In article ,
"Jim Macklin" wrote:

Glad to kick the old memories in the rear.


They had pilot, rigger, mechanic and instructor guides. All
at a time when the FAA test questions were closely guarded
secrets. The FAA was forced by court order to open the
question bank, so the FAA wrote thousands of new questions
and published them in booklets, without an answer key.
Publishers would work out what they thought was the correct
answer and then wrote their own books.
You had a choice, memorize 1,000s or learn a few facts and
figure out the answer to any question.

I remember when I was cramming for my Instrument written. There were three
questions about MLS (Microwave Landing System) on the test. I had never
flown an MLS and figured I never would, but I knew I might get those
questions on the test, so I had to be ready for them.

Once I noticed the pattern, it was easy. The correct answer (at least
according to Gleim), was the one with the largest number in it. If the
question was:

How many frobnitzes are in an MLS blurfl:

A) 40
B) 6000
C) 22

I knew the answer was B. I didn't know what a frobnitz or a blurfl was,
but I'd sure get all three questions right.

What a crock.