Revised FOI test questions
05-18-2011, 04:52 AM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FAA 'Flight Check'
Posts: 13,837
Revised FOI test questions
I had not heard that there had been a rash of problems with test failures in the recent past. I hope that this information will help someone out there.
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AOPA Online: FAA to rescind FOI exam changes, re-grade tests
USMCFLYR
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AOPA Online: FAA to rescind FOI exam changes, re-grade tests
USMCFLYR
05-18-2011, 05:22 PM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2010
Posts: 103
Link is dead.
I don't know why AOPA would pull a story on such good news so fast
Anyway, here is the text:
FAA to rescind FOI exam changes, re-grade tests
By AOPA ePublishing staff
The FAA will immediately reverse some of the changes made to the Fundamentals of Instruction (FOI) knowledge test thanks to recommendations from AOPA, the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI), and academic experts at an early May meeting. The agency also will review other tests and re-grade tests taken since February when pass rates plummeted.
AOPA has advocated for that since problems with the test surfaced, and welcomed the announcement as a positive response to objections raised by the flight training industry.
Academic experts in test writing and validation from several aviation universities including Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of North Dakota, Liberty University, Western Michigan University, Oklahoma State University, and the Professional Aviation Board of Certification joined AOPA and NAFI at the FAA’s Airman Testing Standards Branch in Oklahoma to review the FOI exam and discuss possibilities for developing a system of test writing and validation that relied on accepted industry practices and coordination with the aviation training community. The FAA’s agreement to consult academic experts on testing was a constructive step toward improving the measure of airman knowledge, the associations said.
The FAA, citing “concerns raised” about the exam, said in a news release that it would immediately remove six questions from the FOI test and review 12 other questions that the group identified as requiring revision. Pilots who missed the six now-retracted questions will receive retroactive credit for their answers. If answering any of those six questions incorrectly resulted in failing the test, the grade will be changed to a passing score, the FAA said.
The FAA will individually notify each pilot whose test score will change from failing to passing. If a pilot retook the test after failing because of a withdrawn question, and subsequently passed, the pilot’s record will be adjusted to show passage on the first try.
The 12 other FOI exam questions identified as ambiguous will undergo internal FAA review.
As part of its effort to make improvements to knowledge test standards, the FAA announced that it will charter a steering committee to develop a test-writing and validation process with industry and academic participation—a recommendation initiated by industry representatives including AOPA, NAFI, the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), and training providers who met with FAA in April. It is envisioned that subcommittees will help manage the many written exams that the FAA administers for members of the aviation community, which range from Parachute Rigger to Aviation Mechanic General, Airframe, and Powerplant.
AOPA continues to urge all flight instructor candidates preparing to take the FOI exam to review the 2008 edition of the Aviation Instructor’s Handbook. All questions on the new FOI exam come from this text—not the previous version of the handbook, as was the case prior to February 2011.
“Because this edition incorporates a number of changes and updates, the FAA stresses that instructor candidates should use it as the primary text when preparing for the FOI test,” the FAA advised in its news release.
The FAA, noting in its news release that it “strives for continuous improvements” to knowledge testing, is also developing more detailed knowledge test guides to assist airmen and instructors in preparing for knowledge exams.
AOPA looks forward to continuing to work cooperatively with the FAA on future knowledge testing improvements.
I don't know why AOPA would pull a story on such good news so fast
Anyway, here is the text:
FAA to rescind FOI exam changes, re-grade tests
By AOPA ePublishing staff
The FAA will immediately reverse some of the changes made to the Fundamentals of Instruction (FOI) knowledge test thanks to recommendations from AOPA, the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI), and academic experts at an early May meeting. The agency also will review other tests and re-grade tests taken since February when pass rates plummeted.
AOPA has advocated for that since problems with the test surfaced, and welcomed the announcement as a positive response to objections raised by the flight training industry.
Academic experts in test writing and validation from several aviation universities including Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of North Dakota, Liberty University, Western Michigan University, Oklahoma State University, and the Professional Aviation Board of Certification joined AOPA and NAFI at the FAA’s Airman Testing Standards Branch in Oklahoma to review the FOI exam and discuss possibilities for developing a system of test writing and validation that relied on accepted industry practices and coordination with the aviation training community. The FAA’s agreement to consult academic experts on testing was a constructive step toward improving the measure of airman knowledge, the associations said.
The FAA, citing “concerns raised” about the exam, said in a news release that it would immediately remove six questions from the FOI test and review 12 other questions that the group identified as requiring revision. Pilots who missed the six now-retracted questions will receive retroactive credit for their answers. If answering any of those six questions incorrectly resulted in failing the test, the grade will be changed to a passing score, the FAA said.
The FAA will individually notify each pilot whose test score will change from failing to passing. If a pilot retook the test after failing because of a withdrawn question, and subsequently passed, the pilot’s record will be adjusted to show passage on the first try.
The 12 other FOI exam questions identified as ambiguous will undergo internal FAA review.
As part of its effort to make improvements to knowledge test standards, the FAA announced that it will charter a steering committee to develop a test-writing and validation process with industry and academic participation—a recommendation initiated by industry representatives including AOPA, NAFI, the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), and training providers who met with FAA in April. It is envisioned that subcommittees will help manage the many written exams that the FAA administers for members of the aviation community, which range from Parachute Rigger to Aviation Mechanic General, Airframe, and Powerplant.
AOPA continues to urge all flight instructor candidates preparing to take the FOI exam to review the 2008 edition of the Aviation Instructor’s Handbook. All questions on the new FOI exam come from this text—not the previous version of the handbook, as was the case prior to February 2011.
“Because this edition incorporates a number of changes and updates, the FAA stresses that instructor candidates should use it as the primary text when preparing for the FOI test,” the FAA advised in its news release.
The FAA, noting in its news release that it “strives for continuous improvements” to knowledge testing, is also developing more detailed knowledge test guides to assist airmen and instructors in preparing for knowledge exams.
AOPA looks forward to continuing to work cooperatively with the FAA on future knowledge testing improvements.
05-18-2011, 08:05 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2009
Position: CFI/II/MEI
Posts: 481
They are still out $150 a pop for FOI test failures, but at least they can get it off their records.
I recently got my CFI and it seemed like almost everyone in the class failed the FOI written at least once. I think one kid failed it 3 or 4 times
, just kept getting weird ambiguous questions that nobody had seen before. I was thankful that I had taken it a year ago back when it was an easy 100%.
They messed around with some other question banks too. When I took the CFII written there were 6 or 7 questions that I had never seen anything like before. What really got me is that they were using phraseology that I have NEVER seen in the AIM, Instrument Flying Handbook, PHAK, or any other FAA publication I've looked at (or non-FAA textbooks for that matter). At least i still passed it and ended up with a decent score.
I recently got my CFI and it seemed like almost everyone in the class failed the FOI written at least once. I think one kid failed it 3 or 4 times
, just kept getting weird ambiguous questions that nobody had seen before. I was thankful that I had taken it a year ago back when it was an easy 100%.They messed around with some other question banks too. When I took the CFII written there were 6 or 7 questions that I had never seen anything like before. What really got me is that they were using phraseology that I have NEVER seen in the AIM, Instrument Flying Handbook, PHAK, or any other FAA publication I've looked at (or non-FAA textbooks for that matter). At least i still passed it and ended up with a decent score.
05-20-2011, 09:24 AM
#5
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jun 2010
Position: "left seat" engineer
Posts: 26
I took the FOI, AGI, and CFI written tests all in the last 6-8 months. The FOI definitely has a few odd questions that I had never run across. In addition I am sure I answered a few right and they came up wrong at the end review. Maybe it was an interpretation issue. At least I passed the first time.
FOI- 87%
AGI- 98%
CFI- 98%
FOI- 87%
AGI- 98%
CFI- 98%
05-26-2011, 02:02 PM
#10
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jan 2011
Position: None
Posts: 87
Has anyone taken the FOI since these changes were made in February. I wanted to know if studying the 2011 Gleim FOI prep book will cover most of what's on the test and what the FAA changed should be in the FAA Aviation Instructor's handbook??? I'm studying with both but the Gleim is easier to study with since it has q&a's. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
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