Studying for my PPL.

[Guest]

Hi all,Just a quick question for all of you who have their PPL, I am currently having the time of my life learning to fly (12 hours so far!) and I am currently revising for all those lovely tests I have to do! And I was wondering if anyone has any good tips for revising as it has been 11 years since I had to study for an exam and I am quite rusty when it comes to revising.Any info would be a great helpAsylum.

[Arklight1 140]

Hello Asylum :)I too am studying up for my written and oral test. Actually, I am studying for when I start ground school and flying again...shouldn't have taken such a long break lol.Anyways, I would study the FARs and AIM, know about medical factors involved with flying, classes of airspace, navigation, etc...How I study is I write down the major topics I know about on a piece of paper. Then I take those topics and split them into areas I know or have the most knowledge about. When I am done with that, I go over the topics that I know the least first and then I go over the stuff I know the most about last. I also use flash cards and have my wife quiz me at odd time like if I am in the shower, eating dinner, driving, watching T.V. (usually anytime where there is a distraction). By doing this I know I am learning the subjects and can also recite facts, information etc.. when I am not in optimal condition to do so. This also helps me to test my knowledge under pressure.Usually when you are flying and you need to remember something the cockpit usually isn't the quietest or best place around, lol.Hope this helps a little :)Shane

[Guest]

Studying for these exams isn't that bad. I was an actuary in another life, now those are hard exams!For each rating buy the following:The ASA Oral Exam Guide (~$7)The ASA Practical Test Standards (~$5)The ASA or Gleim Written Exam Book (~$20-30)Each exam is a multiple choice exam with questions chosen from a specific bank. The written exam books will have all of the bank questions in there with an explanation of the answers.As Arklight mentioned know medical factors (AIM chapter 8) and airspace (buy a sectional and look at the index this helps tremendously). A good book that explains all of this is the Jeppesen Private Pilot Manual (a big brown 600 page book) or Rod Machado's Private Pilot Manual. Read FAR 61 (the student pilot and private pilot section) and 91. Especially know in 91 the:VFR day equipment list - the infamous TOMATO FLAMES pneumonicVFR night equipment list - FLAAPS if memory serves meVFR cloud clearance requirements - 500 ft below/1000 ft above/2000 ft horizontalVFR Oxygem requirements - 12,500/14,000/15,000 ft.When you're ready to take the exam, take practice ones on the internet for free. They're at webexams.com or mywrittenexam.com (you'll need all the figures though, but your ASA/Gleim book will have them all in them).One other thing: The designated examiners in my area (Charlotte, NC) told me that CFI's have not been giving enough ground school to primary candidates. Make sure your CFI is logging ALL of your ground training in your logbook - there is usually a section in the back with all the endorsements (he better, you're paying for it and your knowledge/solo/checkride endorsements all say that he gave you ground instruction in those areas). The DE told me they are expecting around 18-20 hours to be logged for a primary.Good Luck,Rich, CFI/CMEL

[Guest RiddlePilot]

I think its just one A in FLAPSFuses (a full set or 3 of each type)Landing light (if for hire)Anti-collision lightPosition lights (red/green on wing, white on tail)Source of electrical energyEdit:Also, there's a new A with TOMATO FLAMES. Just stick it in front and you've got A TOMATO FLAMESThe new A is for all aircraft manufactured after March 11, 1996 to have Anti-collision lights. This includes the red beacon or white flashing strobes, so that if one of the two fails, you can continue to a point to have it repaired (91.205 sec. (:( #11)

[Guest]

Thanks for all the info, just remebered that I should have signed up for ground school a good few weeks ago, Doh!! (you would think one of my instructor's would have reminded me?) ChickenHawk, I already have a few book's the "Trevor Thom" ones as Im in the UK. I will be using those websites you listed, great for testing yourself to see how much you dont know.I have never heard of the "TOMATO FLAMES" pneumonic may be thats to come as Im only a quater of the way through my PPL.Thanks for all the info....Time to get my head stuck back in those books.Asylum.

[Guest RiddlePilot]

Then when you get into your instrument course, should you pursue that, you'll learn D GRAB CARD

[Guest]

I plan on doing my night rating next (seeing how its only 5 hours) then do my instrument rating and anything else I can think of.....Instructor/Comercial Rating?

[Guest]

Here in the states the private entitles you to fly at night. We have to do a 100mi. x-ctry with an instructor and 10 landings to a full stop aat night to be entitled to night privileges (sounds close to 5 hours).Something I've always wanted to know........:-)Do you fly from the right seat?(sorry I couldn't resist)

[Guest jrewing]

The night landings, night x-country, and total night flight time are required aeronautical experience for a PP certificate in the US. The only exception is if you reside in Alaska (14 CFR 61.110), where you can be issued a PP certificate with a night flying restriction that must be removed within 12 months.And don't forget TOMATO FFLAMES - the extra "F" standing for flotation gear for each occupant if operating for hire and beyond gliding distance from shore.John

[Guest]

LoL :-lol The left.

[Peter Z KCLE_EDDN 336]

Asylum,for the FAA written, absolutely study the Gleim, after that study the Gleim again and once you're done with that keep studying the Gleim again ;-) This is pretty much the easiest part, if you have all possible answers and questions study them. It does get boring at times but it's the most efficient way with the Gleim.All other recommandations mentioned are great, so I just like to throw in on link:http://w3.one.net/~kip/faatest.htmlI'm not quite sure how updatet this one is but one good thing about it is when I first took that online test I scored a 69% and it scared the heck out of me. So I took the Gleim and studied a lot and just passed my FAA written 2 weeks ago with a 93% here at Comair.Have fun,Petehttp://members.aol.com/pzsoulman/myhomepage/logo.gifAthlonXP2000,AbitKX7-333(latest4in1),512MB/2700SDRAM,WinXP,DirectX8.1,Geforce3TI200(128MB)(Det.30.82),SBlive(WDM5.1.2601.0)

[Guest]

Asylum,I think I saw you say that you were in the UK. If that is the case, get a black book called the "PPL Confuser". It has all the questions (and answers) from the actual multiple choice exams for all subjects except RT. Therefore, if you know all the answers to these, when you go into the exam, you will literally have answered the questions before, and thereby know the right answer.Obviously I wouldn't condone just learning the answers off by rote, as it is important to know what you are supposed to be studying in the first place, but as a way of passing exams, there's no better way.Hope this helps.

[Guest]

Hi Thunderthumbs,I got that book about a month ago, I thought it was a bit strange it saying on the front that it represents all current questions and answers. As I thought you would be able to do just that, learn all the questions and answers and you would not have a problem passing all the exams. But after asking my instructor he said it didn't contain all the questions and answers? dont know if he was saying that so I didn't just learn that book.