FAA Private Pilots Test Prep - suggestions?
Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:00 pm
I have given myself a deadline of roughly three weeks to complete my written test. Don't ask why I have put it off so long, other than I am a bit terrified of it... (:shock:) but I want to get it taken and done with, and preferably I'd like to do really well.
Many of you on here have (of course) taken it and I thought you might have some suggestions. I have the book and study guide and I also have the Gleim test prep software.
Is there an ideal way to go about studying for it? Do you cram for a weekend and then take the test Monday, or do you methodically pour over it every night and then attempt the test? Is the book better v. the software? Just looking for any friendly advice you guys might have.
Thanks for once again letting me pick your brains! School starts on the 17th of September, I can't freaking wait!
Stephanie
Many of you on here have (of course) taken it and I thought you might have some suggestions. I have the book and study guide and I also have the Gleim test prep software.
Is there an ideal way to go about studying for it? Do you cram for a weekend and then take the test Monday, or do you methodically pour over it every night and then attempt the test? Is the book better v. the software? Just looking for any friendly advice you guys might have.
Thanks for once again letting me pick your brains! School starts on the 17th of September, I can't freaking wait!
Stephanie
Fri Jun 15, 2007 4:59 am
Hi Stephanie,
A wayyyyyyy long time ago when I was coming up, I would use the Gleim books. After finishing a ground school course, I would spend several hours a day over a week prior to the test to review the book three times total.
I would only read the questions and the correct answer. I would also ensure that I knew *why* the answer was right.
Worked like a charm. Hope this helps, and best of luck.
By the way... If none of this works, always answer 'D.' (Okay, just kidding!)
A wayyyyyyy long time ago when I was coming up, I would use the Gleim books. After finishing a ground school course, I would spend several hours a day over a week prior to the test to review the book three times total.
I would only read the questions and the correct answer. I would also ensure that I knew *why* the answer was right.
Worked like a charm. Hope this helps, and best of luck.
By the way... If none of this works, always answer 'D.' (Okay, just kidding!)
Aeronautical Knowledge and Gleim
Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:43 am
Stephanie,
I wouldn't put myself on the deadline so quickly. I didn't take my written until 1 week before my check ride, and found it to be a good study guide for the oral portion. I studied Gleim pretty exclusively, but also used ipilot.com for back up. I studied intensively for three days before I took the written, and got a 96. I am not advocating not studying. I read all the time while pursuing my license. I made it a point to read the relevant chapters in the DOT Airplane Flying Manual and the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge while doing lessons, and did a lot of practice flight plans, weather chart reading, and practice radio calls when I studied.
Some schools are really hard on student pilot's to get their written done. I don't agree with this push. I think the best measure of a student's aeronautical knowledge can be elicited while flying, under the gun. In the air is where you are going to need to dig all that knowledge out for actual use. I am of the opinion that a good measure of an instructor is how well he/she is able to pull the critical nuggets of knowledge out of you in pre-flight, prepping you for pulling them out of you during actual flight.
Good luck with your training, and please keep us informed.
I wouldn't put myself on the deadline so quickly. I didn't take my written until 1 week before my check ride, and found it to be a good study guide for the oral portion. I studied Gleim pretty exclusively, but also used ipilot.com for back up. I studied intensively for three days before I took the written, and got a 96. I am not advocating not studying. I read all the time while pursuing my license. I made it a point to read the relevant chapters in the DOT Airplane Flying Manual and the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge while doing lessons, and did a lot of practice flight plans, weather chart reading, and practice radio calls when I studied.
Some schools are really hard on student pilot's to get their written done. I don't agree with this push. I think the best measure of a student's aeronautical knowledge can be elicited while flying, under the gun. In the air is where you are going to need to dig all that knowledge out for actual use. I am of the opinion that a good measure of an instructor is how well he/she is able to pull the critical nuggets of knowledge out of you in pre-flight, prepping you for pulling them out of you during actual flight.
Good luck with your training, and please keep us informed.
Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:23 pm
http://www.sportys.com/faatest/
Free online tests from Sportys, there's a practice test and a study buddy that goes through all the questions by subject matter. Works like a charm...
Chris
Free online tests from Sportys, there's a practice test and a study buddy that goes through all the questions by subject matter. Works like a charm...
Chris
Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:27 pm
Just be careful Steph. I remember on my written I found an answer that the test guide had as the correct answer that was wrong. If you don't see how they got the answer, don't be afraid to ask someone. That was what some of the guys in my flight school were having problems with. Their software wasn't showing you how they got the answer.
so what kind of study are you?
Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:27 pm
So..
obviously it depends on what kind of person you are.. do you do
well with self imposed pressure and can jump up and kick it out?
well, maybe 3-4 days of intensity can do it for you. There are folks
out there like that.
I'm not one of them.
.. I did a chapter or two a day out of
Gleims for my private, Jeppesen for my instrument, and did it over
a couple weeks. Again, get used to the questions, material and
a chapter a day seems to be good for a couple of hours of quality
time. Then go for a out for a walk and some fresh air. Key is
quality time though and focus on the subject matter. You will
begin to understand how the ask the questions and grok what the
nuances are in the questions - (what they are really asking, and
what they intend to trick you on.) For the PPL, don't skip on the
FAR's, weather and aero principles as that will be key, and also
get you sharp for your the oral test. Work through the math
problems so you understand what it takes to get what they are
asking for. Gleim and jeppesen are both pretty good at laying
that out, especially in the order of what it takes to get what piece
of info. And especially, don't stress out over it all. Its only a
multiple choice test, albeit it can be a tricky one for many folks.
You'll laugh, but I tried to explain principles of flight to my 7 yr old
at the time and it made me really understand what went on with the
forces.. my wife thought I was nuts.. Then I did some weather.
My kid aced her weather chapter that year. Go figure.
so good luck with it all, let me know how it goes.
henning
obviously it depends on what kind of person you are.. do you do
well with self imposed pressure and can jump up and kick it out?
well, maybe 3-4 days of intensity can do it for you. There are folks
out there like that.
I'm not one of them.
.. I did a chapter or two a day out of
Gleims for my private, Jeppesen for my instrument, and did it over
a couple weeks. Again, get used to the questions, material and
a chapter a day seems to be good for a couple of hours of quality
time. Then go for a out for a walk and some fresh air. Key is
quality time though and focus on the subject matter. You will
begin to understand how the ask the questions and grok what the
nuances are in the questions - (what they are really asking, and
what they intend to trick you on.) For the PPL, don't skip on the
FAR's, weather and aero principles as that will be key, and also
get you sharp for your the oral test. Work through the math
problems so you understand what it takes to get what they are
asking for. Gleim and jeppesen are both pretty good at laying
that out, especially in the order of what it takes to get what piece
of info. And especially, don't stress out over it all. Its only a
multiple choice test, albeit it can be a tricky one for many folks.
You'll laugh, but I tried to explain principles of flight to my 7 yr old
at the time and it made me really understand what went on with the
forces.. my wife thought I was nuts.
. Then I did some weather.
My kid aced her weather chapter that year. Go figure.
so good luck with it all, let me know how it goes.
henning
Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:47 pm
I still think watching the King videos is a sure thing. I watched them while I was running on the treadmill...it was a pretty passive affair, all in all.
People learn differently -- for me the video was just very easy to follow, outside of the occasional urge that I had to kill small animals after seeing John and Martha for that long.
Backing it up with the Gleim book is something I didn't do, but is a pretty darn good idea.
People learn differently -- for me the video was just very easy to follow, outside of the occasional urge that I had to kill small animals after seeing John and Martha for that long.
Backing it up with the Gleim book is something I didn't do, but is a pretty darn good idea.
Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:56 pm
If you are a visual learner, the most effective way to learn is to go with the Kings. I used them for all of my writtens, and out of my Private, Comm, Instrument, FOI and CFI (hmm, think that's all of them) - oh yes, I also took the CFII, too, but didn't go for the rating, I missed a cumulative GRAND TOTAL of ... 1 question. 
For me, being an artist really helps, because the Kings are all about visuals. I simply could NOT forget anything they showed me! The most common complaint about the Kings is that "They're hokey". Bullhockey! They are extremely effective parlayers of information, and if you watch their tapes (DVDs now, I guess) once, do the exercises they recommend, and you fail the test - you're STUPID and should not be in an airplane.
Gleim is good, too - but sitting there with all that text is not a passive thing, and I start yawning immediately ... but I still recommend Gleim - I doubled up on King and Gleim for my CFI stuff, and aced the written and the flight tests.
The CFI examiner, who was a retired FAA Inspector and had a rep as a tough SOB who had CFI candidates for breakfast (only those who didn't study!), sat back and told me when we were done that I was one of his most impressive candidates. Yes, thanks to the Kings (and Gleim), and taking my sh*t seriously, my knowledge portion of the various practical tests was, may I be so bold, a friggin' breeze.
Wade
For me, being an artist really helps, because the Kings are all about visuals. I simply could NOT forget anything they showed me! The most common complaint about the Kings is that "They're hokey". Bullhockey! They are extremely effective parlayers of information, and if you watch their tapes (DVDs now, I guess) once, do the exercises they recommend, and you fail the test - you're STUPID and should not be in an airplane.
Gleim is good, too - but sitting there with all that text is not a passive thing, and I start yawning immediately ... but I still recommend Gleim - I doubled up on King and Gleim for my CFI stuff, and aced the written and the flight tests.
The CFI examiner, who was a retired FAA Inspector and had a rep as a tough SOB who had CFI candidates for breakfast (only those who didn't study!), sat back and told me when we were done that I was one of his most impressive candidates. Yes, thanks to the Kings (and Gleim), and taking my sh*t seriously, my knowledge portion of the various practical tests was, may I be so bold, a friggin' breeze.
Wade
Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:31 pm
GEEZ Steph...The obvious answer is...If at first you don't succeed...
CHEAT
You're welcome.
Mudge the helpful
CHEAT
You're welcome.
Mudge the helpful
Sat Jun 16, 2007 1:21 am
I firmly believe you should pass the written before you start doing cross country flights. Before your first solo would be even better as long as you are doing it straight through and it won't be nine months until you will take the check flight for your license.
I took one of those pass or don't pay all-day courses for my private and then took the written test right after (same evening). You may not retain much at that pace but you'll pass the test. Did the same thing for my commercial as well. The cram course will be easy if you have studied the books ahead of time. Maybe with DVDs they don't have these any more? I think I took my private back in 1985 and my commercial back in 1991 so some things may have changed since then (like common ownership of personal computers and concept of DVDs maybe?).
That's what worked best for me, but if you are a good bookworm just go ahead and use the books.
I took one of those pass or don't pay all-day courses for my private and then took the written test right after (same evening). You may not retain much at that pace but you'll pass the test. Did the same thing for my commercial as well. The cram course will be easy if you have studied the books ahead of time. Maybe with DVDs they don't have these any more? I think I took my private back in 1985 and my commercial back in 1991 so some things may have changed since then (like common ownership of personal computers and concept of DVDs maybe?).
That's what worked best for me, but if you are a good bookworm just go ahead and use the books.