It is unfortunate but when you have an monopoly on the entire exam system they do what they want, and the students are stressed enough as it is and don't want an augment just before an exam so they just do as their told, I have had this conversation with many of them.

Stuart, I perfectly understand the concern and comments.

However, provided the emphasis is on "polite", "appropriate", and "constrained", there ought not to be a problem with a discussion at the time. The phone call, or a suitable signed note of discussion by the invigilator is, I suggest, fairly important from the point of view of remarking discussions with CASA should that be necessary.

Either way, I have flicked an email to the good man in Sydney for comment. Surely, if the rule is explicit there ought not to be too many problems with wildly varying interpretation ?

PS Just for a sideline chuckle -

When I did my CPL Nav (now that might be quite irrelevant seeing it was in around 1968/69, or so) I used a standard technical slide rule (my still in use favourite Aristo circular slide rule - who needs Daltons and Jeppesens ?) - I note that the rules still permit that -

non-electronic 'aviation wind triangle and circular slide rule' computer. eg Jeppesen Sanderson CR or other brands of similar type or a manual slide rule (if the candidate so prefers it).

I hope that the omission of "Dalton" is just an unfortunate oversight ?

Great advice. Thanks for the followup.

I'll take the printouts and a my own ruler this Sat and see what they say.

a manual slide rule (if the candidate so prefers it).

Haha. I wish I knew how to use one. Actually I could probably work it out fairly easy. I'm in awe of all those engineers like Kelly Johnson who made amazing machines with little more than slide rules etc.

In any case think John's suggestion of using a ruler for interpolation accuracy is worth passing on for the benefit of other students who find it difficult to find an entry point.

Excellent!

Thanks to you both for the great advice.

OK, folks, an answer back from the CASA examiner and his authorisation for me to post the substance of it here.

Should a candidate find that the supervisor of their exam ask them surrender any of the “permitted materials” for a subject, then they should politely ask the supervisor to check with the Aspeq head office for clarification. I do not see any reason why a candidate would not be allowed to use something like a ruler or a protractor when these are clearly part of “Navigation equipment” as stated on the CASA web site on page Permitted material under Part 61 | Civil Aviation Safety Authority (casa.gov.au) where it has:

Nav equipment

When permitted, the term 'Nav equipment' includes:

dividers
compass
protractor
ruler (or straight-edge)
non-electronic 'aviation wind triangle and circular slide rule' computer. eg Jeppesen Sanderson CR or other brands of similar type or a manual slide rule (if the candidate so prefers it).

(Only one of the manual pilot computers may be taken in) (Electronic flight planning device/computer is not permitted in place of Jeppesen CR or a manual slide rule) (Candidates should read the Exam Information Book, where available, for more detailed description of permissible nav equipment.)

Issues like this should be resolved between the candidate and the exam supervisor BEFORE the exam session commences to minimise distractions to other candidates.]

Reference CASA Theory Examiner email to John Heddles 13Oct21 at 1050

Bob may like to promulgate this further for the benefit of his student cohorts.


I wish I knew how to use one

A tech slide rule is based on the two fundamental scales (C/D scales.). Every time you use the calculation side of the Dalton, or either side of the Jeppesen, you are using C/D slide rule scales. So, you are a fair way down the track to using a tech slide rule. Just have a few more specialist scales to get your head around ......

Thanks so much for following this up John.

I purchased a 0.3mm mechanical pencil and metal ruler with 1/2mm marks today, so If I'm using them correctly, it should help a lot.

I'll take along printouts of the previously mentioned CASA pages. If they challenge the pen and ruler, I'll politely ask if I can keep them and show the relevant pages, or ask if they could call someone higher up.

Cheers
Matthew

Let's see what transpires for your next run.

I think we shall all be very interested to see the sequence in the event of a challenge .... main thing to ensure is, should it come to that, you are extremely polite and courteous, etc. so that you are not likely to be subject to any criticism.

Hi Bosi.

With the taxi fuel and fixed reserves on the echo. The casa exam booklet does not specify those, so am I right in expecting to not have to remember these number and that they will be supplied in the question?

Cheers
Matthew