Passport and Drivers License in hand I, walked to the FAA testing room that is always locked at DCA except during exam time. I handed over my passport and D.L for verification of my identification and to make sure my name was correct in the system. Surprisingly, some people learn for the first time they have a middle name or the correct legal way to spell their name as stated on their birth certificate. I urge anyone becoming a pilot, make sure the name on your Birth Certificate is identical to any ID documents you may have, such as Passport, and D.L.’s.
Before being assigned a computer station to take the exam rules were laid out for us. No mobile phones are allowed to be brought in, any calculator that has a removable battery must have the battery removed and put back in to assure if the calculator has a memory it will be erased. No talking whatsoever, any questions should be asked to the proctor and the FAA certified proctor.
I am given a booklet with diagrams, and charts that will be referenced from the computer testing software. I click on the start button for the exam. All the questions I am faced with are word for word from the Gleim. I knew they would be, but you never REALLY know until you see it for yourself. I start plugging through, feeling nervous about some question and confident about others. Then out of a scene from License to Drive my computer froze on me. The cursor was stuck on question 46. 14 questions to complete and get my test score and the damn computer freezes on me. Apparently I wasn’t the only one having computer problems, as half the computers in the room froze. The proctor told us not to worry, rebooted the system, and the tests came back with all inputted answers intact. That was a relief. I continued until the last question, and clicked the finished button. “Are you SURE you are finished?”
Yes, I’m finished.
“Are you SURE you would like to submit your exam now?”
Damnit yes I’m sure!!
My score popped up on the screen with a big bold passing score. I was so relieved. The proctor congratulated me… quietly… but congratulated me, and signed me up for the Private written exam in 10 days. So now I have to go review all the private pilot information that I haven’t looked at in about a month. Ive divided up the chapters to give myself a day of studying all the chapters together. Wednesday is the big day.
Posts
2 comments:
Congrats on passing!! Gleim is the best, for sure.
I am curious though why you take the Instrument written before the Private. I can't see that it makes any difference but seems odd none the less.
Everyone tells me its odd. But here is what was explained to me. Private and Instrument are combined into one class. You go through private first, and keep going through instrument. Because the instrument part is more technical, they have you take this exam first to keep it fresh in your head. I personally think its another way to get rid of some weeds, but of course they wont tell me that.
Post a Comment