FAA Computer Testing Supplement Update (From Gleim)

Gleim Pilot community,

As you may know, some of the figures on the FAA Knowledge Tests have been used without revision for decades and therefore look outdated. Fortunately for future students, the FAA is in the process of updating these figures. Gleim applauds this refinement, and we want to disseminate what we know about the FAA’s progress so that you and your colleagues can be more effective in preparing and passing the FAA Pilot Knowledge Tests.

The FAA originally planned to release and begin testing with improved color figures for most of the Knowledge Tests on February 10, 2014. However, the FAA announced last week that only 2 new FAA Computer Testing Supplements are going to be effective on Monday, February 10th: (1) Sport Pilot, Recreational Pilot, and Private Pilot, and (2) Addendum A Computer Testing Supplement for Instrument.

How have the figures changed?

The FAA made every effort to keep the figures largely the same, with changes only for readability/enhanced aesthetics. Unfortunately, the Sport Pilot, Recreational Pilot, and Private Pilot Computer Testing Supplement was not easy for the FAA to update into color. For example, some figures are excerpts from Sectional Charts showing geographical areas with new landmarks. In some cases, airports have been renamed or even closed. Moreover, some Airport Facility Directory pages have changed due to alterations at the respective airports over the years, such as lengthened runways or additional taxiways. In addition to these aesthetic changes, all of the Sport Pilot figure numbers have changed because Sport Pilot now shares the same Computer Testing Supplement with Private.

What does this mean?

Some of the figure changes mandated edits to the associated questions so accuracy and viability could be maintained. However, if we look at the big picture of how those changes will affect students, the impact is minimal. For example, the symbols for airports and Class C airspace are the same. Frequencies may have changed, but their placement on a sectional chart has not changed. In one instance, Dallas Red Bird airport has become Dallas Executive airport. In this case, a student confident in his/her ability to read a Sectional Chart would simply note that the airport is now referred to as “Dallas Executive” instead of “Dallas Red Bird.” In this manner, almost all of the changes are not the kind that will trip up a Gleim student who has studied according to our plan.

What does Addendum A mean for Instrument?

Addendum A for Instrument consists of 105 new figures (Figures 155 – 253). Five of the figures are similar (for example, they may have the same approach or airport facility directory) to the current Instrument Computer Testing Supplement. There are no FAA-released questions associated with these 105 new figures. So, an Instrument student may encounter a question associated with the new figures, but the question will not test a new topic. Rather, a new question of this kind could be considered a parallel question to a current question in the Gleim materials. In other words, if a student understands how to answer a glide slope question for ILS RWY 12L at Des Moines INTL (DSM) (Figure 118), then (s)he should be able to answer a similar glide slope question for ILS or LOC RWY 36 OSHKOSH/WITTMAN RGNL (OSH) (Figure 252).

Is Gleim providing an update to its courses and books?

YES! Our online courses (OGS and Test Prep Online) will be updated by mid-February, and PDF updates for our books are already available at http://www.gleim.com/updates.

Where can I find the new FAA Computer Testing Supplements?

Following are clickable links for each new Computer Testing Supplement that will be testable beginning February 10.

Title: Instrument Rating Addendum A
URL:
Total Pages: 107
File Size: 21.04MB

Title: Sport, Recreational, and Private Pilot
URL:
Total Pages: 118
File Size: 35.44MB

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Garrett Gleim
Vice President
Gleim Publications, Inc
Phone: 352.375.0772
Fax: 352.375.6940
garrett@gleim.com