CASA style of exam questions

Examination Questions
CASA examinations are written to test the knowledge standards of a well-prepared candidate, which
is defined as one who has completed a well structured course, either under supervision or through
self-study, based on a comprehensive coverage of the relevant syllabus, and who has demonstrated
achievement sufficient, from a theoretical knowledge consideration, to ensure competent and safe
standard of operations for all privileges of the licence or rating.

Types of Examination Questions

CASA examinations have two types of questions, the multi-choice type and the supply-short-answer
type. The latter is restricted to answers involving numerical values only. The CASA e-learning module
for Candidates on Aviationworx has examples of these types of questions.

Multi-Choice Question (MCQ)

The MCQ poses a query (or problem) as well as provides a number of alternative answers (or
options). The alternative answers may vary from three to a maximum of five. The candidates should
select one of the alternative answers which he/she has determined as the correct (or nearest correct)
answer for the question asked. This is done by clicking the radio button besides the desired
alternative answer.
Eg. What is the lowest safety altitude from SHANGRILA to NIRVANA?
5000 feet
5400 feet
6300 feet
6700 feet
Another variation of the MCQ may be in a form, where the stem contains several (numbered)
statements or situations in addition to the question posed.
Eg. The following instrument approach procedures (as numbered) are available at an airfield:
1.
NDB
2.
VOR
3.
ILS
4.
GPS Arrival
5.
DME Arrival
If your Command Instrument Rating is endorsed with NDB only, which of above-numbered approach
procedure(s) would you be permitted to conduct in IMC conditions?
No 1 only
No 1 and 2 only
No 1 and 4 only
No 1 and 5 only
No 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Supply-Short-Answer Question
This type of question poses a query and provides a blank space for the candidate to type in the
answer. The required answer is restricted to numerical values only.
Eg. What is the lowest safety altitude from SHANGRILA to NIRVANA?
feet
Note 1: The candidate does not need to type in the qualifying value feet (or km or kg, etc)
Note 2: The only punctuation required is the decimal point (as in 10.3 degrees). A comma to denote
values of a thousand or more (as in 102,000 kg) is NOT required, and must NOT be entered.

Stand Alone

All questions are 'stand alone', that is, they are not linked to one another and therefore will neither
affect nor be dependent upon the answers of other questions.

Marks
The questions in an examination may be of either equal or different marks. The marks awarded to a
question are based on the degree of complexity (time involved in answering it), and may range from 1
to 5. In the examination, the question will indicate its allocated marks. CASA strongly advises
candidates to take particular note of the marks for each question.

Total Marks per Subject Examination

The aggregate of the marks for the questions in a subject examination is the same for every
candidate, though the questions may differ from candidate to candidate. The total marks form the
examinations maximum possible score.

Passing Score
The passing score for the examination is a defined percentage of its total marks, and is published in
both the examination itself and the CASA examination information web page. When the candidates
percentage score is not a round figure, the rules of rounding out shall be:
If 0.5 or above, round up to higher whole digit - eg. 69.5 = 70%
If 0.4 or below, round down to lower whole digit - eg 69.4 = 69%

Examination Pass
To obtain a Pass in an examination the candidate must attain the required standard, as defined by
the minimum passing score.
The only acceptable proof of the candidate's examination score is when it is recorded in the CASA
flight crew examination recording system.

Claims of failure due to disadvantage

CASA may not award a Pass to a candidate on the basis of being allegedly disadvantaged, eg.
experienced disruption during the examination session such as unacceptable high noise level, other
disturbances, emergency fire drills, etc, or supplied with wrong material by supervisor, or encountered
computer malfunction, etc.

Answer All Questions

Every question in an examination will be scored, therefore the candidate is advised to answer all or
as many as possible. Where two questions (or more) appear to be, or even, similar, both should be
answered.

Unanswered Question
An unanswered question is scored as incorrectly answered.

No Penalty Marking
CASA does not practise penalty scoring for incorrectly answered MCQ.

Objection to Questions
A candidate may not object to any examination question on the basis of his/her personal preference,
opinion or limitations of his/her training.

Appeal Against a Question

The only exception to the rule of answer all questions shall be when a candidate assesses that a
question cannot be answered due to incomplete but essential data or information. The candidate
shall report to CASA on the questions lack of vital data or information as soon as possible after the
examination. If the candidates post-examination report is valid, the question will be deleted (and not
scored). If the question is correct and valid, the question will be scored.
An exam candidate has the right to answer any question in an exam. However, if he/she answers a
question which is then marked as incorrectly answered, any subsequent appeals against it as being
unanswerable may be weakened by his/her own contradictory actions.

Examination Time
The time allocated to an examination is based on the need for a well-prepared candidate to answer
all the questions. The candidate has sole responsibility in managing his/her examination time.

Working Calculations and Assessment

The candidate should bear in mind that the CASA examination is made up of multi-choice and
supply-short-answer types of questions, precisely to enable computer scoring so as to achieve
virtually instantaneous turnaround of results. Thus the candidate's working calculations are not
required nor assessed. The scoring of the examination is based solely on the candidate's selection of
answers. Therefore a candidate should exercise the utmost care when selecting or entering the
preferred answers.

Re-Assessment
The re-assessment process does not examine the candidates working calculations, as would be the
case when scoring any multi-choice style of examination. Additionally, CASA security protocols
require the examination supervisor to destroy all scribble pads after the examination. Except in an
appeal against a question having incomplete data or information, or has been incorrectly written, the
sole criterion for deciding whether a question has been answered correctly is the candidates choice
of answer.

Deletion of Questions from a Paper

The Authority reserves the right to delete questions from an examination prior to or after the sitting,
when there are valid reasons for doing so. However, the total time allocated for the Part remains
unchanged.

Adjusted Score
When a question has been deleted, the total marks for the examination would be reduced by an
amount equal to the marks of the question. The percentage score achieved by the candidate is based
against the examinations adjusted total marks. CASA may not award the marks of a deleted question
to a candidate.

Examination Security
Candidates are reminded that examination questions and material provided are only for the
examination sitting, and must not be copied or taken out of the examination room for study, training or
any other purposes. This rule includes all calculations, writings, drawings or scribbling done on the
scribble pad provided. Any breach of the rules may give CASA grounds for taking action against the
candidate under CAR 298A, which action could lead to the outcome indicated in CAR 298A (5).