Leon McAtee writes
To get an A required preparation above and beyond the standard reading
list. Some students complained but those that had a true interest in
learning, rather than just passing the test, never had any trouble with
the "extra" exam questions as they took the time to do the extra study
neededm to fully understand the subject.

I can see the logic in not publishing sample test questions.

Doesn't that depend on what you're trying to achieve with the test?

And the grade of achievement the test is supposed to mark? For example,
an 'O' level student (16ish years school kid) would probably be led by
the nose through most if not all of the given subject that is likely to
be encountered in the upcoming exams by his teacher. By contrast, if
you're working towards your BSc (22ish years university student) then
you are going to be expected to take "the time to do the extra study
needed to fully understand the subject" and more.

And I'd suggest that the Bronze is more of an 'O' level in relative
terms to gliding than a university degree. If that.

Plus, you either pass or you don't. No grades A, B, C, merits,
distinctions, or honours to mark one claim as more deserving than
another.

Which suggests to me that the point of the whole thing is somewhat
different to, for example, the point of a school or college exam.

I confess, I quite like the South African open book idea. Fail in that,
I'll take the UK pre-publishing of the questions and answers. Regardless
of whether I have a Bronze or not, I doubt there is any Duty Instructor
in the land that is going to let me fly from their site without first
being personally satisfied that my flying skills are such that I'm not
going to embarrass people by becoming another accident statistic.

So it strikes me that despite the fact I have access to both questions
and answers, and despite the fact that I could easily just learn them
all by rote, getting the Bronze is as much about a personal achievement
as anything else, so I only really have myself to cheat by not doing it
properly.

Not that I'm attacking anybody's system here. Just expressing an opinion
for comparison. It's funny how different these things are across the
world, isn't it?


-Bill, UK.