Are you about to take PPL exams and want to know if they are all multiple choice or not? Perhaps you want to better prepare yourself before the upcoming exam and know what to expect?

Or maybe you are curious and want to know more? Whatever brought you here today, we have the answer for you!
When it comes to the PPL exams, we know how stressful they can be. You can find yourself revising and revising, with your mind wandering to the exam.
You wonder how it is structured, whether you can expect multiple-choice, essay questions, or a mixture.
You search to see what you can find out but come back empty-handed every time. With the exam looming, you start to panic, worrying you can’t repair properly and will fail as a result.
Well, no more! Today we are here with all the answers that you need! Keep reading to find out if all PPL exams are multiple-choice or not and everything else that you need to know about them!
What Are PPL Exams?
Before we dive in, let’s have a quick recap for those in the room that need it. PPL exams are the theory exams you need to pass to gain your private pilot’s license and become a pilot.
These exams and the PPL theory training are designed to teach you everything you need to know about flying an aircraft!
You can expect to learn about navigation, air law, flight planning, operational procedures, and meteorology, along with much more!
You don’t need to attend a formal school to study or take these exams, although there are training organizations out there if you wish to make use of them.
These will usually feature a course where you will study and then take the exams with the support of a tutor and other classmates.
There are plenty of resources online for you to access should you choose to study independently.
Plenty of training guides and mock questions are available for you to make use of, and in many cases, you can access them for free too!
We do recommend that you allow plenty of time to study for these exams so that you are as well prepared as possible when you sit down to take the exam!
Are All PPL Exams Multiple Choice?
Now that we have covered what PPL exams are, let’s dive in and get to why you came here today! All PPL exams are multiple-choice, giving you options to select from when answering the questions.
Each exam is made up of 12 to 16 questions, all of which are multiple-choice. You should answer all of the questions in the exam, even the ones that you aren’t sure of.
With multiple-choice, there is always a chance you could tick the right answer, so there is no harm in trying, is there?
When studying for these PPL exams, you can choose to study for them one at a time, or you can block them together, and study for say three exams at the same time.
You can then sit these three exams in the same sitting, getting them out of the way and leaving you to feel like there are fewer exams to revise for.
While this might be overwhelming for some people and not in line with their studying methods, it can be a good way to get through the exams quickly. Remember, the choice is yours here!
How Long Are The PPL Exams?
As we have established that the PPL exams are multiple-choice, you might be wondering how long they take to complete.
Well, this varies depending on the exam. Each PPL exam has between 12 to 16 questions and can take anywhere from 20 to 50 minutes to complete.
Depending on how quickly you work through the exam, you might finish early.
In these cases, we recommend that you read back through the exam and check your answers to ensure you are confident in them before completing them.
You will be told before the exam begins how long it should last and if you are allowed to finish early or if you must remain until the exam ends.
Be sure to check this information beforehand too, so that you can time yourself answering sample questions to better prepare for the exam. After all, you don’t want to run out of time, do you?
How Many PPL Exams Are There?

Now, you might have noticed that we alluded to there being more than one PPL exam, leaving you wondering how many there are.
Well, there are nine PPL exams in total, and you must pass all nine exams to qualify for your private pilot license.
Once you have taken and passed your first exam, you will have eighteen months to pass the other eight exams.
This countdown starts at the end of the month you passed the exam. This timeframe should give you plenty of time to revise for and pass all nine exams and gain your private pilot’s license.
When sitting the exams, you get four attempts to pass every exam, so should you fail one or two, there is no need to panic!
The pass mark for every exam is 75% too, so should you get a few tough questions or tick the wrong box, you don’t need to worry too much.
Just remember to make use of the learning materials before sitting the exam and you should be okay.
Do I Have To Pay For The Exams?
Yes, you will need to pay for each PPL exam that you sit and any re-sits you might undertake.
The cost of these can vary depending on the authority that you choose to sit the exams with. It is best to contact them directly to get an accurate price before you start sitting the exams.
When you contact the authority, they will also walk you through the necessary paperwork you need to complete before you can sit the exam and anything else that you might need to know.
If you have any questions about this process, it is best to speak to them directly, as they will have the correct and up-to-date information for you.
Be sure to check the price of these exams and get any questions answered before you book them.
This will allow you to check that you can afford the exams and will be able to complete all of them within the eighteen-month time frame.
If that does not seem possible to you currently, it’s better to wait until you can dedicate your time to them. The last thing you want is to let the time run out and need to re-take all the exams!
Final Thoughts
And there you have it, all PPL exams are multiple-choice! With nine exams covering a range of topics to get through, it’s better to start revising as soon as possible and allow yourself plenty of time to prepare.
Remember that you have eighteen months after passing your first exam to pass the others and to contact the authority you have chosen if you have any specific questions.
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