"A" Exam Advice

[jfields 0]

I'm thinking of taking my "A" exam this Saturday. I've printed off the parts of the SIM that are suggested reading for the test, but it is like 95 pages.
I can't tell you why I'd need to know the complete list of "Aircraft That May Be Operated With One Cabin Door Removed", but is in there. There is also a lot of stuff that is appropriate to higher licenses, even within the chapters specified for the "A". I understand knowing some basic medical skills, but I'm not trying to be an EMT for God's sake! What is up with the 20-some pages of material on that?
What are the areas where I should focus my studying? It would make sense in my opinion for them to test on emergency procedures, gear requirements, "A" license reqs., basic canopy & freefall skills and some other things about DZ operation like obstructions and wind limits. But of course, I'm the one taking the test, not making it up.
Am I on the right track with that, or should I postpone taking the test until I'm better on all the nitpicky and random stuff?
Any advice would be great. I don't think the test will be super hard, but I definitely care more about it than I did about any of my college exams.
Justin
"If it can't kill you, it isn't worth doing."

[OmriMon 0]

don't u get the SIM when u r doing the test?
Free Skies,
Omri

[jfields 0]

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don't u get the SIM when u r doing the test?

I have no idea. I haven't taken it yet, and know basically nothing about how it is administered or anything.
Justin
"If it can't kill you, it isn't worth doing."

[SpeedRacer 1]

One piece of advice: It's multiple choice and when one of the choices is "All of the above", that's the correct answer. Unless they've changed the test since I took it last year Speed Racer
"De plaene!! De plaene!!"

[OmriMon 0]

well, if it's the same kind of test then u r getting the SIM, all u gotta do is look in the sim for the answer, some questions even have guidlines that tells u where to look, i don't think u have to study for it, it's really easy
Free Skies,
Omri

[FallinWoman 1]

I sure didn't get the SIM while I was taking the test.
I don't recall there being any medical type questions on the test. You are on the right track with what you think you should be studying. You ought to know how many seconds it takes to fall one thousand feet. You should also know the cloud clearance requirement. They seem to be on every test in one form or another!!
And just remember, if you fail, you can take it again the following week!
Good luck,
Anne

[FallinWoman 1]

Hey Speed,
I just took the B test and that "all of the above" being the correct answer advice was wrong!!! I don't remember whether it is true for the A though.
Blue skies,
Anne

[Grogs 0]

Assuming it's still the old test, I'd focus on the following:
- A-license limitations, i.e., minimum opening altitude, landing size requirements, recurrency times and requirements, types of jumps you can make
- Aircraft procedures, such as seat belts, emergencies, and who's responsible for what (usually the jumper and the Pilot in Command)
- Cloud clearance requirements (located in FAR 105 in the back)
- What constitutes an obstacle
- Freefall times (on your belly). There's usually a question like how long do you have until impact from 3,000 feet. Figure 10 seconds for the 1st 1,000 feet and 5.5 per 1,000 after terminal is reached
That's all that comes to mind at the moment, but I think it'll give you a pretty good start. Just one word of caution, if it's one of the old tests, some of the info (i.e. the 2001 updates on the SIM) won't be covered, so you might get a question like 'What's the minimum opening altitude for an A license holder?' The correct answer according to the latest SIM is 3000, but for an old test, the answer would be 2500.

[Zennie 0]

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Just one word of caution, if it's one of the old tests, some of the info (i.e. the 2001 updates on the SIM) won't be covered, so you might get a question like 'What's the minimum opening altitude for an A license holder?' The correct answer according to the latest SIM is 3000, but for an old test, the answer would be 2500.

Heh. Me and a fried at the DZ got into an argument over that one once. He asked me where I planned to pull at and I said 3500 and he looked at me like I was crazy. So when I asked what the deal was he said he likes to pull above the recommended minimum. I said "I am, by 1000 feet". So he thought it was 3500 and I thought 2500. Turns out we needed to meet in the middle. But I'm still 500 feet above it.
Still, I've been starting my sequences a little higher lately (like 4200) because my ProTrack consistently said I was in the saddle at 2700.
------------
Blue Skies!
Zennie

[GeekStreak 0]

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Still, I've been starting my sequences a little higher lately (like 4200) because my ProTrack consistently said I was in the saddle at 2700.

Zennie, what's a ProTrack?
1111,
GeekStreak

[Grogs 0]

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Still, I've been starting my sequences a little higher lately (like 4200) because my ProTrack consistently said I was in the saddle at 2700.

I wouldn't completely trust that bottom end number on the Pro-Track. Those things seem to get a bit flaky on the opening altitude. For example, I know a friend of mine who usually opens by 2500, and his Pro-Track shows him 1200' or so for an opening altitude on some jumps, which is way below even his saddle-out altitude.

[Aviatrr 0]

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I wouldn't completely trust that bottom end number on the Pro-Track. Those things seem to get a bit flaky on the opening altitude. For example, I know a friend of mine who usually opens by 2500, and his Pro-Track shows him 1200' or so for an opening altitude on some jumps, which is way below even his saddle-out altitude.

Mine usually shows a couple hundred below my actual 'in the saddle' altitude.. I typically pull at 2.5, and my pro-track shows 1.7.. My canopy opens in 500-600ft..
Mike

[mouth 0]

I am glad to hear you all saying your pro track is a little off. Mine said I was open by 500 feet the other day and I really have a problem with that since my cypres would have/should have blown me away if I was that low. I always look at my altimeter (the old wrist mount) when I get my slider down and I am never anywhere near that.
Do you think it could have had something to do with my changing the breakoff altitude on the ride up? I pulled a blonde moment and forgot to do it on the ground.
As fot the original question. The A exam was easy. No medical stuff there. Know fall rate/sec, cloud distance and seatbelt stuff. The rest of just common sense stuff you know. Read over the sections and relax. Now the D test is a different story....I can't get above a 70 so I'm back at it next weekend.

[GeekStreak 0]

Any of you old-timers (jumping experience, not age ) wanna post "A" questions in the form of Surveys? Hmmmm???
C'mon. Do it for my pal Justin 1111,
GeekStreak

[lazerq3 0]

I just got done taking my "A" test and all I would say is read it all. I thought the same thing thinking Damn they could pull 20 outa anywhere from the SIMS ( no you dont get them for the test). But the way I look at it is that if you read everything for the "A", The B C &D should be refresher reading becuase except for a couple of sections, you've pretty much read the whole SIMS. Good luck!!
Jason
P.S Listen to what Gogs said about what to cover

[skymedic 0]

Interesting thing is I didn't take an A license test. on the "new" A license aplication there is no where it says you get a test. there are supposed to be oral quizes given(skreamer get your mind out of the gutter) but other than that no test.
and I even have the brand spanking new A license number to prove it A-38578!!!!!!!!!!!
Have fun taking the test though...
You might want to call uspa on this because the times they are a changing.
marc

[chicagoskydiver 0]

The answer "all of the above" is almost always right. There are no medical questions and you don't need to know what aircraft can be operated without doors. What you do need to know about are minimum pull altitudes, visibility requirements, requirements for night jumps, rules about wearing seat belts, remember wind velocity limit for licensed skydivers is unlimited, fall rates (i.e. if you are at x altitude and you pull nothing, how long before you bounce?). Drop me an email at chicagoskydiver@excite.com and I can give you more specifics.
Hackey

[Grogs 0]

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Interesting thing is I didn't take an A license test. on the "new" A license aplication there is no where it says you get a test. there are supposed to be oral quizes given(skreamer get your mind out of the gutter) but other than that no test.
and I even have the brand spanking new A license number to prove it A-38578!!!!!!!!!!!
Have fun taking the test though...
You might want to call uspa on this because the times they are a changing.
marc

Right you are. No written test for the A under the new ISP system. Even cooler is that the little yellow proficiency card actually counts as an A license once it's been signed off and stamped, so you should be able to take it to another DZ and jump even if you haven't gotten your actual license back from USPA yet.
Not all DZ's (most even?) have converted to the ISP system yet, so the old A license test and application are still valid until the end of the year (as far as I know).

[skymedic 0]

I agree grogs, just passing some info on to the other newbies if they didnt know.
marc

[pilotdave 0]

It's not too tough. At the end of the day after making my 20th-23rd jumps, i casually asked an instructor what else I need to do to get the license. He said all I have left is the written test, and I could take it right then if i wanted to. I really didnt know what it was going to be like, so i asked if I could pass it. He said I probably could, but if i was at all familiar with the SIM I could probably pass it without studying. So I asked what would happen if I didn't pass, and he told me I couldn't take it again for a week and it just gets thrown out. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I went ahead and took it without studying. I barely passed, but I passed. most of the questions were pretty obvious. Like everyone else says, I think all of the multiple choice were all of the above. Study the specific numbers though. Minimum opening altitude, landing area size, etc. Those are not really things you can just guess. Luckily there are few enough really specific questions like that that you don't need to get them all right to pass. Overall the test is pretty easy and if you've been studying at all its nothing to worry about. Good luck!
David
A-38205 woohoo!

[jfields 0]

Wow. Thanks for posting all the info and suggestions, folks. I'm certainly stressing about the test a lot less than I was before. I've thrown out about half of the SIM I had left after a previous whacking. What I have left to read through can actually be stapled without the heavy-duty stapler at work. You'll all know when I pass my test.
Justin
"If it can't kill you, it isn't worth doing."

[skymedic 0]

I heard somewhere that as of Dec 31 of this year USPA will no longer be giving out A license numbers. Is this true?
glad I got mine...
marc

[Merrick 0]

Don't throw out too much just yet, remember to go over the FARs (I believe section 11 & 12) in the back of the manual. Pam & I took the test not too long ago & I remember there being two questions referencing this stuff on the exam (particularly FAR part 91 & 105, if I remember correctly). As I was studying for the exam, I remember saying to Pam, "surely all this technical crap won't be on there!?" So I didn't really read over it, now.... care to guess how many questions I got wrong??? That's right... two! LOL Oh well, I passed!
"If words were wisdom, I'd be talkin' even more.."

[jfields 0]

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particularly FAR part 91 & 105, if I remember correctly

Yeah, I kept those. But I ditched the medical stuff and the B,C,D license-related stuff from my study copy of the SIM. I have another complete one in a binder. Isn't that what your company pays you to do at work?
Justin
"If it can't kill you, it isn't worth doing."

[pyke 0]

Well, not that this is getting you anywhere, but I wish I could help...I am in the same boat with my C test...which I took last weekend and didn't score well on, but they told me to do it that way...I had read the BSR's once and took it to find out what I needed to know. I feel now that I could go back and take it with a passing score.
good luck though, I hope you do well!
Kahurangi e Mahearangi,
Pyke
NZPF A - 2584