RPAS Advanced exam-day guide
RPAS Advanced · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring original photo ID with a name that exactly matches your exam registration. Ask the provider in advance which ID types they accept (passport, driver's licence, provincial ID) and whether a photocopy or digital copy is acceptable - confirm with the provider.
Exam booking confirmation
Bring the confirmation email or booking reference number, printed or accessible offline on paper. Do not rely on having network access at the test centre.
Exact test centre address and arrival instructions
Look up the address, entrance, parking and security screening procedure the day before. Transport Canada offices and third-party test centres can have slow building access - build in extra time.
Arrival time margin
Aim to arrive well before your appointment slot (many centres expect 15–30 minutes early for check-in). Ask the provider what their late-arrival cutoff is - confirm with the provider.
Payment for the exam fee, if not already paid
Verify the current fee, whether it is collected at booking or on site, and accepted payment methods - confirm with the provider.
Familiarity with the exam format and pass standard
Know before you go: it is a multiple-choice written exam with a fixed time limit and a high pass mark (verify the current question count, time limit and pass percentage on the Transport Canada page or with the provider, as these are the details candidates most often mis-remember).
Targeted review of the knowledge areas
Review the published exam blueprint and spend the last days on your weakest areas: air law and regulations, airspace and flight operations, meteorology, navigation, radiotelephony, and emergency procedures. Review notes, not new material.
Leave prohibited items behind or secured
Phones, smartwatches, fitness trackers, headphones, notes, textbooks and bags are normally not permitted at the desk. Plan where they will go (vehicle, locker, or as directed by the invigilator).
Pre-arranged accommodation (if applicable)
If you need extra time, a quiet room, a screen reader, or other accommodation, it must be requested from the provider well before exam day. Bring any supporting documentation they asked for - confirm with the provider.
Personal necessities permitted at the desk
Water, medication, or a pen may or may not be allowed at the desk. Ask the provider what you may keep with you - confirm with the provider.
A plan for what comes after the exam
The advanced written exam is only one step: you also need a flight review with a Transport Canada–approved flight reviewer. Know your next step and the deadlines that apply to your exam result - confirm the validity period with the provider.
Plan the day
Confirm the appointment date, time and location in writing, and check that the name on your booking matches your photo ID exactly. Resolve any mismatch now - a name discrepancy can stop you writing.
Do a final gap analysis against the published exam blueprint. Write a one-page sheet of the regulations, airspace classes, weather minimums and emergency procedures you keep getting wrong, and drill only that sheet.
Protect your sleep. Do not plan a late-night cram session the night before; exam performance drops more from fatigue than from one missed topic.
Light review only - re-read your one-page sheet and one set of practice questions, then stop. Confirm travel time, parking, and how you will get into the building.
Pack your photo ID, booking confirmation and any approved items in one place by the door. Charge nothing you cannot bring in - plan to leave your phone in the car or a locker.
Eat normally, arrive early, and complete check-in and ID verification without rushing. Use the waiting time for calm review of your one-page sheet only if you find it settles you; otherwise put it away.
Read the instructions on the screen or paper in full before answering, confirm how to flag and revisit questions if that feature exists, and note the clock. Ask the invigilator if anything about the interface is unclear.
Pace yourself against the time limit - roughly one minute per question leaves review time at the end. Answer every question; with multiple choice there is no penalty for a reasoned guess, but confirm that with the invigilator if unsure.
For scenario questions, identify the phase of flight and the hazard first, then eliminate options that contradict the regulations or safe practice. Watch for absolutes like 'always' and 'never'.
Revisit flagged questions, check for unanswered items, and only change an answer if you can name the specific fact you got wrong.
Collect your result record and any documentation the centre issues, note your pass/fail status and next steps, and keep the paperwork somewhere you will find it again when you book your flight review.
Rules to check
Bring original government-issued photo ID matching the name on your booking. If the names do not match, you may be refused entry and lose the fee - check this before exam day and confirm the provider's ID policy.
The exam is closed-book. Notes, textbooks, phones, smartwatches, earbuds and any other devices must be out of reach or surrendered as directed. Do not attempt to photograph or transcribe questions - this is treated as misconduct.
Follow the invigilator's instructions at all times. No talking to other candidates during the exam; raise your hand or signal the invigilator if you have a technical problem, need to leave the room, or believe a question is defective.
Do not assume breaks are available. Ask the provider in advance whether you may leave the room, and whether the clock continues to run if you do - confirm with the provider.
Scoring is criterion-based on the written exam: you must reach the published pass mark (verify the current percentage and question count before you sit). There is no partial credit for a failed attempt, but the result is a score, not a ranking - you are competing only against the standard.
A failed attempt can normally be retaken, but the waiting period, fee and number of attempts are set by the provider. Confirm the retake rules before exam day so a setback does not derail your flight review scheduling.
Your written exam result is time-limited for the purpose of obtaining the certificate, and the advanced certificate also requires a flight review. Confirm the validity period and the flight review requirement with the provider rather than relying on second-hand information.
If you have a question about exam content or believe an answer option is wrong, note it and raise it with the provider afterwards. Do not argue scoring at the desk - the invigilator's role is to administer, not to adjudicate content.