Instrument Written Passed... Barely

DubyaDawg

Well-Known Member
Well after two weeks of ground school and practice tests I finally took the written. I got a 75 on it, which personally I'm not happy with, and my flight school usually wants nothing below an 80, but I won't have to retake it. I didn't study as much as I should have, I had taken 3 practice tests in the few days prior and got an 84, 82, and 89. I was supposed to go take the test right after the practice 89, but the testing center closed early for some reason. I had family come in over the weekend and I didn't study nearly as much as I should have. I feel sort of like I let my instructor down, but I'd had a bit of trouble with the entire instrument ground school, for no one's fault but my own. I'm just mad at myself, on my PPL I got a 90 and was aggravated I didn't get higher. Oh well, I guess nothing to do but make sure I can fly through the checkride. Pass is a pass I suppose.
 
Congrats on the pass. Its good that you aren't satisfied with anything less than perfect. Study up on the deficient areas listed on the test results and you'll never hear anything about this again.

Honestly as far as actual knowledge goes, unless they've changed significantly since I was in training, the tests were more of just checking a box than a demonstration of useful knowledge.
 
I wasn't happy with one of my test scores and mentioned it to the DPE during the oral. His response was "don't worry, the written score won't show on your new certificate". Great guy.
 
I took the FOI last minute, due to not getting clarification on me being a Navy instructor at the time (there's an exemption if you are already teaching, and some other requirements), and passed with a 70. My instructor gave me a hard time; myself and the FAA Examiner laughed about it since I had taught more people than my instructor already, with numerous lectures to everybody from new Ensigns, all the way to 1 star Admirals. Guess how much that has affected my career...

As mentioned before, know your deficiencies, and make sure you know your stuff for your practical and you'll be fine. Glad to hear you know why it happened, don't dwell on it, though. Go out and get your rating!
 
The ifr written is the most commonly failed test right now, the faa has progressively been adding questions to the bank.
 
While it is still fresh in your memory, go through the subject matter codes you missed. Then use a back-reference look at each of the questions for that code. See if you can find the one you missed. Then highlight it in your book. If the examiner says something about the questions you missed, say something like "yes, I was a little surprised that I missed so many, but I identified the ones I missed [flipping your book open] and I understand what I missed and I also studied those subject areas again." Believe me, you'll gain more points with the examiner for being a serious student than you could every possibly lose by showing him a 75% score on your test.

Also, be sure to get an endorsement in from an instructor to cover 14 CFR 61.39(a)(6)(iii).
 
Well after two weeks of ground school and practice tests I finally took the written. I got a 75 on it, which personally I'm not happy with, and my flight school usually wants nothing below an 80, but I won't have to retake it. I didn't study as much as I should have, I had taken 3 practice tests in the few days prior and got an 84, 82, and 89. I was supposed to go take the test right after the practice 89, but the testing center closed early for some reason. I had family come in over the weekend and I didn't study nearly as much as I should have. I feel sort of like I let my instructor down, but I'd had a bit of trouble with the entire instrument ground school, for no one's fault but my own. I'm just mad at myself, on my PPL I got a 90 and was aggravated I didn't get higher. Oh well, I guess nothing to do but make sure I can fly through the checkride. Pass is a pass I suppose.
A miss is still as good as a mile. Got it done.

Years from now, nobody will ask.
 
I got a 74 (or something close) on my private written. The examiner did not care. After that though, I got a 95, 90, 90, 90 on my next 4 writtens. Don't feel bad at all. Just knock the oral out of the park.
 
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