Recreational pilot licence (navigation) exam - RPLN

After you have your RPL licence issued to you, you may choose to get a navigation endorsement. This means you need to pass another exam – RPL Navigation (RPLN).

The exams include multiple-choice questions and questions where you type a whole number in a box.

You have 1.5 hours to complete the exam and to pass, you will need to get at least 70% of the marks.

The exams cost $169.34 each ($104.34 invigilator fee and $65 CASA fee).

Preparing for your exam

The exams will test your knowledge on the syllabus in Part 61 Manual of Standards (MOS) schedule 3 - units 1.1.1 BAKC and 1.7.1 PNVC.

The RPLN exam may also include other navigation and visual flight rules (VFR) subjects, like:

• maps and charts properties
• rhumb line tracks, great circle tracks and exact straight line tracks – drawn with a ruler
• visual navigation requirements, position fixing and reporting, track-keeping requirements
• altimetry rules, serviceability of altimeters for VFR flights and setting of QNH – when to change from area QNH to circuit QNH
• forecast requirements and interpretation of forecasts, determination of alternate or holding requirements
• determination of fuel requirements – CASR Part 91
• circuit entry and departure requirements
• SAR requirements, nomination of SAR, amend or cancel of SAR
• radio frequency selections
• transponder operations, normal and emergency codes
• lost procedures
• emergency procedures – loss of radio, mercy flights, distress messages (MAYDAY and PAN calls).

Permitted material

You may use either the Airservices or Jeppesen list of permitted materials. You need to supply these materials.

You cannot use a combination of materials from both the Airservices list and the Jeppesen list.

The Visual Flight Rules Guide (VFRG) and the CASR Part 91 plain English guide may not have current information. If you choose to use these documents, make sure you also have other materials to help with current laws and procedures.

The VFRG referred to in the lists of permitted material is the document produced by CASA and not by another party or organisation.

Your invigilator will give you some things before the exam, which you must hand back at the end. These include:

• pen
• pencil
• ruler
• eraser
• scribble pad.

Pass rates

You can see how candidates performed in their RPLN exam.

Check the results of candidates from previous years.

Fuel policy in RPLN exams

CASA’s Flight Crew Licence exams reference policies related to fuel usage and reserves.

The Recreational Pilot Licence (Navigation) is a common category exam. This means the fuel policy will be in accordance with either:

• CASR Part 91 MOS, Chapter 19, table 19.02 (2), Item 1 for aeroplanes with MTOW less than 5,700 kg (piston engine or turboprop) under VFR by day, or
• CASR Part 91 MOS, Chapter 19, table 19.02 (2), Item 6 rotorcraft under VFR by day.

Note: all participants will be able to understand and answer exam questions correctly regardless of whether a candidate has an aeroplane or helicopter licence.

We recommend you avoid rounding off at intermediate stages of your workings when calculating fuel requirements in your exam.

Common errors

The following areas have been weak areas for candidates:

• time conversion
• CAS, TAS, HDG, Ground speed and drift calculations, i.e. basic navigation computer work
• flight plan preparation
• fuel requirements
• meteorological forecasts.