The feeling of knowing that the performance exam is finally behind me is fantastic - slept very well last night
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Overall the most important thing in the exam is time management. For example, I spent 20 mins on one Echo loading question before realising that I only had 2hrs 10 mins remaining. This sent my brain into panic mode and that's a horrible feeling to live with for 2 hrs 10 mins!
Just like flying, the exam requires a great deal of mental preparation i.e. Plenty of rest before the exam, minimise external stresses before the exam starts (mobile phone OFF!) and have a good breakfast and lunch. I made a big mistake yesterday because I had planned to fly over to Wagga to do the exam but the weather was horrible which meant I had to drive for two hours instead of fly for 40 mins. This caused me a great deal of stress. I shouldn't have planned to do that in hindsight but it was a fantastic personal lesson and it didn't cost me the exam this time.
I don't think PEXO is as good as the old system. Smaller text, a few seconds of lag when clicking on question numbers, the timer is smaller and less obvious and it also takes longer to print KDR. I didn't think anything was really wrong with the old system but someone obviously did. The exam itself consisted of a lot of questions on loading system Echo, about three on Charlie and two apiece on Alpha and Bravo. Four or five on ETP and PNR and random questions regarding climb gradients, Echo TOSS, definitions and max cargo. Nothing too dramatic. 30 questions in total.
The biggest problem I have with CASA cyberexams is the language used in the questions. The exam instructions are very clear and understandable but the questions in the actual exam are worded in stupid ways. Double negatives, bad grammar and unnecessarily big words are examples of this. It's not entirely a test of aeronautical knowledge, it's also part English exam. To test one's knowledge of a subject is one thing but to write the question in such a way as to cause confusion is hitting below the belt.
To anybody about to attempt this exam; relax yourself beforehand, bring a bottle of water and make sure you understand exactly what they're asking in a question. Be aware that the examiner is likely to throw in some little tidbit of useless information to make you think that it's required. I swear a psychologist writes these questions or at least modifies them in an attempt to throw us. If you've done all the practise questions in Bob's textbook, you have a very good chance of passing.
