jodoloy From United States of America, joined Oct 2011, 16 posts, RR: 0 Posted (5 months 1 week 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 1955 times:
Has anyone taken an FAA Written exam lately? I have heard that the questions are very different from what is published in study materials, and in test prep software. Is this true?
Starlionblue From Hong Kong, joined Feb 2004, 15870 posts, RR: 66 Reply 1, posted (5 months 1 week 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 1954 times:
Quoting jodoloy (Thread starter):
Has anyone taken an FAA Written exam lately? I have heard that the questions are very different from what is published in study materials, and in test prep software. Is this true?
I have taken the Private, Instrument and Commercial in the last few months. There are indeed "new" questions, but I wouldn't worry. If you understand the questions in a Gleim study guide and know how to use an E-6B (electronic equivalent is even better) you will pass. I'd say 95%+ of the questions are in the Gleim. There certainly were no questions that came as a surprise.
[Edited 2012-12-11 17:14:09]
"There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots." - from Citadel by John Ringo
tdscanuck From Canada, joined Jan 2006, 12709 posts, RR: 80 Reply 2, posted (5 months 1 week 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 1919 times:
Quoting jodoloy (Thread starter):
Has anyone taken an FAA Written exam lately? I have heard that the questions are very different from what is published in study materials, and in test prep software. Is this true?
There was a kerfuffle some months back (reported on at length by AOPA) that the FAA had changed some of the questions without telling anybody so that they got out of whack with the study materials. AOPA was primarily reporting it in the CFI tests, as I recall, but I think the FAA said the new methodology applied to all tests.
After an unexpected spike in the failure rate as a result, the FAA backed off and I believe they're back to the prior question bank while they rethink the approach.
airtran737 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 3639 posts, RR: 12 Reply 3, posted (5 months 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 1899 times:
Get Sheppard Air. It is the best test prep software out there.
Nice Trip Report!!! Great Pics, thanks for posting!!!! B747Forever
zeke From Hong Kong, joined Dec 2006, 7725 posts, RR: 73 Reply 4, posted (5 months 1 week 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 1816 times:
Quoting jodoloy (Thread starter): I have heard that the questions are very different from what is published in study materials, and in test prep software. Is this true?
From what I understand they normally have 6 or so "new" questions in each exam, these are not marked, and you have no idea which are the new trial questions or the actual ones.
The idea is to know the subject matter, not the exam questions.
We are addicted to our thoughts. We cannot change anything if we cannot change our thinking – Santosh Kalwar
Flyer732 From Namibia, joined Nov 1999, 1334 posts, RR: 27 Reply 6, posted (5 months 1 week 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 1749 times:
Quoting airtran737 (Reply 3): Get Sheppard Air. It is the best test prep software out there.
I'll second that. Beats every other test prep on the market hands down. Shame they don't do the private pilot level, but they do everything else. Plus they have a money back guarantee if you don't make above a 90, or find questions that were not in their prep software.
bond007 From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 5098 posts, RR: 8 Reply 7, posted (5 months 1 week 4 days ago) and read 1723 times:
Quoting Starlionblue (Reply 5): Quoting zeke (Reply 4):
The idea is to know the subject matter, not the exam questions.
If you know the subject matter, you will pass.
This of course should be the case, although it seems in the case of FAA exams there are a least a few questions with answers that you could only be 100% sure of, if you knew the question up front!
Jimbo
I'd rather be on the ground wishing I was in the air, than in the air wishing I was on the ground!
Mir From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 19703 posts, RR: 56 Reply 8, posted (5 months 1 week 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 1671 times:
Quoting tdscanuck (Reply 2): There was a kerfuffle some months back (reported on at length by AOPA) that the FAA had changed some of the questions without telling anybody so that they got out of whack with the study materials. AOPA was primarily reporting it in the CFI tests, as I recall, but I think the FAA said the new methodology applied to all tests.
After an unexpected spike in the failure rate as a result, the FAA backed off and I believe they're back to the prior question bank while they rethink the approach.
In other words, they're back to letting people memorize the questions beforehand.
Quoting zeke (Reply 4): The idea is to know the subject matter, not the exam questions.
I've never done more than a token amount of studying for an FAA written. I just skim through a book a couple of times to get a feel for how the questions are worded (which can be strange) and what the format is. And I've never failed. If you know the subject matter (which you need to anyway), you have nothing to worry about. It's your instructor's job to make sure you're prepared for the written, and IMHO that means more than just outsourcing to a prep course.
Quoting bond007 (Reply 7): it seems in the case of FAA exams there are a least a few questions with answers that you could only be 100% sure of, if you knew the question up front!
This is true, and there are also some questions on things that you really don't need to know about anymore because technology has moved on, but you can make educated guesses on those, and even if you get them all wrong you're still likely going to pass. And since a score of 75 is just as good as a score of 95....
-Mir
7 billion, one nation, imagination...it's a beautiful day
Starlionblue From Hong Kong, joined Feb 2004, 15870 posts, RR: 66 Reply 9, posted (5 months 1 week 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 1610 times:
Quoting bond007 (Reply 7): Quoting Starlionblue (Reply 5):
Quoting zeke (Reply 4):
The idea is to know the subject matter, not the exam questions.
If you know the subject matter, you will pass.
This of course should be the case, although it seems in the case of FAA exams there are a least a few questions with answers that you could only be 100% sure of, if you knew the question up front!
Quite. Some have two right answers, one of which is "more right" than the other.
Quoting Mir (Reply 8): And since a score of 75 is just as good as a score of 95....
Yes and no. Some examiners are tougher on the oral of you barely scraped by. And some are tougher if you have a very high score since you may just have memorized. Moral of the story: get a score in the 80s.
"There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots." - from Citadel by John Ringo
DiamondFlyer From United States of America, joined Oct 2008, 1294 posts, RR: 3 Reply 10, posted (5 months 1 week 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 1503 times:
Quoting airtran737 (Reply 3): Get Sheppard Air. It is the best test prep software out there.
Especially if you need to get a test done ASAP. Sheppard Air + 10 hours and you'll be good to go.
Quoting zeke (Reply 4): The idea is to know the subject matter, not the exam questions.
Not really. The idea is to pass the test. Use whatever means necessary to pass said test.
Definitely. I used it for the ATP written. Studied for literally a few hours, took the test and passed no problem. Granted I think the ATP written was easier than any other written I've taken so I didn't need to study as long, but no matter what it'll save you a ton of time.
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From United States of America, joined Oct 2011, 16 posts, 
From Hong Kong, joined Feb 2004, 15870 posts, 
From Canada, joined Jan 2006, 12709 posts, 
If you know the subject matter, you will pass.
From Namibia, joined Nov 1999, 1334 posts, 
I've never done more than a token amount of studying for an FAA written. I just skim through a book a couple of times to get a feel for how the questions are worded (which can be strange) and what the format is. And I've never failed. If you know the subject matter (which you need to anyway), you have nothing to worry about. It's your instructor's job to make sure you're prepared for the written, and IMHO that means more than just outsourcing to a prep course.
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