto a southerly heading, the turn should be stopped:

1. on the desired heading
2. after the desired heading
3. before the desired heading

Q3. Which of the following is true of an aircraft Automatic Direction Finding (ADF) system:

1. it comprises a single antenna and a controller
2. the ADF operates on the radio compass principle
3. the RMI or RBI needle always indicates the selected radial