To anybody that has recently taken the test I was curious as to the types of questions that are seen on the test in these sections. I've reviewed all the study guides and even purchsed 2 books on small boat handling. I wondered if the questions were simply multiple choice or will there be computational ones as well ( I know the mech section probably will have some mechanical advantage questions but is this all?). In the electrical part did you need ohm's law or anything like that or was it very basic stuff? I'm a licensed pilot and it can get very tedious computing info using a/c performance tables so I wanted to know if any off the wall questions were asked or just basic stuff (I'll need to brush up if so). I've studied the math very hard as well as brushed up on reading and will be taking the test on Thursday (26 April) morning. I need to do very well this go round due to a lousy GPA and being 26 and running out of time. Thanks in advance.
Stretch
hahah....keep studying your performance tables and small boat handling books and you should be fine.
ok only joking. You will not need either of these skills....in fact a quick look through the AIM manual as well as the Coast Guard rules of the road book will suit your needs just fine. Things like day shapes, knowing which color of light is on the left or right (port/starboard for Navy types), what heading a runway number indicates, what color taxiway lights are, what lost comm ATC lights mean, and having a general knowledge of weather are important. Knowing what the takeoff roll of a fully loaded C152 on a 100 deg day w/ half flaps is not something you would need to know, nor pull from a chart.
The mechanical section is a combo of pulley problems, mechanical advantage and maybe an ohms law Q (very simple, like a parallel resistor vs series, and which would have a greater voltage loss at a given point)....and then some basic force equillibrium questions. You may have a problem where there is a weight balanced on a board with supports at either end, with the weight being positioned left of center.....which support holds more weight? That kind of simple format. The math is not difficult if you have basic algebraic and geometry skills.
Maybe that helps
