I wrote my PPL exam Friday morning and passed with flying colours. If you ever decide to take the test at the Ontario/Toronto Transport Canada office here are some time saving tips:
1. Head to the TC office on the 4th floor first, tell reception that you want to write the PPL test. She will fill out a form and tell you to head to the 3rd floor office.
2. Head to the 3rd floor, pay your $105. You will get a receipt.
3. Head back up to the 4th floor and show your recepit to the receptionist and she will get you going.
All you are allowed to bring is:
– Pencil/Pen
– E6B (or electronic version)
– Protractor and Rulers
They will provide the proper VNC for your exam (mine was for Edmonton) and a dry erase marker to do your work on the laminated VNC. They will also provide the scrap paper.
I was able to complete the test in about 1 hour 45 minutes. You do have three hours. You can write the test as early as 8am or as late as 12:30.
I was the first to arrive, but 3 or 4 people trickled into the testing area as time went on. So don’t expect a totally quiet environment to do your test.
I picked up a copy of MS Flight Sim X this weekend while I was in Ottawa. It’s installing as I write this. It will be a good study aid when it comes to practicing some instrument procedures and figuring out the GPS. Hopefully my laptop can handle this beast. It comes on two DVDs and needs at least 15GB of hard drive space. Man.. I remember when my favorite game used to come on 6 floppies.
The only thing left on my to-do list before getting my PPL is:
– Long X-Country
– Review Flight
– Pre-PPL Test Flight
– PPL Checkride
(Is “checkride” the proper term for the actual PPL flying exam?)
“Checkride” is sort of a universal term although I hear it used most in the USA.
“Flight Test” seems to be the accepted phrase on this side of the border…although I used the word “Checkride” myself a few times when I was a student and it worked just as well when referring to the big ride, FWIW.
Congrats… another item off the “to do” list on your way to the PPL.