CASA Exams

[CyclicH145]

Wondering when we may see a change to CASA exams to resembling anything like reality! Utopia I know but venting is therapeutic!!

[godfather007]

Based off history, if CA$A change anything, there is a price rise/fee involved and mass confusion across the industry.
Exams.. learn to work the game.
Trick questions. IE; Read the question.

[godfather007]

idiots.

[CyclicH145]

idiots.

if my recent nav exam was anything to go by.........lunatics are running the asylum!

[rickshaw]

Key guys - the AHIA have a training SME on their website, maybe you could ask them how they are responding on behalf of their members? I am sure your hiccups should be logged.

[homersimpson]

What questions were there that you disagree with?
Just curious what they ask nowadays.

[Wannabe60Driver]

As Spottswoode said in Team America: “ .. It's the eye of the needle, Gary, and we must both pass through it.”

The CASA exams are a filter designed to provide an additional layer before someone can take paying passengers in an aircraft. Do the work (and some research) and you’ll pass first time every time. The only people I have any sympathy for are non-native English speakers given the time taken to figure out exactly what Gavin is asking.

Sure, you could point to the FAA or Transport Canada where things are easier, but you could also look at Europe where you’d be doing twice as many exams.

Also curious as to what was wrong with the nav exam. Like a lot of others, the questions are lifted directly from Bob Tait’s material. Use his textbook and practice workbook and have the correct equipment on your desk (dividers, aviation protractor, etc) nav isn’t hard. Use anything else and I imagine it would be.

[skypig]

The exams are educationally unsound.
The phrase “Most correct” is ironically, incorrect. Something is either “correct” or “incorrect”. Like being “dead”, you either are, or aren’t.

We have watched the “pass rate” be manipulated by restricting the time available, rather than asking questions that confirm the applicants knowledge.
We have seen questions that require a level of precision that the graphs were never designed for. Rather than seeing if the applicant can use the graph correctly, including “penalties”, the “trick” is interpolating the same way as the writer did. The equivalent to asking someone to measure the thickness of a human hair with a ruler.

Like many aspects of CASA - plainly appalling.

[CyclicH145]

The exams are educationally unsound.
The phrase “Most correct” is ironically, incorrect. Something is either “correct” or “incorrect”. Like being “dead”, you either are, or aren’t.

We have watched the “pass rate” be manipulated by restricting the time available, rather than asking questions that confirm the applicants knowledge.
We have seen questions that require a level of precision that the graphs were never designed for. Rather than seeing if the applicant can use the graph correctly, including “penalties”, the “trick” is interpolating the same way as the writer did. The equivalent to asking someone to measure the thickness of a human hair with a ruler.

Like many aspects of CASA - plainly appalling.

yep, sitting here with x 3 glasses on and 0.5mm sharpie still out 20lbs.....who knows what goes on in Gavins head....

[Sadflute]

Hey,

I would say the following,

1. Setting exams without providing comprehensive study material and leaving it up to third party providers is flawed. Could CASA run a theory school, or add comprehensive examples to each point in the manual of standards.

2. Providing KDR’s with no explanation on what concepts you may not understand doesn’t help students focus future study. (I think you can request a specific question but comes at a cost).

3. Creating questions worth 5 marks and then only awarding either all or none with no room for partial credit or worked errors Isn’t fair on the student and doesn't highlight whether it is his/her process that is the issue or rather a misplaced decimal point.

Unfortunately like most industry’s/careers eg: electrical apprenticeship or engineering degree, tafe and university theory is just something you have to get through and then learn mostly everything you need to know on the job.

Once you get through the theory hurdle pay the government the cash you then get tipped on the head with a special wand to say you are worthy then spend the next 25 years praying they don’t change the rules so you have to tick another box when they feel like it!

Happy studies!

[homersimpson]

Of course there can be degrees of correctness. There are degrees of anything, and everything is relative. Even "perfect" is relativized in the U.S. constitution: ". . . in order to form a more perfect union . . ."

Don’t be lazy. Study hard, learn the game, you will pass every time. Nothing comes for free. If you can’t manage to pass a CASA exam I sure as hell don’t want you flying around near my house.

[Jabberwocky]

The syllabus is quite comprehensive and worth paying some attention to, it's often overlooked. CASA would never be able to conduct the training and testing; 'take work away from private companies' - it's amazing how some complain about this but for that alone system would remain as is. This place is usually helpful if you have some questions. If you're struggling with the most correct answer, plug the answer options in and work backwards.
Give your exams some time to ask the questions, and dedicate what efforts they deserve. You may well even enjoy them.

[Hello Pilots]

Of course there can be degrees of correctness. There are degrees of anything, and everything is relative. Even "perfect" is relativized in the U.S. constitution: ". . . in order to form a more perfect union . . ."

Don’t be lazy. Study hard, learn the game, you will pass every time. Nothing comes for free. If you can’t manage to pass a CASA exam I sure as hell don’t want you flying around near my house.

Where do you live mate? I failed plenty.

[homersimpson]

Where do you live mate? I failed plenty.

Why did you fail them? Was it CASA’s fault? Or did you figure it out by the end?

You must have passed all of them eventually if you’re flying around now.

[Fill-level]

Where do you live mate? I failed plenty.

[Fill-level]

Why did you fail them? Was it CASA’s fault? Or did you figure it out by the end?

You must have passed all of them eventually if you’re flying around now.

Think he' taking the piss mate...