PPL knowledge test

TexasAviation

TexasAviation

Pre-takeoff checklist
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TexasAviation
I've been intensely studying via the Gleim Online Ground School to prepare for the written exam. I'm doing great on the practice tests and went ahead and scheduled the exam for Tuesday morning.

But ...

Since I'm doing the written before I've started actual flight training with a CFI, I'm still not sure what to expect in the testing room. I know it's going to be on a computer, but other than that, nobody's explained it to me.

Will the charts and graphs be on paper or on the computer screen?

All my practice tests have been done online with digital images and digital line-drawing tools. I know the material well enough that I'll be fine either way, but I'd prefer not being surprised when I get there.

And out of the 60 questions on the test, how many will be from the published FAA list vs. the unpublished ones?

Any insights about what to expect would be appreciated.
 
Hello,

I just took the exam last week. The questions were very similar to the Gleim course, some exact, some slight tweaks. The exam program is a bit nicer than the Gleim program, you get color figures when needed and you also get a nice color book with all possible figures in it, too, which I found easier for the navigation and chart questions than using the computer.

The only thing you won't have access to is the drawing function for measuring degrees and lines.

The only things I was allowed to bring into the exam room were my analog wiz-wheel computer and plotter. They provided a simple calculator, scratch paper, and a pencil.

I hope that helps. If you do well on the Gleim consistently, expect to do about the same on the written, nerves notwithstanding :)
 
what he said. I took it last September and it was like an old DOS app or something. You get a book with all the charts/graphs, etc... Be careful on some of the charts...your 1nm ruler doesn't match up to the scale on the paper...meaning you'll have to use a blank piece of paper and and create your own ruler of sorts using the scale shown on the paper itself. When I was studying I kept getting these questions wrong all the time knowing I was doing it right and it was because I was using my ruler and the scale wasn't matching up.

I brought my ruler and my E6B and that was it. (and of course my logbook with endorsement and ID). My CFI accidentally endorsed my logbook to take the Sport Pilot test so luckily the testing center was the hangar across the way from my school so I just ran over and had him sign the right thing. Double check that - they are close together in some logbooks. :)

Take your time - you can mark questions and go back if you need to. I can't imagine anyone not having enough time to finish the test. I think I was done in about 30 minutes. You may be different than me but go with your gut on questions that you 'sorta' know. I went back and changed 3 and ended up changing 2 of them from the right to wrong answer. Don't over think it.

Once you are consistently in the 90's on Gleim, you'll be fine. Go out and hit Sporty's Study Buddy as well. I recall there being some different stuff out there as well. It's worth the $9.99 to see the explanations.

I don't know about unpublished vs published. I do know that I had 63 or 64 questions on my test and I don't think you know which ones don't count. Even the stuff that's unpublished shouldn't come out of left field on you. There's only 3 or 4 answers on every question and on nearly every one you can at least eliminate 1 of them and most of the time 2 of them pretty easily. So, worst case you should have a 33 or 50% chance to get the oddball ones correct.

Just take your time and push the time intensive ones (W&B, etc...) to the back if you want. I knew I'd have enough time so I just did everything in sequence. It was nice to spend some time on a harder or more labor intensive question and then do a few straight up multiple choice and then have another long one again vs doing all the long/harder ones at the end. That's just me though...

Anyway, I'm sure you'll do great. I'd say anything over an 85 or so is going to get you in good standing with a DPE...anything below that and you might get some extra scrutiny...but that's missing a lot of questions. I made a 95 and still had almost a 3 hour oral with my DPE and I was nailing everything...so your test grade doesn't correlate to how long or short your oral will be on the checkride.

BTW, this 3 part video series was very helpful to me early on in figuring out the navlog/XC stuff. I was struggling with the 'process' and this really cleared it up for me. Good video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clnAJqbFRu4

Good luck!
 
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You have a endorsement to take the knowledge exam from an authorized instructor, right??!!
 
TexasAviation said:
Will the charts and graphs be on paper or on the computer screen?
Click to expand...

When I took the test in early 2013, the figures, charts, and graphs were provided to me in a bound booklet provided by the test center. I'm not sure where I found this PDF copy, but I tossed it up on the web for you (warning, it's a 7MB file):

Edit: Link Removed - See the new one below

I got a physical copy of the booklet with some review book, but can't remember which one.

Note that it's dated 2004 :yikes:, but I believe it's still current. Double check!

Good luck. Joe
 
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TexasAviation said:
Since I'm doing the written before I've started actual flight training with a CFI, I'm still not sure what to expect in the testing room. I know it's going to be on a computer, but other than that, nobody's explained it to me.
Click to expand...
Since you need a CFI's endorsement to take that test, ask the CFI who's giving you that endorsement to explain the process.
 
register@teamandras.com said:
When I took the test in early 2013, the figures, charts, and graphs were provided to me in a bound booklet provided by the test center. I'm not sure where I found this PDF copy, but I tossed it up on the web for you (warning, it's a 7MB file):

Test Booklet, FAA-CC-8080-2E

I got a physical copy of the booklet with some review book, but can't remember which one.

Note that it's dated 2004 :yikes:, but I believe it's still current. Double check!

Good luck. Joe
Click to expand...

I believe there is a new one as of February:
https://www.faa.gov/pilots/testing/supplements/

It has much higher production values than I recall the old one having.
 
Doesn't the Gleim ground school explain all of this? I'm just asking. They certainly should.
 
Gleim provides the endorsement at the end of the course. I'm finishing up the last subunit tonight ... so hopefully they'll explain more of the nuts and bolts about the testing process after I complete it.

Up to this point, it's just been study materials and practice questions.
 
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There are a number of test-taking issues that your ground school should have told you:

(1) You will use a book that contains all the images, charts, graphics, and weather reports referred to in the test. You should study this book in advance.
(2) The book is called the Knowledge Testing Supplement. A new version has just replaced the older Computer Testing Supplement. You should get familiar with the new version in advance.
(3) There are a lot of issues with individual test questions. Too many to list here. You need to know what "distractors" are and you need to be aware that some mathematical or charting questions won't have a precisely correct answer in the choices (you have to choose the closest one).
(4) Although most questions will come from the testing bank you've been studying with, the FAA is now changing questions faster and there is some likelihood that you will be given a question you haven't seen before.

This isn't double-super-secret stuff, and Gleim should have explained it to you. The fact that you had to ask here demonstrates that they dropped the ball. The Gold Seal Ground School has a full lesson dedicated just to taking the written test. If you'll PM me I'll give you a private link to the Gold Seal lesson and you can go through it for free.
 
I did the same Gleim ground school course.
They have the signoff at the end after that last sub unit
Practiced w/ Study Buddy (sportys) got a 93 on the Written.

The written test is going to be easier than the sample tests that are in the Gleim ground school because the charts and graphics are much more readable than what you have been taking.

I felt very prepared with the Gleim course however if I were to do it over, I would do another course. Gleim's motto should be "We can make anything boring"
 
TexasAviation said:
I've been intensely studying via the Gleim Online Ground School to prepare for the written exam. I'm doing great on the practice tests and went ahead and scheduled the exam for Tuesday morning.

But ...

Since I'm doing the written before I've started actual flight training with a CFI, I'm still not sure what to expect in the testing room. I know it's going to be on a computer, but other than that, nobody's explained it to me.

Will the charts and graphs be on paper or on the computer screen?

All my practice tests have been done online with digital images and digital line-drawing tools. I know the material well enough that I'll be fine either way, but I'd prefer not being surprised when I get there.

And out of the 60 questions on the test, how many will be from the published FAA list vs. the unpublished ones?

Any insights about what to expect would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

There is no reason to take the written exam prior to starting your training.
 
Clip4 said:
There is no reason to take the written exam prior to starting your training.
Click to expand...

Agreed.
It is actually beneficial to take it closer to the checkride.
It will be fresh on your mind for the oral portion
 
Clip4 said:
There is no reason to take the written exam prior to starting your training.
Click to expand...

The local flying club requires it before student pilots can join and rent a plane. It's a club rule. If it weren't for that, I'd rather take the knowledge test later in the training.

But no worries. I'm very comfortable on the practice tests and can review again before the oral.
 
write-stuff said:
(4) Although most questions will come from the testing bank you've been studying with, the FAA is now changing questions faster and there is some likelihood that you will be given a question you haven't seen before.
Click to expand...

I keep hearing this but I wonder to what extent it's true.

My written questions were all identical to ones I had seen on the Study Buddy and Exams4Pilots. Every single one. I've heard the same from others. If they are changing the questions, I can't think it's many.

To the OP, good luck on your test, and let us know how you do:)
 
I took the test this morning and scored a 92! Was hoping for higher, but all in all I can't complain. Glad to have it behind me.

Thanks for the advice!

Out of the 63 questions, there were only a tiny, tiny number I'd never seen before. Most of it was identical to the practice tests.
 
Good job! Having just completed the test, I can say it's a weight off my shoulders and it's amazing how much I learned and how much of a confidence booster it is. Suddenly, weather charts make sense ;)
 
TexasAviation said:
I took the test this morning and scored a 92! Was hoping for higher, but all in all I can't complain. Glad to have it behind me.

Thanks for the advice!

Out of the 63 questions, there were only a tiny, tiny number I'd never seen before. Most of it was identical to the practice tests.
Click to expand...

Congrats! 92 is a fantastic score! probably the best you can get really, walking away with 100% will probably get you a good grilling during the oral exam becuase it looks like you're a memorizer instead of a thinker.

I spent the last few days leading up to mine really making sure Iknew in my head how to do all the calculations on my e6B, weight/balance etc. and when I got to the testing center and took the test I literally did not get one questions that required my e6B and the only weight/balance question I had was essentially "how much does a gallon of gas weigh". Since I focused so much on those I did end up neglecting some airspace and weather stuff, which I got wrong :sad: Still passed though :redface:
 
TexasAviation said:
I took the test this morning and scored a 92! Was hoping for higher, but all in all I can't complain. Glad to have it behind me.

Thanks for the advice!

Out of the 63 questions, there were only a tiny, tiny number I'd never seen before. Most of it was identical to the practice tests.
Click to expand...

You overstudied by 22%

Congrats!!!
 
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