For all those self studying or about to sit the irex exam, please read.

I have self studied very hard for 3 weeks with Bob Taits book and all the cyber exams with extra exams too. I also completed 100s of other irex questions from other sources. My pass rate on those was 90-100% and knew I had a firm grasp on the content and was confident and ready.

I sat the Casa Irex exam yesterday and failed. I scored 68%. Face palm

After reflection and just to add salt to the wound I realised I could have at least passed with 70% easily but made some silly errors in panic.

Important note:

You have seen in many a post here that the questions are quite different in the Casa exam from the Bob Tait format that you are perhaps used to. Make no mistake, THIS IS TRUE!
My mouth went very dry when I started reading some of the questions and took me some time to settle down and really find out how to approach the question.

Let me give you an example of why this exam was so hard for me.

In the Cyber exams there are a lot of repeat questions and one of them was this one.

Standard Instrument Departure (SID) procedures assume that pilots will -
Choose one answer.

Compensate for known wind effects when being radar vectored and when flying routes which are expressed as tracks Incorrect
Compensate for known wind effects when being radar vectored but will not compensate when flying routes which are expressed as tracks Incorrect
Not compensate for wind effects when being radar vectored or when flying routes which are expressed as tracks Incorrect
Not compensate for known wind effects when being radar vectored but will compensate when flying routes which are expressed as tracks Correct <- - - - -

Like many of the questions I knew this one like the back of my hand and was hoping I would get it in the exam. Guess what, I got it in the exam! Do you think it remotely resembled the question above? Hell No!!

In the Casa exam they make you refer to a departure chart and you have to work out first wether you are on a track or heading after dep and before or after 4 dme and THEN you have to apply the knowledge to the question. So just straight out knowing the correct answer may not be enough, more often than not you will have to apply it to the question first before you can achieve the correct answer THEY are after.

This was a bit of a setback for me after completing cyber exam after cyber exam in the same format. That doesn't mean I didn't know how to get what they were after, it just takes more time which seems to run at double speed when you are sitting the real exam.

I admit the Bob Tait book I was using was 2007 but with errata applied. I think it's very important to make sure you are fully up to date with everything, this includes books, DAPS, charts, Aips etc, it just makes perfect sense to have the very latest to be in line with the exam paper.

One thing I confused myself on was, at no stage in the exam did they mention VH-OZY or a cat B aircraft. On some questions I wasn't sure wether I was automatically a Cat B or it applied to all aircraft. That cost me a Pass right there!

Be careful not to doubt yourself or change a question at the last minute in panic. Make sure you have followed the steps that apply to the question such as A C V W P L S for alternates etc. Did they ask for a height or a CEILING?

Don't do what I did and correct a fuel required question to what would have been the correct answer but in my haste I forgot to add the 45 mins reserve back on because I was too hung up on time running out. THAT ONE SMALL ERROR COST ME A PASS!

I just got out of bed to edit this part as I just realised I gave away a perfectly good mark because I just wasn't thinking straight.
The question : Given the TAFS what is the latest you can depart? Dead easy, the TAF must be valid 30 mins before my arrival and 60 mins after. Looked at the TAF at the ALT that was needed and it ended at 2000. My flight time is 2.5 hours. Easy I must arrive 1 hour before, so 2000 minus 2.5 hours equals 1730, there is my answer. See what just happened there!! NOT 2000 minus 2.5 hours, I meant 1900 minus 2.5. I knew what I was doing and had the right answer but made a simple slip up. ONCE AGAIN THAT QUESTION RIGHT WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME A PASS!

I don't consider it a complete waste of money or time either. I now know what I can expect next time and will restudy and resit in 2 weeks max 4 weeks.

If you don't pass first time it can be a huge blow after so much study and effort, I KNOW, especially by one or 2 questions. Getting straight back into it and resitting as soon as possible while its fresh is a good thing. Take some time to reflect and rest your brain for a day or 2 can't hurt either.

Just a question for anyone. Do you know where I can find flight planning given LSALT and Freezing level, what is the highest level you can plan? I seem to get that wrong in all the exams, cyber and real.

Happy studying and enjoy the knowledge you gain.

Drew