Pulling the trigger

I've set a date to take my commercial pilot written exam.  It's two days from now.

I'm really nervous about it because although I've been studying a lot for it, I keep getting high 70's on my practice exams.  It's not that I don't know the material, I do.  It's just that they way they phrase the questions makes me get them wrong -even when I know the right answer.

Anyhow, I'm not improving on my scores so I'm going to resign myself to getting a crummy score and get it over with.  The only thing I DON'T want to happen is to get less than a 70 on it.  The test costs $150 to take and I'd have to deal with the examiner to explain why I failed it.

Funny thing is that I'm pretty good at the oral questions.  I sat down with my flight instructor and he was satisfied that I knew the basic information necessary to pass the oral exam with the designated examiner.  It's different when they ask you the questions because you can ask for clarification or demonstrate that you know the answer by explaining the details around the question.  Even if you get it wrong, it's not usually totally wrong.

I could also rail on about how the questions on the written exam ought to be aimed at making sure the applicant knows how to keep the airplane right side up rather than a lot of stuff you'll never need to know that is competing with space in your head for the stuff you actually need to know.

Okay, one example I'll give you is there are several questions about how to fly a course with an NDB (Non-directional beacon) instrument.  The last time I saw an NDB was when I took instrument training for my private pilot license.  Why in the world I would need to know what heading to turn to to intercept the NDB at a 30 degree angle give my magnetic heading is beyond me.  You don't even fly that way.  First, you match your magnetic heading to the NDB heading, then you make the 30 degree course correction.  Done.  Not to mention there is something called VOR and GPS.

To be fair, you might find yourself in a motorglider trying to fly a course.  Okay, but how about a VOR question, then?  Even the VOR questions use an RMI (Radio Magnetic Indicator) as the display instrument.  I've never actually seen an RMI although I suppose they're out there somewhere.  It just doesn't add up.

But it doesn't matter.  I have to take and pass the written to get my commercial license and that is the end of that.  So, Friday I'll find out if I passed or should have taken longer to study for it.