Passed Flight Performance And Planning // Hardest Ground School Exam So Far // CAA PPL

Another update in my learning to fly series. I recently took and passed the Flight Performance and Planning exam, so thought I would share my thoughts.

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[abdulmismail]

Hi Dale. I started flying 24 years ago when I lived in the US but didn't continue when I returned to Liverpool. I flew 36 hours with zero ground school but I restarted flying last year.

Like you, I've done 6 out of 9 ground school and even though I'm a graduate in aerospace engineering, I failed my flight performance exam two weeks ago with one question wrong but I will retake it tomorrow.

I don't know if you are aware but prior to January 2021, the CAA ground school exams were literally a selection of 16 to 20 questions from the Pooleys Question Bank (of ~120 questions) so all you needed to do was memorise those questions/answers - which I admit is a bit flimsy. But the CAA changed it by going from one extreme to another. Now you literally have to study the text books to get through. I also failed my Ops exam and I even contacted the CAA to complain that some questions weren't even in the text books. Turns out, one question was an ATPL question and shoudn't have been there - but they said 'it won't change the outcome of the result'.

My biggest gripe is that the questions are worded to 'catch you out' as opposed to determine if you are knowledgable about the subject matter.

Anyway, as for flight planning, here are some of the questions I'm having issues from a list of questions I found. Don't expect you to answer them but I'm posting them here to give others some guidance of the bullshittery that they CAA introduced to the new format of exams.

1. Regulated or Certified Ramp Mass? There's a Regulated T/O mass and Regulated Landing Mass but no mention anywhere of Regulated Ramp Mass. However, there is a mention of Certification of Ramp Mass but it's not the same. I checked CAP 696 and can't find the answer. I honestly don't know the answer so I'm just going to have to guess it's Regulated Ramp Mass.

2. For the performance charts, in the text books, they say if it's a headwind, you use 50% of the number given but if it's a tailwind, you use 150% of the number given - but if you use those numbers, the result is incorrect. Also, you're supposed to increase the landing distance by 1.43 or the take off distance by 1.33 but again, if you add those figures to the result from the chart, it gives the wrong answer. I tried even messing around with the figures and the answer is never correct.

3. For the maps, they ask you to find the highest obstacle within 5nm of the track - but the documentation states that you need to look 30 minutes longitude and 30 minutes latitude of your track.

4. There's a question about when do you file a full VFR flight plan. The only one that is wrong is Class A airspace since that's restricted to IFR. However, the other three answers (Class D Controlled Airspace, Class F and crossing international boundaries) are all correct.

Cheers, Ab

p.s. distance off track. Shit, I haven't studied that!

[actesta]

Thanks a lot dude your vidz really helped me with my exams, we in pakistan also have uk caa exams

[Anglezarke]

Very helpful, thanks. FPP is my last exam. I would strongly advise (from what you say, and from what I've done) completely re-study Nav as well as the performance stuff. It's ages since I did nav, so I was a bit rusty. No ground school or PPL Tutor for me - just the books (Pooley's) and the practice exam booklets. You use cards - the key to my method is similar. I use a computer version of cards - an app (free) called Anki. I have made 2, 500 Anki flash cards! I've done my Qualifying Cross Country (what a day that was!) so after this exam (if I pass) it's RT and skills test. I may make a video a bit like yours in case it helps others.

[craig]

Well done. I have done 8 out of the 9 exams, my last exam is Flight Perf and Planning, and I definitely agree it is the hardest exam to study for. I too am aiming to get my license before the end of the year :) Best of luck, and thanks for the tips

[phantomsnipe]

Took two exams today. Air law 93%, op procedures 91%. This will be the next one I’m taking along side nav I’m dreading it

[janezfeasey]

Thanks for this video, this is my last exam and I’m also using EasyPPL to study, I’ll be attempting soon!
Did you find you had to memorise all of the generic factors given for TO and landing distance calculations or are they given to you if you get a question? I’ve had some EasyPPL mock questions that have given me the table of generic factors and others that have given me POH figures and included the runway is a wet paved surface!
Many thanks

[RodLittle]

Congrats on completing another milestone and sharing experience

[glyn]

Congratulations Dale well Done 👍 nearly there 🤞

[Anjam_Malik]

Congrats Dale, I have recently taken and passed my Flight Performance & Planning exam and I also got 75% on this exam.

This exam is definitely the hardest exam to study for. Apparently speaking to the examiner a lot of students get 75% for this exam

[kiranghirra]

Absolutely love your videos, extremely helpful. What I would like to ask is which flight computer you are using?

[adama]

Thanks for the tips. Just passed AGK Today, I did Aerospace engineering with pilot studies at Uni of Hertfordshire and the exam i did were quite if not similar to the topics for Flight Performance, all about fuel, convergence, planning ect, i feel much more at ease, hearing the content is very relevant from you.

[nigelledeux]

Well done Dale, all beyond me however interesting to watch. The hard work will all be worth it.