The New Instrument Rating Syllabus

[ReonWiese]

I saw in the editorial of SA Flyer Guy mentions that he does not know of one PPL who obtained the rating.

I know of one who passed on the 3rd attempt.

This is something that I am also keen to do but seems like I need to take at least a month off

All the best for Thursday Stefan, please keep us posted.

[grounded01]

Abit off the topic but seems most students read this thread, was anyone able to get an extension for their exams? Seems costly if they just throw your application in the bin..

[stefanlfouche]

I wrote the exam again yesterday end scored 1% less that my previous attempt. I scored 63% after even more intense studying.
I studied the reference material in detail from the CAA website and did loads of questions as well.
This was my third attempt meaning I have to wait two months before I get one more attempt after which I have to wait another two months. The Exam doesnt make sense. I spend two hours writing double checking everything. Im pretty sure that I shouldve passed the exam. Something is wrong here. The questions are all random and there is NO way you can cover all the possibilities while studying for this. VFR commercial license (which means nothing in the industry) en R400 000 for nothing here I come!

[hlouw]

If the CAA thought that introducing the IR rating will encourage more PPL pilots to enhance their skills then they really got this wrong. This exam is like asking a university student to study all the material and write a single exam with a 75% pass mark to obtain a degree.

Will PPL pilots will actually bother? Maybe until they discover its still like before (most of CPL) but now in a single exam.

BUT it has now added a huge additional amount of work/costs to CPL and ATP.

Its only been a year so but maybe the IR rating should be split into 2 or more subjects/exams.

[Patrickhloots]

Its a hard exam but there are some people passing this exam and this gives me hope. If i can give you guys/girls advice its if you can not pass the exam and have to wait to months and you ready to test, test vfr com. Now you have 2 months to start with your instructors rating and study for your IR exam. At least you are moving forward and not just sitting wondering what to do next or how to pass this exam.
Also you will gain more knowledge by doing it this way. Its not ideal but at least you have taken a step forward in your career. Most of the students i know are doing it this way.

[stefanlfouche]

Its a hard exam but there are some people passing this exam and this gives me hope. If i can give you guys/girls advice its if you can not pass the exam and have to wait to months and you ready to test, test vfr com. Now you have 2 months to start with your instructors rating and study for your IR exam. At least you are moving forward and not just sitting wondering what to do next or how to pass this exam.
Also you will gain more knowledge by doing it this way. Its not ideal but at least you have taken a step forward in your career. Most of the students i know are doing it this way.

That is the general Idea behind my thinking as well.
I now have to wait two months. I do not want to do Instructors rating but I will be able to Write my ATPL subjects in the meantime while I am trying to pass the IR exam.
There are options but they are not Ideal. I think only the strongest of student pilots will survive this one which is also a good thing.

Less CPL licenses issued = More work for those who have CPL

[hlouw]

"Less CPL licenses issued = More work for those who have CPL"

Not really. CPL VFR is now the standard route. Only those who need the IR will try until successful.

And the exam questions will be shared so in time a proper mock exam will be available to assist with preperation.

[Patrickhloots]

Send me your details we have a whatsup group where students share there experience, issues, and questions what they have encountered in the exam.
I've created this group in order for all the student to chat about the IR exam and the GEN radio exam as we all are struggeling with these exams.

[transitionlevel]

Send me your details we have a whatsup group where students share there experience, issues, and questions what they have encountered in the exam.
I've created this group in order for all the student to chat about the IR exam and the GEN radio exam as we all are struggeling with these exams.

Hi Patrick, can you please add me to your whatsapp group. Kind regards DJ
0607797403

[Airwayfreak]

To those battling with these exams, just a little bit of advice. I wrote the exam and passed first time. Not that I am smarter than anybody else, its just that the exam content is internalised every time I have done a proficiency test for the last 30 years. I chose to write the exam because of my involvement in an ATO and I wanted to see the exam first hand in order to be in a better position to help our students.

My advice to aspiring IF exam candidates is to first get your practical IF training in the sim and in the aircraft under the belt before attempting to write this exam. When doing the actual practical training, set up each sim/flight session with AWOPS in mind and consider all and every possible IFR situation you might experience (such as communication failures in the hold for example) and fly the session to completion. Set up the sim for system failures and try and incorporate real life assessments for alternate destinations and all other scenarios that IF flying may throw at you.

I think part of the problem is that instructors generally have never been exposed to actual IF operations in a commercial environment and regurgitate standard IF syllabus requirements. Most IF training normally takes place in perfect VFR conditions and students are not really forced to do real IF training sessions.

You will find that many of the questions can be internalised by practical application in a live environment. Remember that many of the questions are theoretical until such time that you have physically practised a scenario in real time.

In summary, the exams are worded awkwardly in my opinion and I believe that some major improvements can be made to make the exam more user friendly without compromising assessment criteria. 80% of the candidates at my sitting were clearly foreigners, so my sympathies are with those whose home language is not English.

[jameSpeirs]

My advice to aspiring IF exam candidates is to first get your practical IF training in the sim and in the aircraft under the belt before attempting to write this exam. When doing the actual practical training, set up each sim/flight session with AWOPS in mind and consider all and every possible IFR situation you might experience (such as communication failures in the hold for example) and fly the session to completion. Set up the sim for system failures and try and incorporate real life assessments for alternate destinations and all other scenarios that IF flying may throw at you.

Hi Airwayfreak, thanks for the info. Congrats on passing! - However ATO's do not allow us to do IF training without the exam under the belt

James

[Airwayfreak]

However ATO's do not allow us to do IF training without the exam under the belt James

Now that is just plain dumb in my opinion. Frankly I do not believe an ATO has the has the right to make this call.

[bismark]

Hi Airwayfreak

I see you are involved with an ATO.
Read SACATS 61 Subpart 11- i think that is what J Spiers is referring to.

[jameSpeirs]

Hi Guys

Anyone passed recently? Im still waiting on my remark, been almost 2 months already.

James

[Sean34]

Send me your details we have a whatsup group where students share there experience, issues, and questions what they have encountered in the exam.
I've created this group in order for all the student to chat about the IR exam and the GEN radio exam as we all are struggeling with these exams.

HI Patrick please can you add me to the group
0844096319

Regards Sean