CPL Written Disappointing Score

rkiefer2

rkiefer2

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rkiefer2
My CPL written received a passing score, but not with flying colors, see below. The learning objectives were clear for both PPL and IFR Rating, but I found CPL to be a bit more ambiguous. Wasn't 100% clear on the topics that would get more detailed vs new ones added. I think I was a little over confident in my knowledge.

I would call myself more of a detailed learner vs a fast learner. I prefer to understand vs memorize. That said I was scoring in the upper 90s on the CPL simulated tests. When I took the FAA version there were a handful of questions I never seen, but knew (or thought I did) the correct answer. I was very surprised at the amount of open ended questions on CPL the written. I had a several occasions where I sat and reread the question over and over and it appeared to have 2 answers that arguable could be correct. Many I was not familiar with as they were very specific and not used by your everyday GA pilot. Example: What does the red scallop line on the High Level Significant weather chart represent? Don't recall this one in studying, don't use it for everyday flying, and could not locate in figures/legends. I'm not arguing its needed, but there were a few questions like this that stung me.

To be thorough I took the ACS codes categorized them, went through test questions to bump them up against the questions I thought I got wrong, noted my thinking, and will use this to discuss my incorrect answers with my CFII. Purpose being I want to know my specific knowledge gaps and if its my learning style as I'm pursuing my CFI rating.
  • PPL (Sportys) 93% - 2014
  • IFR (King / Dauntless) 95%- 2020
  • CPL (Mzero A / Dauntless) 73% - 2020
Note: I'm not advocating the my score had anything to do with the platforms above as I think they all have their +'s and -'s.

As I journey into the land of professional flying Im struggling with what information is truly needed and what is to be externalized (ie you know about it and know where to find the answers as needed). My progression in training consists of self study online ground schools, online test, mixed in with flying 1-2 times/week.

Anyone else found the CPL to be more ambiguous or the questions to be more up for interpretation than other tests? Gaps in scores? Tips? I want to ensure I have the proper knowledge to move forward as and I'm confident I can make it through the processes, just don't want to have knowledge gaps that would lead to a bad day!
 
I too was surprised by my CPL test. Took it a few months ago. took IFR about 3 years ago-Scored 97. Used king only.
Took CPL few months ago. Got 91. Used king only as well. I do well with their way of shoving the Info down ya.
Certainly happy but there were a lot of questions that I agree we’re a bit more ambiguous. I remember marking two and thought their were easily two good answers.
the amount of questions on CPL that were new and not part of old bank is far greater then the IFR from just a a few years ago.
i like to get written out of the way then train. I honestly have gotten a bit lazy working toward the CPL. I really don’t need it. I think learning and doing the maneuvers proficiently will make me a better pilot. But ugh who wants to do 10 t&g at night at a towered field.
 
FAA changed it up a few years ago with new questions that won’t e released for the study guides. So it is not surprising there were questions that you did not see. They realized people were just memorizing the questions and not really learning. I think over time two things will happen, the companies will get a list of the questions or FAA will keep adding questions to the point you might not see any questions of a test on any guide.
 
It's been a long time since the commercial written, but I remember I had some trouble because the answer choices on the performance/planning section were so close together. It was the first time I got below a 90 on a written.
 
I found the CPL test extremely easy and straight forward. Maybe I just got lucky and got an easy bank of questions but I got a 100 on it. IFR on the other hand about kicked my butt. I studied my butt off for that one. Scored high 90% on all the practice test but got a 78 or so on the written. Had lots of questions I had never seen before.
 
No big deal IMHO. I got my IFR back when you did not need a recommendation to take the test. I just walked in to the test center at the Junior college and requested it. Didn't use any prep course. Got a mediocre score. Showed the grade slip to the examiner and he just said : Well you got above the water line," and bore down on the oral. Did fine on the oral and flight. My prep was reading AIM/FAR and some military tech manuals in my guard unit. A little bit. The only time that I took a course was for the ATP. It was a two day "gouge" given by my company's Training Director. Scored medium high. Interestingly, I first got instruction from him a couple decades earlier in military flight school where he was a contract ground instructor. Any body run across Jim Boots?
 
There can be quite a rift between what's required to do well on the knowledge test, and what may be used on a routine basis for professional flying. (For instance, I must admit, flying pressurized twins and turboprops, it's been many years since I even looked at a Hi Level Sig Prog chart, not to say there might not be useful info there!) Hard to make a list for a commercial student, as that daily knowledge can be so variable, depending on the type of flying, as an example, pipeline patrol vs. airlines.
I'd guess, though, not knowing you personally, that you'll do fine. The fact that you've already looked up the ACS question codes and thought about your missed answers puts you miles ahead of most students (who never bother until their CFI brings it up). I've always found it frustrating, as a student and as CFI, that along with the subject codes, they don't just show you the questions you missed, to me that would help in the learning process, and might differentiate between questions that were simply fumbled (the forehead slap kind) vs. items where there may be a true knowledge deficiency. But, alas, FAA is not the only "official" test entity that follows this practice. I'd only be particularly concerned if your wrong answers show a definite focused area of knowledge gaps (say, weather, aerodynamics, etc.), in which case you'd want to spend time studying in a directed fashion. If, on the other hand, the missed items are a random scatter of subjects, then, along with your CFI, carry on with your basic subject code review, and prep for the checkride. I'm betting you'll do just fine.
(A side note, I've always found the ASA-published Oral Exam prep series extremely helpful.)
 
The DPE is expecting less than perfect scores. Review the areas and be ready during the orals. You will be fine. They can tell pretty quickly if you know your stuff.

that said, I personally hate scoring below 90 on any test. So I completely understand.
 
It’s been many decades, but I recall the Commercial was among the more difficult to study for. Especially the questions involving regulations. Questions involving aerodynamics or performance or weather or weight and balance or whatever can often be reasoned through to get the right answer. But regulations often have an arbitrary element to them. Hard to reason through whether something has to be reported in 7 or 10 days. Or if something expires in 60 or 90 days. And so on. I managed to do well enough, but found the rote memorization tedious at best.
 
You passed. Move on.

Be a good pilot, don’t worry about being a great test taker.

Your concern that you know and understand concepts over memorizing test answers is correct. You’ll be fine.
 
MauleSkinner said:
Although that additional effort will be required on the oral, since the examiner has to address all of the topics missed.
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yah, cause we all know if you get 100% on the written they skip the oral. NOT

But perhaps discussing the topic will show greater understanding than the multiple choice quiz?

Which is more better?
 
Ravioli said:
yah, cause we all know if you get 100% on the written they skip the oral. NOT

But perhaps discussing the topic will show greater understanding than the multiple choice quiz?

Which is more better?
Click to expand...
Speaking as an examiner, it’s a lot easier to evaluate someone when you only have to fit four additional questions into your oral plan of action than thirty or more additional questions.

true, the odds of someone missing thirty questions that aren’t already a part of the oral are slim, but it gets to be a challenge long before that.
 
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I missed several questions on performance charts. Of course I know how to use them, but I had difficulty with the tiny little lines and boxes in the book. Don't sweat it, just make sure you're prepared for the oral.
 
It’s my understanding that Sheppard’s test preps are more in tune with the new FAA written approach. That’s just my understanding. I haven’t used them before but will for my IR hopefully someday in the relatively near future, along with Sporty’s and maybe King.
 
MauleSkinner said:
Although that additional effort will be required on the oral, since the examiner has to address all of the topics missed.
Click to expand...

Alternatively, never got a shorter or easier oral because I showed up with a high written score.

They either go over what you missed, or they go over something else.

For the applicant, it makes very little difference in the day. Going to be answering questions for the same amount of time.

Assuming, of course, you already went over what you missed on your own and fixed the knowledge gaps with the help of your CFI.

Whether or not a DPE is more interested / having more fun / enjoys going thru the mandated questions driven by the missed topic codes, or would rather ask their own prepared stuff and scenarios in the time allotted... I have no idea.

Still ends up being the same looooong day for the candidate. For the ill-prepared it’ll feel long too. For the well-prepared it’ll seem to zoom by but be exhausting for most.
 
denverpilot said:
Alternatively, never got a shorter or easier oral because I showed up with a high written score.

They either go over what you missed, or they go over something else.

For the applicant, it makes very little difference in the day. Going to be answering questions for the same amount of time.
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Depends on the examiner, I guess. If i have to cover one knowledge area and one risk area in each task normally, but have to cover twelve knowledge areas and sixteen risk areas that don’t fit into my normal scenario, it’s probably going to be longer.
 
I remember more “gotcha” questions on the CPL than the PPL and IFR writtens. One that comes to mind was a performance question regarding fuel required to take off and fly XC to another airport, only the question didn’t specify landing at the destination airport. The correct answer according to the test was the amount of fuel needed to taxi, takeoff, climb to cruise altitude, and fly over the destination airport at cruise altitude, and not to calculate fuel burn during a descent to land.
 
Cervieres said:
I remember more “gotcha” questions on the CPL than the PPL and IFR writtens. One that comes to mind was a performance question regarding fuel required to take off and fly XC to another airport, only the question didn’t specify landing at the destination airport. The correct answer according to the test was the amount of fuel needed to taxi, takeoff, climb to cruise altitude, and fly over the destination airport at cruise altitude, and not to calculate fuel burn during a descent to land.
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That's because they expected you to fly it in a Cirrus.
 
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