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Private Pilot Licence · Subject 10, AC61-3

PPL Human Factors mock exam.

Human Factors is short and fast: 30 questions in 40 minutes, which leaves 80 seconds a question. It is also the paper with the most definitions, and the exam tests them precisely: hypoxia is not hyperventilation, a latent threat is not an active one, and a somatogravic illusion is not a somatogyral one. Our bank of 222 questions is written to Subject 10 of AC61-3.

The de-brief explains the physiology behind each answer, which is what makes the definitions stick.

Questions30
Time40min
Pass mark70%
Question bank222
Sit a PPL Human Factors paper · $5.99 Try the free 12-question paper first
What the paper covers

Subject 10 topic by topic.

The syllabus areas below are the ones the CAA lists for Human Factors, and every question in the bank carries the code of the item it tests.

  • The atmosphere, respiration and circulation
  • Hypoxia, hyperventilation and how to tell them apart
  • Barotrauma, decompression sickness, and diving before flying
  • Vision, night vision and visual illusions on approach
  • Hearing, noise and the balance organs
  • Spatial disorientation and the vestibular illusions
  • G forces and motion sickness
  • Fitness to fly: IMSAFE, alcohol, drugs, medication and blood donation
  • Sleep, fatigue and stress
  • Information processing, attention and memory
  • Situational awareness, judgement and decision making
  • Threat and error management, safety culture and reporting
Where the marks go

What catches people in Human Factors.

  1. Symptoms shared by hypoxia and hyperventilation. The exam asks about the difference in onset and the correct response.
  2. The named illusions. Learn what causes each one and what the pilot wrongly perceives; the question is usually phrased from the perception end.
  3. The alcohol rule and the diving rule as numbers. Bottle-to-throttle hours and hours after a dive are asked as figures.
  4. Which model is which: SHELL, Reason's Swiss cheese and the TEM loop each have their own vocabulary.
From the bank

Sample Human Factors questions.

Four questions as they appear in a paper, with the answer and the reasoning you get in the de-brief. Options are shuffled in the real thing.

PPL · Syllabus 10.14.2Sample 1 / 4

Barotrauma experienced during flight is fundamentally caused by:

  1. AExpansion or contraction of trapped gases in body cavities
  2. BExcessive G-forces acting destructively on the skeletal frame
  3. CHigh engine noise levels physically damaging the eardrum over time
  4. DHigh-frequency vibration from the engine transmitting through the seat
Show the answer and why
Expansion or contraction of trapped gases in body cavities

Following Boyle's Law, as atmospheric pressure changes during climbs and descents, the volume of trapped gas in the ears, sinuses, or teeth fluctuates, causing acute pain.

PPL · Syllabus 10.40.14Sample 2 / 4

The primary cure required to resolve severe Chronic Fatigue involves:

  1. AA single long sleep of at least 12 uninterrupted hours
  2. BA significant lifestyle change and an extended period of rest
  3. CIncreased physical training to build stamina
  4. DPrescription dietary supplements and rapid hydration therapy
Show the answer and why
A significant lifestyle change and an extended period of rest

Chronic fatigue (frequently termed 'Burnout') is a systemic physical and psychological depletion. It cannot be fixed by one night's sleep; it strictly requires addressing the root lifestyle causes and undertaking extended recovery.

PPL · Syllabus 10.54.4Sample 3 / 4

Cultivating an active culture of reporting minor incidents is absolutely vital to aviation safety because:

  1. AIt successfully identifies trends and latent threats in the system before they align to cause an accident
  2. BIt provides management with the evidence required to actively punish rogue offenders
  3. CIt guarantees lower insurance premiums for the commercial operating company
  4. DIt fulfills the stringent paperwork requirements set by the aviation regulator
Show the answer and why
It successfully identifies trends and latent threats in the system before they align to cause an accident

Based on Heinrich's safety pyramid, for every major accident, there are hundreds of minor, consequence-free incidents. Reporting these free 'warnings' allows the organization to fix the latent threats before an accident occurs.

PPL · Syllabus 10.52.6Sample 4 / 4

In organizational safety models, a 'Latent Threat' is best defined as:

  1. AA highly visible thunderstorm directly on the flight path
  2. BA hidden system issue or organizational flaw that remains dormant until triggered
  3. CA direct, active mistake made by the pilot during the flight
  4. DAn active, catastrophic engine fire during the takeoff roll
Show the answer and why
A hidden system issue or organizational flaw that remains dormant until triggered

Latent threats lie dormant deep within the organizational system (e.g., poor maintenance scheduling, bad roster design, ambiguous manuals) waiting for an active trigger to line up and cause an accident.

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Human Factors questions

Asked about this exam.

Straight answers. If yours is not here, email support and a person replies.

Our paper is 30 questions in 40 minutes, matched to the Aspeq sitting. Pass mark 70%.

It is often called the easy one, but it is not free marks. Most lost marks come from definitions learnt loosely. Sit two or three practice papers and read every rationale, not only the ones you got wrong.

Yes, at a basic level. Subject 10 of AC61-3 includes first aid principles and post-crash survival priorities, and our bank covers every item in that syllabus.

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