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CyberExams
 Re-Training Periods for Professional Examinations

Introduction

A failed exam attempt indicates the candidate has significant knowledge deficiency on the subject tested. This is a safety-related issue, which must be addressed by the candidate prior to re- attempting the failed exam.

Exam failures, especially repetitive failures on the same subject, would generally be a consequence of inadequate re-training or/and the candidate’s personal difficulties in attaining the required standards.

Apart from good instruction, dealing with exam failures requires satisfactory allocation of re-training time to ensure the candidate has a reasonable chance of reaching the required standards, and passing the CASA exam. CASA sets a mandatory re-training period to allow the candidate to re-study on the knowledge-deficient areas to a satisfactory (safe) standard.

Preparation for exam

The importance of allocating a reasonable period of re-training time cannot be over-emphasized as the most common cause of exam failures is inadequate preparation. The length of time required by the candidate depends on the extent of the knowledge deficiency and personal ability to attain the required standard.

The CASA mandatory re-training period is only the 'minimum' that a candidate is required to observe before re-attempting the exam. The candidate is advised to consult the instructor on whether the 'minimum' period is adequate for his/her personal case. The likelihood of further failure cannot be discounted if the candidate elects to re-sit the examination without adequate and satisfactory re-training.

There is no excuse for ill-prepared haste to sit a CASA flight crew exam as the prodigious availability of CyberExams sessions supports schools and students with flexibility in planning the training programmes and preparing thoroughly for exam attempts or re-attempts.

Planning

The possibility of exam failures and the associated mandatory re-training periods is an important but often neglected consideration for planning that the candidate should take into account. This has particular importance for the following candidates:

  1. Those who are sitting for the aeroplane and helicopter CPL and ATPL exam, each of which have multi subject-parts that must be all passed within a specific time period exam
  2. Candidates from overseas who are here in Australia on a time-limited visa, whether they are training for their CPL, ATPL and ratings, or those who are in Australia for conversion of their overseas licence.
  3. Candidates who has personal travel plans in the immediate future.

Candidate's responsibility

The onus is on the candidate to plan and manage his/her personal and exam activities, which should include the possibility of an unsuccessful exam attempt, which carries a re-training period.

'Minimum' re-training period

CASA determines the ‘minimum’ re-training period for a failed exam through a matrix of 'score achieved' and the 'number of failed attempts' by the unsuccessful candidate.

Continued failures. The following matrices show that continued failures (in the blank tabulated cells) shall require re-training periods of 28 days in order to support the attainment of satisfactory standard of knowledge.

Eg. with reference to the first table, 28 days re-training period will be required for 2nd and subsequent exam fails with a score in the 0 – 50% band, or 3rd and subsequent exam fails with a score in the 51 – 64% band, or 4th and subsequent exam fails with a score in the 65 – 69% band

For aeroplane & helicopter CPL, ATPL, student FE, IREX exams

The re-training period for a failed exam (excluding Air Law exam) is tabulated as follows:

Fails/Scores 65* - 69*% 51 - 64*% 1 - 50%
1st fail 7 days 14 days 28 days
2nd fail 14 days 28 days  
3rd fail 28 days    

 

The re-training period for a failed Air Law exam is tabulated as follows:

Fails/Scores 75* - 79&% 51 - 74*% 0 - 50%
1st fail 7 days 14 days 28 days
2nd fail 14 days 28 days  
3rd fail 28 days    

For CPL (Balloon), AFR1, AGRA, AGRH exams

The re-training period for a failed exam is tabulated as follows:

Fails/Scores 70 - 74% 51 - 69% 0 - 50%
1st fail 7 days 14 days 28 days
2nd fail 14 days 28 days  
3rd fail 28 days    

Notification by CyberExams

The CyberExams system automatically calculates and manages the re-training requirement for failed exams. The exam result advice will carry information on the 'earliest date' for re-attempting the exam. If the ‘earliest date’ falls on a weekend or public holiday, the system will issue the date for the first following business day.

CyberExams booking after failed exam

During the re-training period, the candidate may continue booking for exam sessions but the requested session date must not be for a date earlier than the notified ‘earliest date’ for re-attempting the failed exam.

The CyberExams system will block any booking for a date within the re-training period.