CyberExams System
Introduction
The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has a flight crew examination (exam) system, called CyberExams, which uses the Internet to deliver flight crew exams to authorised venues.
The use of the Internet to conduct exam business has particular importance for Australia due to factors of geography, demographic spread and long lines of communication.
CyberExams has been designed to address a number of limitations that previous exam systems had experienced. This has resulted in a number of advantages:
- swift and secure delivery of exams and submission of completed answers
- virtually instantaneous feedback of results (RA) and knowledge-deficiency-reports (KDR) that contribute to effective re-training
- greater flexibility in access to exams that supports course planning and candidates' personal requirements
- one-stop-shop facility for candidates' exam needs
Additionally, the new exam system will be an environmental plus as it is virtually paper-less. The exams are presented on an Internet-capable Personal Computer (PC) at the approved venues. Candidates select the preferred answers and submit the completed exam by the click of a computer "mouse".
Exams Online
CyberExams first came online with PPL exams in April 2001. Now all pilot exams inclusive of PPLA, PAOS, PHOS, CPL, CPL Balloon, ATPL, PIFR, IREX, AGRA, AGRH and AFR1 are online. Only the rarely used student flight engineer exams remain as hardcopy exams, and which may be attempted by prior arrangement.
Pre-Qualifications
Before applying to sit any flight crew examinations, candidates shall ensure that they possess the relevant pre-qualifications.
Delegated supervisor
CASA has delegated Assessment Services Proprietary Limited (ASL) to supervise the professional and PPL exams in Australia. ASL managed exam venues are available in a number of towns and cities throughout Australia.
For more information on CyberExams, venues, bookings and fees refer to the ASL website (www.aslexam.com).
All bookings and inquiries for professional exams should be directed to ASL.
In addition to ASL there are approximately 300 schools in Australia that have been approved to deliver the PPL exams, including in some cases the PIFR exam.
Exams administration
CyberExams supervisors process applications for sittings, accept payments, allocate the exam sessions to candidates, provide pre and post exam advice as well as CASA specified exam material, supervise the exam session and issue (and re-issue) the RA/KDR. Candidates shall address enquiries and requests for change/cancellation of exam sessions and venues directly to the supervisors. Candidates should not contact CASA on any of these administrative matters.
Practice Exams
A CyberExams Practice Exam facility showing a typical CASA screen-based flight crew exam is available. The facility is only for practicing web-navigation in a typical CyberExams exam including viewing CASA's style of exam questions as so that a candidate may be familiar with the features of the system. It is not an aviation subject practice examination per se. Candidates are advised to utilise this facility, as familiarity with the navigational features is vital to the examination attempt.
The CyberExams Practice Exam is available here on the CASA website, and the supervisor's Internet capable computer. During the exam session the candidate will be prompted to use the Practice Exam prior to the start of the actual exam.
Materials Required During Exams
All CASA flight crew exams require material that may be provided by the supervisor and/or (required to be) supplied by the candidate him/herself. Exam material 'provided' will be the responsibility of the approved supervisor. Material 'required' of the candidate shall be the responsibility of the candidate.
The candidate is advised to ascertain well before the exam session what he/she needs during the exam and who should be responsible for the provision of the required exam materials.
Exam fees
Each professional exam (including a part-exam sat as a separate exam - eg. CMET) has a CASA exam fee and a separate ASL supervision fee for sitting the exam. Candidates can find ASL fees on the ASL website prior to booking exams.
Flying schools may also charge their own supervision fees. Candidates are advised to check the supervision fee of the flying school before using the facility.
The CASA exam fee for each exam is AUD$65. The supervisor collects the CASA exam fee on behalf of CASA during booking.
Exam availability
While CASA approved business days/hours for the professional exams are Monday to Friday (except for public holidays or system maintenance periods) between 0800 to 1800 hours LOCAL time, candidates are advised to make arrangements with ASL for a preferred date/period for their exams. The business hours of an exam venue will be directly related to the volume and frequency of the local requirements. Availability of exam sessions may also be subjected to bookings by other candidates.
The PPL exams are available everyday between 0800 to 1800 hours LOCAL time, subject to the business activities of the approved schools.
Exam Questions
A typical CyberExams flight crew examination consists of a number of questions that tests the published syllabus of aeronautical knowledge training in as comprehensive a coverage as may be possible under a finite period of time.
Candidates are advised to familiarise themselves with the type of the CyberExams examination questions and the associated exam rules. For details, read here.
Recovery of interrupted exams
The CyberExams system possesses a function that may mitigate the loss of an exam due to electronic interruption. This function allows the supervisor to recover the exam after the interruption.
Issue of Result Advice (RA)
The CyberExams system automatically marks an exam on submission. The result advice (RA) will be issued with a knowledge-deficiency-report (KDR) to the candidate, who may obtain a printed copy before leaving the exam venue.
A PPL, CPL or rating candidate who has passed the exam should retain the RA/KDR, and present it to the testing officer (ATO) conducting the flight test for the licence or rating. As part of the test, the ATO will orally examine the candidate on the noted deficient areas of knowledge.
Knowledge Deficiency Reports (KDR)
The KDR is issued with the RA for a completed exam and lists the syllabus items the candidate has not answered correctly.
Re-training after a failed attempt
Failing an exam is indicative of knowledge deficiency, which is a safety-related issue. Therefore CASA requires the unsuccessful candidate to undergo re-training before he/she may be permitted to re-attempt the failed exam.
The listed re-training period is the 'minimum' that a candidate shall observe before re-attempting the examination. The candidate is advised to consult his/her instructor on whether the 'minimum' period is adequate for his/her personal case, to ensure that he/she may have adequate time to comprehensively analyse the knowledge-deficient areas, plan and re-train to a satisfactory standard before re-attempting the examination.
The candidate is advised that the likelihood of further failure cannot be discounted if he/she elects to re-sit the examination without adequate and satisfactory re-training.
The candidate should note that CASA policy does not permit any reduction of the listed re-training period for any candidate. The CyberExams system controls the re-training period automatically.
A candidate is personally responsible for planning and managing his/her own activities including the possibility of travel plans or flight test conflicting with the mandatory need to undergo a re-training period to re-sit a failed examination.
(eg. if a candidate intends to sit and pass an exam before departing from Australia, he/she is advised to make allowance in the travel arrangements for this possibility. Alternatively, the candidate may re-sit the examination after his/her return to Australia)
Warning
Candidates are reminded that the exam content (questions) and all material provided are only for the sitting of the exam, and must not be copied or taken out of the exam room for study, training or any other purposes. This rule includes all calculations, writings, drawings or scribbling done on the scribble pad provided. Any breach of the rules may give CASA grounds for taking action against the candidate under CAR 298A, which action could lead to the outcome indicated in CAR 298A (5).