About US and your Guide to Getting started
What is Aviation Theory Australia?
Aviation Theory Australia exists to offer high quality theory content to student pilots. It is designed and curated by pilots, for pilots. Our goal is to produce theory content that compliments not only your practical training, but allows you to confidently complete the 7 CASA exams required to obtain the Fixed and Rotary Wing Commercial Pilot Licenses.
We understand that getting your Commercial Pilots License is an expensive task. Our mission is to offer you the best theory content in Australia, at a reasonable price.
How do we differ from other theory organisations?
All of our textbooks are structured around the CASA syllabus for each exam. This means that you will only be studying the information that is relevant to the exam.
Because the content is structured around the CASA syllabus, when you receive your Knowledge Deficit Report (KDR) at the end of the exam - you receive this even if you pass, as you need to show you understand it for your flight test - you will be able to easily reference the exact section that you need extra revision in.
There is a separate workbook. Whilst, for many this may be a minor thing, we found that flicking from content in the textbook to questions at the back to be a frustrating distraction. As such, the theory textbook and workbooks are separate.
There are hundreds of revision questions and multiple practice exams included in every workbook. Instead of paying extra for workbooks, we felt that it was important that these came included.
The workbook contains an answer guide with worked solutions for every question! This will help ensure that you fully understand where you made an error and how you can improve.
We print each copy for the textbook individually so that the theory you receive is as current as possible.
How do the CASA exams work?
The CASA exams are designed to test your depth of knowledge on a variety of aviation topics. It is important that you seek to understand the theory content, rather than just wrote learning it.
There are 7 theory exams: Aerodynamics; Human Factors; Meteorology; Aircraft General Knowledge; Navigation; Operations, Performance and Planning; and Air Law.
Three of these subjects are common across both Fixed and Rotary Wing licenses. These subjects are Human Factors, Meteorology and Navigation. The remaining subjects are all discipline specific.
For each of these exams, you need to refer to the CASA website to understand what you can and cannot bring. It has clear stipulations about what materials you can bring, both in regards to stationary, and exam materials, such as maps and legislative documents.
ASPEQ administrates the exams on behalf of CASA. There are testing centers around the country. We recommend booking at least three weeks ahead, as some of the larger testing centers can be fully booked well ahead of a session date.
Based on our experience, we recommend the following order to complete your exams. This order has been chosen based on students experience and the nature of how certain CASA exams can build upon another exams content. We recommend:
1. Human Factors
2. Aircraft General Knowledge
3. Aerodynamics
4. Meteorology
5. Navigation
6. Operations, Performance and Planning
7. Air Law
All of the exams have a 70% pass rate, except Air Law which requires 80%. We generally recommend a month of preparation per exam, however some students (who have the time to commit to studying) can complete each exam in 1-2 weeks.
We are always here to help and love getting questions, so please don't hesitate to reach out and one of our friendly staff will be in touch!