IREX practice exams. Full length, like the real thing.
Forecasts
Your destination needs a TAF. What period must it cover?
The destination TAF has to be valid from at least 30 minutes before your ETA until at least 60 minutes after it, and a nominated alternate’s TAF the same. The en-route forecasts cover the whole flight, and the departure TAF should run 60 minutes past your ETD in case you come back.
VOR
You are on the 090 radial, tracking to the VOR. What magnetic track are you flying?
A radial is a magnetic bearing from the station, so on the 090 radial you are east of it and the way in is the reciprocal: 270. Radials are counted from magnetic north, not true.
Holding
A one-minute holding pattern, with a 15 kt headwind on the inbound leg. About how long do you fly outbound?
A headwind inbound is a tailwind outbound, and it carries you further from the fix. Allow about 2 seconds a knot: 60 less 30 leaves 30 seconds outbound, which brings the inbound leg out at about a minute.
Procedure turn
In a 45/180 procedure turn, a Category B aeroplane holds the 45 degree leg until:
The timing starts as the turn away starts, not when you roll level. Categories A and B fly it to 1 minute, and C, D and E to 1 minute 15 seconds. Then it is 180 degrees the other way to intercept the inbound track.
ILS
Radar vectors you to the ILS and asks you to report established. When do you call?
Established means within half full-scale deflection. It is the localiser ATC is waiting for, the lateral track it needs before it hands navigation back to you, so report then. The glideslope comes later, and you meet it from below.
Minima
The titles in the minima box are shaded, and you have the actual aerodrome QNH from the ATIS. The lowest you may descend to is:
Shaded titles mean the minima were calculated on the forecast aerodrome QNH. With an actual aerodrome QNH, from the ATIS, ATC or an AWIS, you may take 100 ft off, for 15 minutes from when you received it. A forecast area QNH adds 50 ft instead.
Pick an answer. Six from the instrument rating.
Where you trust the instruments
Instrument rating
What you get for IREX and PIFR
Full-length papers for both ratings, and a deep quiz bank for the topics in between.
IREX
Instrument Rating Examination 4 exams- Full-length papers, in the style of the real exam
- Multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank
- Detailed feedback on every question
PIFR
Private instrument rating 4 exams- Full-length papers for the private instrument rating
- Same format and style as the real exam
- Detailed feedback on every question
Quick quizzes
Drill one topic at a time Included- Short, targeted sets between full-length papers
- Brush up on a single weak subject
- Ideal for ten minutes rather than three hours
What’s included
Everything you need for the instrument rating
Papers to find the gaps, and the tools to close them. All in the one membership.
Full-length papers
Four for IREX and four for the PIFR, similar in length and style to the real thing: multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank, with detailed feedback on every question.
SmartKDR reports
Score above 50% on any paper or quick quiz and SmartKDR reads your answers, then ranks what to revise next. No more guessing where the marks went.
Quick quizzes
Short, targeted sets so you can drill one weak topic rather than re-sitting a whole three-hour paper.
Results that show the trend
Every attempt is saved, so you can watch the trend from one sitting to the next instead of guessing whether the study is working.
Flashcards
A question on the front, a straight answer on the back. Quick-fire revision for the pockets of time between flights.
KnowTAMs, streaks and a leaderboard
Every exam earns KnowTAMs, and bigger exams earn more. Keep a streak going, climb the weekly leaderboard, and study becomes a habit instead of a cram.
Written by pilots, checked by instructors. Reviewed by instructors around the country and shaped by feedback from past and present students, with fast email support when a question doesn’t look right.
How it works
Sit. Read. Revise. Resit.
The membership is built around one loop.
Sit
A full-length paper set out like the real IREX or PIFR exam, so the length and the style are familiar before you sit the real one.
Read
Go through the reasoning on each question, so you understand the rule rather than memorising an answer. Score above 50% and SmartKDR tells you what to revise first.
Revise
Quick quizzes and flashcards for the topics that caught you out, rather than re-reading everything.
Resit
Unlimited attempts. Sit it again, or move on to the next paper. Every SmartKDR is written for that attempt alone.
Then round againFinish a paper. Know exactly what to study next with SmartKDR.
Score above 50% and SmartKDR reads your whole attempt, then writes up what you’ve got and what to revise first. Every report is unique to that attempt, not a stock tip sheet.
A KDR is the Knowledge Deficiency Report CASA issues after a real exam. This one arrives while you can still do something about it.
One membership, every licence
Unlimited access from $8.33 a month
Pay monthly at $24.95, or prepay 12 months for $99.95 and save 67%. IREX and PIFR are both in, and there’s no paying again if you go on to your instructor rating.
- Four full-length IREX papers
- Four full-length PIFR papers
- Quick quizzes and flashcards
- Feedback on every question, plus SmartKDR
- Every attempt saved, so you can see the trend
- PIRC, CPL and every other licence included
Every plan has the same full access. Prepaid plans don’t auto-renew. Prices in AUD.
Reviews
What student pilots say
Rated 5.0 on Google by student pilots across Australia.
Excellent website, easy to navigate and the exams closely follow what CASA require you to know. Added to the personal touch of having a phone conversation to discuss any support required, this is an excellent tool to help you navigate tough CASA exams. This website helped me pass my RPL and PPL Theory exams.
This page helped me a lot for the exam preparation. Very fast response time when I contacted the support. Highly recommended.
Brilliant, great books and online resources to get you a first time pass on Pilot theory tests, highly recommend. Edit: And now flash cards, I have been looking for these everywhere in an easy to use format and PilotTrain has delivered.
Before you join
Questions, answered
Still stuck? Send us a message and we’ll reply within one business day.
Are these the same questions as the real CASA exam?
No, and we’d be wary of anyone who claims otherwise. There is no way for us to know the contents of a CASA exam, it would be unethical, and it’s prohibited by the regulations.
What we do instead is closely simulate the format, style and difficulty of the real thing. The aim is that you walk in with a knowledge base solid enough to pass, and to fly safely afterwards, which is rather the point.
Is the PIFR included?
Yes. The PIFR papers sit in the same membership as IREX, at no extra cost: four full-length papers for the private instrument rating, in the same format and style as the real exam.
Are the papers full length?
Yes. They are similar in length and format to the real exam, with multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank questions, so the day itself holds no surprises. The quick quizzes are there for when you have ten minutes rather than three hours.
How many attempts do I get?
Unlimited. Resit any paper as often as you like, and use the feedback on every question to see exactly which topics are costing you marks.
Can I use it on my phone or tablet?
Yes. The exams run in your browser on any device. They are online only, so you’ll need an active internet connection. There’s no offline mode.
Can I cancel?
Yes. The monthly plan auto-renews and can be cancelled any time from your account. The 3, 6 and 12 month plans are prepaid one-time charges. They don’t auto-renew, so there’s nothing to cancel.
Also available
Studying something else?
The same membership covers every one of these.
Ready to sit your instrument rating?
IREX and PIFR are covered by the same membership as everything else, RAAus to CPL. If you’ve already studied with us, there’s nothing more to buy.
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