CAA NZ Basic Turbine Knowledge (Aeroplane) exam-day guide
CAA NZ Basic Turbine Knowledge (Aeroplane) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID matching your booking name
Bring the original passport or other photo ID accepted by the test provider. The name must match the name on your candidate booking exactly; if it does not, contact the provider before test day rather than arriving with a discrepancy. Confirm with the provider which ID types they accept.
Admission/booking confirmation and receipt
Carry a printed or offline-accessible copy of your booking confirmation and any payment receipt. Mobile coverage at test venues can be unreliable, so do not rely solely on a live web page.
Confirmation of venue, arrival time and entry procedure
Re-confirm the exact address, which entrance to use, reporting time, and whether you must wait in a reception area. Venue access rules vary; confirm with the provider, especially if the test is at an airport or training organisation site.
Approved calculator (if permitted)
Some providers supply an on-screen or provided calculator and restrict personal devices. Confirm with the provider whether a personal calculator is allowed and, if so, which models are acceptable. Do not assume a programmable or graphing calculator will be permitted.
Knowledge of the permitted reference material
Ask the provider in advance whether any charts, data sheets or formula lists are supplied on screen or on paper. Do not bring your own reference notes unless the provider has explicitly confirmed they are allowed in the test room.
Personal items plan (phone, watch, bag, notes)
Expect to store phones, smart watches, bags and study notes away from the desk. Plan where these will go and confirm the provider's storage arrangements beforehand; some venues have limited secure storage.
Water and any required medication
Bring water if the venue permits drinks at the desk, and any medication you may need. Ask the provider about bringing medication into the test room, since some items may need to be declared or left with staff.
Rest-room and break policy confirmed
Ask before test day whether breaks are allowed, whether the clock stops during a break, and how to leave and re-enter the room. Policies differ between providers and between computer-based and paper-based sittings.
Scratch paper and pen policy confirmed
Confirm whether blank paper and a pen or pencil are supplied, and whether you may bring your own. If working is allowed, practise showing clear steps so partial credit rules, if any, are easy to apply.
Scoring and pass-mark rules confirmed
Ask the provider for the number of questions, time allowed, pass mark, and whether wrong answers are penalised. Do not rely on second-hand claims about the pass standard; confirm the current rule with the provider.
Result and retake process understood
Find out how and when results are issued and what the procedure is if you do not pass. Retake waiting periods and fees are set by the provider and the licensing authority; confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Travel and backup plan
Plan to arrive with margin for traffic, parking or public transport delays. Identify a backup route and keep the venue phone number handy in case of a genuine delay; late arrival rules are set by the provider.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Re-read your own summary sheets on turbine engine fundamentals: the Brayton cycle, compressor types and stall/surge, combustion section layout, turbine blade cooling, and engine instrumentation. Work through a small set of practice questions under timed conditions, then review every wrong answer until you can explain why the correct answer is right. Confirm venue, reporting time, ID requirements and permitted items with the provider now, so any surprise can be resolved with a day to spare.
Rehearse the calculations you are likely to meet: pressure ratio and temperature rise across a compressor, thermal and propulsive efficiency, thrust and specific fuel consumption relationships, and unit conversions between kPa, psi, degrees Celsius and Kelvin. Write the formulae from memory, then check them against your approved reference. Also revise the meaning of limits and why they exist, since many questions test understanding rather than recall.
Do a light review only: key definitions, engine section order, typical limit values you have been taught, and any lists you keep forgetting. Prepare your ID, booking confirmation, calculator if permitted, water and medication, and place them together. Check travel times and the weather forecast, set two alarms, and confirm the venue address one last time. Avoid heavy study late in the evening; sleep is more valuable than one more practice set.
Eat a normal meal and arrive early with margin. Re-read only your one-page summary; do not start a new topic. At the venue, follow staff instructions on storing phones and bags, and ask where the rest rooms are before you are seated. If anything about the set-up differs from what you expected, such as the calculator or scratch paper policy, raise it with the invigilator before the test starts.
Read the instructions and check the question count and time allowed. Work at a steady pace and mark difficult questions for review rather than stalling. Read each question fully, watching for words such as 'not', 'first', 'most likely' and 'primary'. For calculation questions, estimate the answer before computing so an arithmetic slip is obvious. If the test allows review, use remaining time to check flagged questions and ensure no question is left blank unless the provider confirms there is no penalty for guessing.
Note which topics felt uncertain while they are fresh, since that list guides any future study or retake. Collect your belongings and confirm how and when results will be issued. If you did not pass, ask the provider about the retake process, any waiting period and fees before leaving the venue.
Rules to check
Bring original photo ID whose name matches your booking. If your ID name differs from your booking name, resolve it with the provider before test day; do not expect an exception at the desk.
Phones, smart watches and other connected devices must be switched off and stored as directed. Keeping a device at your desk, even switched off, may be treated as misconduct; confirm the exact rule with the provider.
Do not bring unauthorised notes, textbooks or reference sheets into the test room. If reference material is supplied, use only that material, and confirm with the provider in advance what is permitted.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on starting, finishing and leaving the room. If you need to leave for the rest room, raise your hand and wait to be escorted or given instructions; break and clock-stop rules are set by the provider, so confirm them beforehand.
Attempt every question unless the provider confirms that wrong answers are penalised. If you are unsure whether there is a penalty for guessing, ask before the test begins.
Report any problem with the test equipment, such as a frozen screen or illegible paper, immediately rather than trying to work around it. Delays caused by unreported faults may not be accommodated afterwards.
Do not discuss or share question content with other candidates during breaks or afterwards. Exam confidentiality rules are set by the provider and the licensing authority; confirm the specifics with the provider.
Scoring, the pass mark and retake conditions are set by the provider and the licensing authority. Confirm the current rules directly with the provider rather than relying on what other candidates report.