Pre-solo Written

skydriverdc6

skydriverdc6

Well-Known Member
Does anyone have any good examples of a pre-solo written for C172? I've got 3 students almost ready to solo and I've been trying to put one together. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance
 
Here, I'll copy and paste the exam I wrote a couple weeks ago...feel free to critique...

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Rules and Regulations

1. May a student pilot carry a passenger while acting as pilot in command?

a) Yes.
b) No.

2. May a student pilot fly solo on top of a solid cloud layer (unable to see the ground)?

a) Yes.
b) No.

3. Without a “cross country” endorsement, how far from the home airport may a student pilot fly solo?

a) 10 nautical miles
b) 25 nautical miles
c) 50 nautical miles
d) 100 nautical miles

4. Without an extra endorsement, may a student pilot land at an airport other than their home airport?

a) Yes.
b) No.

5. How many hours must have elapsed since drinking alcohol before a pilot may act as PIC?

a) 8 hours
b) 12 hours
c) 24 hours
d) 48 hours

6. In case of an emergency while a student pilot is operating solo, how much may that pilot deviate from the rules and regulations in order to deal with the emergency?

a) As much as their flight instructor has allowed, based on prior training.
b) As much as Air Traffic Control authorizes.
c) To any extent necessary, as decided by the pilot.

7. What documents must a student pilot carry with them while soloing in the local area?

a) Student pilot certificate.
b) Student pilot certificate and medical certificate.
c) Student pilot certificate, medical certificate, and photo identification.
d) Student pilot certificate, medical certificate, photo ID, and logbook with appropriate endorsements.

Aircraft Systems and Limitations

1. What is a good cruise power setting to be used in this airplane?

a) 2000 rpm
b) 2200 rpm
c) 2400 rpm
d) 2750 rpm

2. What is the maximum amount of usable fuel that can be carried in this airplane?

a) 20.0 gallons
b) 22.5 gallons
c) 24.0 gallons
d) 26.0 gallons

3. What is the recommended amount of oil to be in the engine?

a) 3-4 quarts
b) 4-6 quarts
c) 6-8 quarts

4. What would happen to the fuel quantity indicators in the cockpit if the electrical system in the plane completely fails?

a) The needles would go to “Empty” no matter how much fuel is left.
b) The needles would go to “Full” no matter how much fuel is left.
c) The needles would still indicate correctly.

5. Why is it necessary to sump the fuel after refueling and before the first flight of the day?

a) To check for dirt and debris.
b) To check for water contamination.
c) To check for the correct grade of fuel.
d) All of the above.

6. Will the engine still run if the electrical master switch is flipped off?

a) Yes.
b) No.

7. During the magneto check of the engine run-up, what is the maximum allowable RPM drop?

a) 100 RPM on either magneto, or a difference of more than 50 RPM between the two.
b) 150 RPM on either magneto, or a difference of more than 75 RPM between the two.
c) 200 RPM on either magneto, or a difference of more than 100 RPM between the two.

8. If the ammeter shows a “-“ (negative) indication, what does this probably mean?

a) The pilot needs to increase engine RPM to generate more electricity.
b) The alternator has probably failed and the electrical system is draining the battery.
c) The battery has failed—if the flight is continued, the engine will soon fail.

9. What is a fair estimate of this aircraft’s fuel burn rate?

a) 3-4 gallons per hour
b) 4-5 gallons per hour
c) 5-6 gallons per hour
d) 6-7 gallons per hour

10. What does the top of the white arc on the airspeed indicator show?

a) The maximum flap extension airspeed.
b) Maneuvering speed.
c) Best rate of climb speed.
d) Stalling speed in the landing configuration.

Flight Operations

1. What is this airplane’s best glide speed?

a) 55 KIAS
b) 60 KIAS
c) 65 KIAS
d) 70 KIAS

2. What are the steps for recovering from a spin?

a) Throttle to full power, yoke pulled back, rudder in the direction of the spin’s rotation.
b) Throttle to full power, yoke pulled back, rudder opposite the direction of the spin’s rotation.
c) Throttle to idle, yoke pulled back, rudder opposite the direction of the spin’s rotation.
d) Throttle to idle, yoke pushed forward, rudder opposite the direction of the spin’s rotation.

3) When practicing stalls, recovery must be completed no lower than what altitude?

a) 1000 feet AGL
b) 1500 feet AGL
c) 2000 feet AGL
d) 3000 feet AGL

4. When practicing ground reference maneuvers, the plane should be at an altitude of:

a) Below 600 feet AGL
b) 600-1000 feet AGL
c) 1000-1500 feet AGL

5. If a glider is converging with an airplane, who has the right of way?

a) The glider.
b) The airplane.

6. If you are converging with another airplane, you should always:

a) Turn to the right.
b) Turn to the left.
c) Descend and pass below the other aircraft.
d) Do whatever it takes to avoid the other aircraft.

7. What is the traffic pattern altitude for Blue Mountain Academy’s airport?

a) 1000 feet MSL
b) 1500 feet MSL
c) 2000 feet MSL

8. What must a pilot always do before entering Class D airspace?

a) Be identified on radar.
b) Turn on the landing light.
c) Establish two-way radio communication with the appropriate ATC facility.

9. What is the minimum safe altitude for flying anywhere?

a) 500 feet AGL
b) 1000 feet AGL
c) 500 feet from any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.
d) An altitude allowing an emergency landing without undue hazard to anything on the surface if an engine failure was to occur.

10. What is the one exception to the “minimum safe altitude” rule, when the rule does not apply?

a) When practicing emergency procedures.
b) When it is necessary to go below an MSA for takeoff or landing.
c) When taking a flight test for a certificate or rating.

11. What is the minimum fuel reserve for a day VFR flight?

a) 30 minutes
b) 45 minutes
c) 60 minutes

12. How far away must pilots stay from clouds when operating VFR, below 10,000 feet MSL, in Class E airspace?

a) 1000 feet below, 1000 feet above, and 1 statute mile horizontally from all clouds.
b) 1000 feet below, 1000 feet above, and 1000 feet horizontally from all clouds.
c) 500 feet below, 1000 feet above, and 2000 feet horizontally from all clouds.

13. What is the minimum visibility allowed for a student pilot to fly solo during the day?

a) 1 statute mile flight visibility.
b) 3 statute miles flight visibility.
c) 3 statute miles flight or surface visibility.
d) 5 statute miles flight or surface visibility.
 
jrh, my only comment is that I personally prefer open ended question of multiple guess. So, for example, my question on the altitude for stalls is

==============================
When practicing steep turns, stalls, and maneuvering during slow flight, the entry altitude must allow a recovery to be completed no lower than _______ feet AGL.
==============================

But most go deeper than that and ask the student to explain things (I'm looking for signs of "understading" and "application" rather than rote, so

==============================
How can you tell if the engine is overheating? What would you do?
==============================

and even

==============================
You receive a communication from ATC that you don’t understand or think that you cannot comply with safely. What would you do?
==============================

It takes the student longer and reviewing takes longer, but I prefer it as a better indicator of the knowldge and thought I want to see in a solo student than recognizing the correct answer when you are shown it in a group.
 
MidlifeFlyer said:
jrh, my only comment is that I personally prefer open ended question of multiple guess.
Click to expand...

I agree, open ended questions are a much better indicator of knowledge than multiple choice.

The reason I do multiple choice questions is because I like a simple, fast, black and white, easy to grade test. I want to cover a lot of material, get the student through it in a relatively short amount of time, and not confuse them or give poor test takers too much anxiety. I view the test more as a verification and documentation of what I know the student knows, rather than an assessment to find out what I need to cover better.

I talk to my students a lot before, during, and after flight lessons. If they aren't able to converse with me about all the information they need to understand before they solo, I won't let them solo. Also, if they can't fly the plane, I won't let them solo, period.

For instance, when we're preflighting, I'll ask the student how much fuel we have. "11 gallons," might be the reply. Ok, so how long does that give us until the engine stops running? "About 2 hours." Good...how long can we legally plan to fly for? "About 1.5 hours." Good...this student knows how to manage fuel. When I ask them on the pre-solo written test how much usable fuel the plane holds, I'm mainly just rubber-stamping what I know they know.

The same technique could be applied to emergency procedures, airspace, or anything else they're required to understand prior to solo. Make sure they understand it in the plane, where it matters, then verify it using the written test.
 
Good points. You may have a luxury that I don't have. My students tend to be once-a-weekers who for the most part self-study the ground stuff. And I may have a luxury that you don't have - a very small student load.

Between the two, my confort level is a little better with the give-and-take and follow-up discussion of the opened ended test.
 
jrh said:
I agree, open ended questions are a much better indicator of knowledge than multiple choice.
Click to expand...

I agree with you completely. My own pre-solo is also multiple choice and fill in the blank, with just a couple of exceptions, such as draw the Class B airspace around the airport.

Allowing the student to have free-form text entry is tedious to grade and sometimes their answers are ambiguous due to poor verbal skills.
 
MidlifeFlyer said:
Ah. A good reason to use at least some open-ended questions. A chance to highlight early what may be a problem in getting ready for the oral.
Click to expand...

You're not going to fix a lifetime problem in PPL training.

The gap in time, knowledge levels and relevant skills between a pre-solo written and a checkride oral is so immense that I'm extremely skeptical that there's any connection between the two.

jrh was willing to choose a path that deviated from the industry norm and he did so for thoughtful, well-articulated reasons, I'm impressed by that. This is the origin of all human progress. (and catastrophe, but we won't go there.:) )
 
tgrayson said:
Allowing the student to have free-form text entry is tedious to grade and sometimes their answers are ambiguous due to poor verbal skills.
Click to expand...
Tedious, yes; but also revealing. Time consuming, yes; but that comes with the package. And yes, I'll say it;what about 61.63(c) which seemingly is being ignored:"be able to read, speak, write, and understand..."

We aren't just teaching stick skills; we are also pretty heavy into communication skills, which includes reading and writing.

from jrh:

"For instance, when we're preflighting, I'll ask the student how much fuel we have. "11 gallons," might be the reply. Ok, so how long does that give us until the engine stops running? "About 2 hours." Good...how long can we legally plan to fly for? "About 1.5 hours." Good...this student knows how to manage fuel. When I ask them on the pre-solo written test how much usable fuel the plane holds, I'm mainly just rubber-stamping what I know they know."

I know the multiple choice has a place - for quick verification of factual details, such as your example, which is still sort of a rote-on-the-spot response. But in a written question such as giving a scenario of a destination and wx conditions and asking for the bottom line answer of required fuel would encourage and develop "planning thinking": Looking at the overall picture and digging out the details to come up with an answer.

These kind of questions develop the kind of thinking that is necessary in flying, as well as communicating in written form. You will learn more about you student from a written answer. It is a tool.
 
nosehair said:
it;what about 61.63(c) which seemingly is being ignored:"be able to read, speak, write, and understand..."
Click to expand...

It's being ignored because it's irrelevant. Every native born American qualifies for that. The reg is geared towards a minimal competency that is only relevant for those who are not native English speakers.

<<We aren't just teaching stick skills; we are also pretty heavy into communication skills, which includes reading and writing.>>

You will not succeed in teaching reading and writing skills that 15 years of schooling could not do.

<<These kind of questions develop the kind of thinking that is necessary in flying, as well as communicating in written form. You will learn more about you student from a written answer.>>

Don't buy that. Performing engine out procedures in the airplane is much more valuable than having him write down a list. The ability to communicate in writing is probably more useless in aviation than almost any other field that comes to mind.
 
tgrayson said:
It's being ignored because it's irrelevant. Every native born American qualifies for that. The reg is geared towards a minimal competency that is only relevant for those who are not native English speakers.
Click to expand...

That's your interpretation of it, Sir, and you are entitled to it. My interpretation is based on the experience that even some native born Americans don't really qualify. Read on.
You will not succeed in teaching reading and writing skills that 15 years of schooling could not do.
Click to expand...
One size does not fit all.

<<These kind of questions develop the kind of thinking that is necessary in flying, as well as communicating in written form. You will learn more about you student from a written answer.>>
Don't buy that. Performing engine out procedures in the airplane is much more valuable than having him write down a list.
Click to expand...
Both actions can have a learning/teaching value. Why limit youself to one way? A long hand written answer to a scenario question may provide insight you otherwise would not have gotten.
The ability to communicate in writing is probably more useless in aviation than almost any other field that comes to mind.
Click to expand...

I tell all my students about how there are tens of thousands of people here in the United States every year who are killed in hospitals as a direct result of bad penmanship by doctors. I used to think that scribble on the prescription was some kinda greek that was readable by a pharmacist who was trained to read prescription short-hand, but it's not - it's bad penmanship!

There is lots of paperwork in commercial flying; little boxes that have to have numbers and letters neatly penned in a legible manner; where you're going, how much you're taking, engine temps and pressures, outside temps and altitudes, etc, squeezed into a little box in the aircraft flight log, and so on... penmanship counts.

Don't make me (or the many other persons who have to read and interpret what you are writing in commercial aviation) have to try to 'figure out' what you are trying to write. It always causes mistakes which can be deadly.

Ok, I think your experience is with well schooled American kids who are intelligent and can do well with the 3 R's, so a multiple choice is probably all you really need, but there are many other types of people learning to fly here that do need a closer look.

One size does not fit all.
 
As an aside and more a point of useless trivia:

The presolo test does NOT have to be written!

It can be administered orally. You just need to have some sort of documentation you did it. Food for thought concerning the fruitless English debate going on in this thread...

61.87 reads:

(b) Aeronautical knowledge. A student pilot must demonstrate satisfactory aeronautical knowledge on a KNOWLEDGE TEST that meets the requirements of this paragraph:

(1) The test must address the student pilot's knowledge of --

(i) Applicable sections of parts 61 and 91 of this chapter;

(ii) Airspace rules and procedures for the airport where the solo flight will be performed; and

(iii) Flight characteristics and operational limitations for the make and model of aircraft to be flown.

(2) The student's authorized instructor must --

(i) Administer the test; and

(ii) At the conclusion of the test, review all incorrect answers with the student before authorizing that student to conduct a solo flight.
 
gredenko said:
As an aside and more a point of useless trivia:

The presolo test does NOT have to be written!

It can be administered orally. You just need to have some sort of documentation you did it. Food for thought concerning the fruitless English debate going on in this thread...

61.87 reads:

(b) Aeronautical knowledge. A student pilot must demonstrate satisfactory aeronautical knowledge on a KNOWLEDGE TEST that meets the requirements of this paragraph:
Click to expand...
Speaking of English debates, remember that many terms used in FAA lingo, even if they don't have specific FAR definitions, are "terms of art" rather than everyday English. You are making the assumption that "knowledge test" means "a test of any form, written, computerized, or oral, using any form of communication, that tests knowledge." I've heard that interpretation of the reg. It may even be correct, but have never seen any official support for it. Every FAA-related "knowledge test" I'm aware of uses the phrase to mean to a "written" test (although definitely medium-neutral, so computerized tests would be included). Perhaps you can point to just one or two examples where the FAA has used the phrase "knowledge test" to mean something other than "a written or computerized test."

While you're looking around for an FAA example that supports the concept of an oral "knowledge test", you might come across this paragraph in FAA-H-8083-27 - STUDENT PILOT GUIDE:

==============================
Communication between individuals through the use of words is a complicated process. In addition to being an exercise in the application and use of aeronautical knowledge, a knowledge test is also an exercise in communication since it involves the use of the written language. Since the tests involve written rather than spoken words, communication between the test writer and the person being tested may become a difficult matter if care is not exercised by both parties. For this reason, considerable effort is expended to write each question in a clear, precise manner.
==============================
 
nosehair said:
Ok, I think your experience is with well schooled American kids who are intelligent and can do well with the 3 R's, so a multiple choice is probably all you really need, but there are many other types of people learning to fly here that do need a closer look.

One size does not fit all.
Click to expand...

I agree, but I'm not disagreeing with tgrayson either.

I have a foreign student who can rote memorize anything you put in front of him, so he does fine on a multiple choice test, but for me to truly understand that he understands what I'm teaching him is for him to either write it out, draw it out, or explain it to me. Not to get off topic, but I've found that's also a great teaching tool for him and myself is to have him tell me what he's doing and why all the time in the airplane. I don't do it for every student, but it seems to do the trick for him.
 
MidlifeFlyer said:
While you're looking around for an FAA example that supports the concept of an oral "knowledge test", you might come across this paragraph in FAA-H-8083-27 - STUDENT PILOT GUIDE:
Click to expand...

The only "example" I can offer you is asking a Minneapolis FSDO inspector face to face and a Denver inspector over the phone, and both telling me that you can do it oral, as some people prefer to let the student give more open ended answers that may not be as clear as when transmitted via the written word.

I am a part time college teacher so I love written tests, don't get me wrong, but I just wanted to offer my insight from what a few FSDOs have told me.
 
gredenko said:
The only "example" I can offer you is asking a Minneapolis FSDO inspector face to face and a Denver inspector over the phone
Click to expand...
FSDOs are among the worst sources for regulatory interpretations. They are infamous for shooting from the hip and getting things wrong. Especially orally when there's deniability, but even in writing.

One of the more interesting examples is when the Buffalo FSDO decided that every =leg= of a regular (not the "long" one) student pilot solo cross country needed to be at least 50 NM long and put it in writing on its web site. That one disappeared pretty quickly when a whole bunch of folks wrote to Flight Standards. Another good one was the seminar for CFIs put on by Oakland where the FSDO rep insisted that during an instructional session with a private or higher pilot, the CFI or the pilot could log PIC, but not both.

The best rule on FSDO interpretations is, if you ever get one you don't like, call another FSDO (or even the same FSDO on another day). Really curious about the answer? Ask the FSDO to obtain an official interpretation from Legal.

BTW, I agree with you about some people communicating better orally. In my case, the open-ended written is often a jumping off point for an oral discussion. (I do the same thing with FRs).
 
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