Commercial Written - Depth.

[E-Flyer]

Hi All !

I am writing the commercial in a week. I am doing the sample questions from the Canadian Commercial Pilot Answer Guide and I find that a lot of the questions go into exceptional detail. For Example, the study guide mentions the 'principle of magneto's' but then Sample Questions focus on like the basics leading form polarity of the magnetic fields and such.

Or like, talking about surface contamination increasing drag by 40% and reducing lift by 30% or which ever way the figures go, are we supposed to memorize these kind of numbers?

I've looked through some of the CPL Written posts here but didn't really understand how deep they go with these questions. Any help so that I could eliminate reading 400 pages out of the From the Ground Up would be very helpful.

Thanks,

[THEICEMAN]

The questions I got concerning aircraft icing didn't have numbers. Usually transport likes to ask questions related to rime versus clear ice, cold soaking, rate of catch and what type of conditions create icing. But don't take it from me, I could be wrong!

I wasn't asked any question regarding Mags, but here is a couple that they asked in the General knowledge sec.....

-Free turbine question
-stall question (if you exceed angle of attack, etc...)
-Vortex generators (delay boundary layer...)
-effects of blocked pitot tube question ( ASI + in climb, ASI - in descent)
-wake turbulence of heavy aircraft (slow & clean)
-24 hours recommended for alcohol
-Alcohol stays in ears for a longer period of time......
-Turn & bank coordinator question
-Propeller governor question.
-Turbocharger question

Forgot the rest, but hit the books. If you know somebody that has a Ku.lhane, try to take a peak at it. It really puts things in order for the exam....

Good luck!

[just curious]

Or like, talking about surface contamination increasing drag by 40% and reducing lift by 30% or which ever way the figures go, are we supposed to memorize these kind of numbers?

Get to know the icing stuff by heart, as long as you fly in Canada, you'll have to do annual exams on it for 703,5,& 4 operations.

[E-Flyer]

ICE,

I have the Commercial Pilot's Answer Guide and the 2008 Shaper Edge Book. I could be mixing up the CPL Answer Guide and the khane book, they're not the same right?

[E-Flyer]

Alright u guys, im writing it tomorrow - i'll update this post on how i do and if i got anything weird


Cheers

[THEICEMAN]

Good Luck!

Never used the sharper imagine book. But I'm sure it's good. The Kul.hane was a good help though.

[E-Flyer]

As I promised I'd give some feedback on the exam.

I Got above 90's on both airlaw and meteorology, 80's for Gen Knowledge, and partial pass due to Navigation of a low 58. One thing I'd definately recommend to you guys who'll write it is be careful in the nav section. While I was writing the exam, I thought that i was acing the nav - well i guess I got pretty owned. Just watch out, there are a few versions out there that will trick you big time - Navigation is definatley not my weak area, so I was very shocked. You never know what exam you get. Just a heads up !

Highlights from the exam

- In appendix was provided a Large Graph with numerous Sinusodial functions of Time and Dates, and you were supposed to find the time of twilight according to the question they give you
- The Warm Front At Winter was asked in a very wierd manner - They gave you letters depicted on a chart, and asked you which letter corresponded to which type of precip - i know, sounds easy, but the tough part was they wanted it in a specific order; thus making it literally impossible to re arrange for an answer
- "why are planes dynamically balanced"
- 4 questions on turbine engines
- No question about turning stall speed
- Know your hail conditions for thunderstorms
- Weight Shift to match C of G
- No MAC/LEMAC/TEMAC questions
- Twisted CRFI question where the answer is marginal to your minimum report, and then it asks you if it's safe to take off or not ... i mean numberwise it is, but morally is it really? and then is TC wanting u to answer morally or numerically? lol
- "what is the role of vortex generators"
- "Twisted questions about DME, not the slant type of questions, but something that related to the difference between ground distance and ______ distance resulting in _______" And the options were

Long Range / Short Range
Short Range / Long Range
Long Range / Long Range
Slant range / Short Range

- TAF VS METAR comparisons
- Calculating accuracy of front speed
- Know your GFA's !!
- Relative Bearings aren't the degree posted on the Highways from NDB's, it's your relation to the NDB
- Know your RMI's
- Ground Speed Checks
- True Altitude Calculation
- 1 PIREP regarding validity
- No Sigmet Question
- Straight line on VNC = Arc of a great circle
- What class of airspace is your departing/arriving airport
- As soon as the exam starts, click on question 77 and work through 77-100 as that's when your brains fresh to do calculations. Then do question 24 and on to 51 in the general knowledge. Airlaw and Met is easy to whip through. Don't wait the Nav till the end - that's what I did, i had to pee, and lol couldn't focus very well. Haha
- Know your 703/702 INSIDE OUT

And yea that's all that i recall. If you guys got any specific questions, ask away, and I'll try to remember. It's best to ask within the next few days now that the exams fresh in my mind.


Good Luck !

[THEICEMAN]

Ahhh too bad man!
Well study hard & get the navigation done. The navigation part was my strongest section! If you need any help with any questions, PM me & i'll get back to you.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

I Got above 90's on both airlaw and meteorology, 80's for Gen Knowledge, and partial pass due to Navigation of a low 58. One thing I'd definately recommend to you guys who'll write it is be careful in the nav section. While I was writing the exam, I thought that i was acing the nav - well i guess I got pretty owned. Just watch out, there are a few versions out there that will trick you big time - Navigation is definatley not my weak area, so I was very shocked. You never know what exam you get. Just a heads up !

Writing exams is more about passing bureaucracy than actually learning the skills you will need to know to be a safe pilot.

I wouldn't have a prayer of passing a TCCA CPL exam but somehow I am still alive after spending decades flying all over the world.

Just study for the exams....pass them and then go out in the real world and learn what you really need to know to stay alive.

The sooner you get beyond the mindset of the people who dream up these exams the sooner you will start becoming a pilot.

[E-Flyer]

I Got above 90's on both airlaw and meteorology, 80's for Gen Knowledge, and partial pass due to Navigation of a low 58. One thing I'd definately recommend to you guys who'll write it is be careful in the nav section. While I was writing the exam, I thought that i was acing the nav - well i guess I got pretty owned. Just watch out, there are a few versions out there that will trick you big time - Navigation is definatley not my weak area, so I was very shocked. You never know what exam you get. Just a heads up !

Writing exams is more about passing bureaucracy than actually learning the skills you will need to know to be a safe pilot.

I wouldn't have a prayer of passing a TCCA CPL exam but somehow I am still alive after spending decades flying all over the world.

Just study for the exams....pass them and then go out in the real world and learn what you really need to know to stay alive.

The sooner you get beyond the mindset of the people who dream up these exams the sooner you will start becoming a pilot.

Couldn't agree more with you .. It's just like a formality. A piece of paper with your name on it, your ratings, and your privledges.

It's just the little thing along with your log book to wave at your employer so that he/she can get the insurance dudes on his/her side and get u flying - or not. Obviously being in this industry for a long time you've seen fine examples of that.

Putting the test aside, Navigation, Met, and Airlaw are my strongest points. But aviation doesn't boil down to the 4 categories covered on the test - sure it's a major component of it, but not the only components., and I am well aware of that. You know what I'd actually like to be taught at the CPL Ground School Level? Commercial Operations - not memorizing the CAR's, but operational decisions. Sort of how they teach airmanship, teach companymanship lol... u knw? that way pilots out there would at least have a better grasp of how to operate a commercial pilot - everything boiling down from Airlaw,Met,Aeronautics,Nav to passenger safety, operation of the aircraft with passengers, fuel considerations, decision making at the commercial level and that kind of stuff. Not that it will entirely cover aviation, as nothing will cause new things are discovered, but if there were exam questions in the general knowledge that would focus on those kind of aspects, it would be much better - That's just my opinion though.

What I am not aware of is the 'actual' learning that is profound in the industry when you start working. And I guess im not to blame since I've not stepped into that section in my progression yet. I by no intention was trying to put out that the CPL written = that ur a damn fine pilot... if 100 questions is what determines that your a commercial pilot or not, then what a screwed up system that would be - oh wait... we're already in such a system.

This post can just perhaps be taken as a reference on it's own I guess on what came up on my own exam. Like for example, no pilot will be using sinusodial graphs to find twilight times right .? lol.


ICE - man to be honest, i don't even know what to study. I am going over to my flight school today to see what/if there's anything or if it was my brain fart at 3 hours into the exam, which shouldn't really be any excuse. But yea, my nav ain't my weak point, so i am really looking forward to seeing what it is that screwed me lol. Thanks - I'll definately send off any questions/concerns I got


Good Luck To The Rest !!