I passed the CPL GK exam today.
I was averaging 93% for Bob's practice exams, but only got 83% for the CASA exam. As Bob says in the book, don't just rely on knowing the answers. A full understanding of what is happening in each topic is required. Even more so, when CASA throw in curly questions and add useless, misleading, or redundant words in the question.
I was asked a questions about what causes gyroscopic errors. CASA's choices, used words that I think were meant to confuse. Eg Real precession, Apparent precession, Earth travel precession etc. The 4th choice was something about mechanical stuff, which sounded totally stupid. But in the heat of an exam, all I could remember, were the choices given in practice exams, which usually had one correct answer of drift and precession, so I'm thinking, which precession answer do I choose? Then I remembered the book having a graphic showing the earth and precession, but I couldn't remember the book saying it was Apparent Precession, so, being a visual learner, I just went with the earth travel precession. Meaning CASA got me and I missed the real answer.
Another question was about being given green fuel instead of the 100LL you wanted and what would be the consequence of using it. I got this wrong, just because I hadn't studied that enough, or done enough questions on that topic. I think the answer is to do with lead fouling, but I put detonation, which in review is wrong, because the fuel is too good compared to the 100LL and wouldn't detonate.
I got a left zero ammeter question wrong. They asked how to test if the alternator has failed. I think I selected zero means it has failed.
Other questions I got wrong were
- a static vent blockage on descent and its impact on the altimeter. No idea how I got that a wrong, I thought I had those understood pretty well.
- a boost pump operation question, why is it used? I think I selected that it assists the engine driven pump, to keep pressure.
- abnormal engine instrument indications. I can't even remember the question for that one.
- a question about turbo systems, of which there were a few.
In the end, everything is in Bobs book and while there were quite a few questions that were identical to the practice exams. Don't rely just on that, or you'll be disappointed.
Hope this helps anyone.
Cheers
