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How *I* Am Studying for the IFR Written

DeltaRomeo

doug reeves: unfluencer
Staff member
…your mileage may vary if you try this, but it’s working for me.

1. Signed up for the ‘Premium’ Sporty’s Study Buddy for $14.95 (gets you three months). http://www.sportys.com/studybuddy. The premium version gives you the explanations.


2. Copy/pasted the question, answer and explanation into MS Word.


3. Used the free ‘ScreenHunter’ program to capture the relevant parts of the legends and figures so they could be copied into MS Word.
http://www.wisdom-soft.com/products/screenhunter.htm


4. Used the ‘Insert / Shapes’ feature of MS Word to annotate the legends and figures. Dark red arrows and semi-transparent lines over victor airways. My ‘Part 1’ document is 76 pages. The ‘Part 2’ document is 126 pages.


5. Used the ‘Save as PDF’ option in MS Word and copied it over to my iPad Mini. Studying off that when I get a minute, not having to open the separate legends/figures book once.


To date I’ve taken the practice test four times off Study Buddy – passed them all (average time taking the test is about 40 minutes). Taking the real deal here shortly. Total cost spent so far studying….$14.95.


Maybe you might find some of this useful if you’re contemplating getting your IFR ticket.


v/r,

dr
Some screen grabs from my MS Word study documents:

1.jpg

2.jpg

3.jpg

4.jpg

5.jpg


PS: Each time I take the practice test, I use the same process…building a new document with the questions I missed. The four documents only run a page or two.
 
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Thanks

Thanks for the motivation DR. With one in college myself and a little bit more time on my hands, I've been kicking around the IFR thing.
 
Thanks DR.

Ive been thinking about getting current after being off for 6 years during the build. You just gave me the final kick in the @$$ I needed to get going!
 
snip....To date I’ve taken the practice test four times off Study Buddy – passed them all ...snip.

Make that five times (just took it again). Passed. 42 minutes. 83%

(rushed it and read three questions wrong. slapping forehead.)
 
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Congratulations

Hey Doug,

Cudo's on your tackling the instrument rating!!! I think it would do ANY pilot well to further their flying education with the instrument rating. A new challenge and opportunity to sharpen the flying skills and the gray matter:D I think the instrument rating hones a pilot's precision in flying skills. Even if it isn't used or used only under very select criteria....you'll be the better for it(as long as you take time to keep on instrument shape!)

Love your festifous, errrr....fastidous,ummmm....festivous, oh heck....your concern with detail study of instrument procedures complete with annotated plates!

We're all behind you:) Bon chance!
 
Life saver

My father's IFR training saved my life...while in the womb, 1/2" rime on the wings upon landing in North Dakota. When I showed an interest in aviation, he told me as long as he lived, he would pay for the Instrument training if I wanted it (I let our tax dollars pay for it).

Now, when I tell my "I almost died from that" stories to junior in the brief, I tell them to ask any military aviator in the squadron...most will tell you our "come to Jesus" stories involve bad weather and lightning bolts rather than bullets.

If I ever "strike it rich" I have always thought it would be a great lasting legacy to start a foundation to provide free instrument training to those who want it since it has saved my life numerous times over...and I'll tell you my story over a beer some day!
 
I love stories over beer

....


If I ever "strike it rich" I have always thought it would be a great lasting legacy to start a foundation to provide free instrument training to those who want it since it has saved my life numerous times over...and I'll tell you my story over a beer some day!


I hope you "strike it" soon Nick. I am a fledging VFR pilot and would love to learn the pros tricks someday. Couldn't afford $14.95 now... :D
 
great rating, makes a much better pilot. easy to keep getting approaches with your buds. get the best written score you can. the oral will be much easier. i did well on my written, the first question i was asked on my oral was on the ifr chart, the smallest thing on it, a dot with a circle around it, yes sir, that is a rco. the rest of the oral was over in no time. thats my story and its mostly true. :)
i love this pic. instrument pilots dream, wet, warm, smooth clouds with high bases. AP on.:cool:
http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m537/turboeddie/image-8.jpg
 
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I hope you "strike it" soon Nick. I am a fledging VFR pilot and would love to learn the pros tricks someday. Couldn't afford $14.95 now... :D

I think all the information needed for the test is available on the FAA web site. Download the instrument rating airplane test bank, and supplements. I got my rating decades ago, but just studied the free materials, took the test, and paid for the flight training.

YOU CAN DO IT!
 
It is well worth the effort and then some, your study method looks to be about as good as it gets for the written. My DPE always told me "here's your liscence to learn" with every temporary certificate, very true. Best of Luck!
 
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One of my instructors put it best: If there is one rating that will get you killed faster than any of them, it's the instrument.

That being said, it's also the most valuable. Not only in the knowledge and skills you gain, but in many cases it can reduce your insurance premiums by a bit as well.

If you don't have it, and are due for a flight review, I'd highly suggest it.
 
Not totally true

One of my instructors put it best: If there is one rating that will get you killed faster than any of them, it's the instrument.

Though I understand the point the instructor was making but can't say I totally agree with it. As an instructor holding all cfi certs, it really isn't the instrument rating that is the danger.....its Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM) that gets people in trouble(IFR or VFR). Flying into situations that they should never have. Sure there can be the occasion where should wx or other things change for the worse....that's why ADM is so important to deal with changing situations and err to the side of caution hopefully!

I called a friend the other day and left a voicemail. He called back later saying he was at a funeral for his daughters friend's father. Here is how her father passed away. My friend said he had eight children....and stated that he thought the man possibly was an air traffic controller???(His words...not mine!)

I found that the students I have trained for the instrument rating has really made them more savvy on wx....a lot less intimidated with ATC....and more confidence when the the weather mans forecast of cavu turns to clear and 3 miles in smoke or haze.

If you look at the stats......you will find many accidents caused from a non-instrument rated pilot flying into instrument conditions(how many would have survived with even skills a little rusty).....don't think you will find many with instrument rated pilot accidents due to flying inadvertently into VFR conditions.:eek: Just observations and thoughts over the years:rolleyes:
 
Tragic

That is correct. Air traffic controller at TRACON in Peachtree City a couple weeks away from retirement.

I called a friend the other day and left a voicemail. He called back later saying he was at a funeral for his daughters friend's father. Here is how her father passed away. My friend said he had eight children....and stated that he thought the man possibly was an air traffic controller???(His words...not mine!)

...don't think you will find many with instrument rated pilot accidents due to flying inadvertently into VFR conditions.:eek: Just observations and thoughts over the years:rolleyes:
 
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Trade

I hope you "strike it" soon Nick. I am a fledging VFR pilot and would love to learn the pros tricks someday. Couldn't afford $14.95 now... :D

As much as I believe we should share our love of flight, I never advocate a CFI giving away his services for free (maybe to family) because it waters down the value of our services. That being said, I would love tailwheel training, float training, etc and would be more than willing to trade services for those!

Sorry for the thread jack.

One thing I so as well (also helps in all phases of training) is make a cheap "cockpit procedure trainer" and it has been discussed in many threads here over the years. CHEAP side, take a pic of your cockpit and blow it up. Most printer drivers let you print a poster size on paper= less $. Chair fly your flight/a possible flight before you get in the air with your Instructor. Get the brain working thinking at the speed of flight, thinking about entering approaches, twisting knobs, etc. It helps a lot. You can also use google earth, etc and make a track of a proposed flight, play it back at your flight speed, so you can rehearse the timing...this WOULD have helped me yesterday.

With 12 years flying at 120 enroute and 90 its finals in helicopters and jumping right into the T-6B at 240-250 enroute then a quick deceleration to 200, 150 base, then 120 on final everything came very quickly. It took me half to flight to climb back into the cockpit and finally get the VOR and holding to acceptable levels.

It is a perishable skill and requires constant practice. If you have most of you time under the hood, pay attention to frontal passage/etc and please try to get some time in that stable air with stable ceilings when they are around 700-1000 AGL...my favorite IFR days. DO multiple approaches, stay in the clouds for the transitions, holding, etc then shoot the approach and actually break out, but on those days do one of the VOR's that spits you out at an odd angle or midfield and try to pretend breaking out at mins...THAT is great training.

Rant disengaged, I love this stuff!
 
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Go Doug!

I just ran into DR at Marcair Aviation about to take his IFR written. I'm betting all this test prep helped you kick butt, Doug.
 
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I passed my written about 2 mos ago- after a year of studying! and now the practical/oral. I am finding that keeping the glideslope/localizer on the center is harder than the darn written! I call it I.F.Arrrrggh!
 
I'm joining you DR in starting my Instrument Rating journey. I was going to wait for my cool glass panel, but my fellow RV'ers showed me the light. Their wise counsel goes beyond rivets and dimples.

See you after the check ride.
 
Study Recommendation!

I'm just an spy on this site, hoping to build an 8 within the year. I'm currently an airline pilot and a college professor that teaches ground schools quite regularly. If I could put my two cents into your study prep they might raise your score to near 100%. I seen HUNDREDS of students take your approach to studying for the written, using online prepare that gives multiple study tests. Do not give in. There is not substitute for the good old fashion Gleim paper study guide. Go cover to cover 4 to 5 times then go and take the practice tests. My pass rates in class went up exponentially when I guided (forced) my students through blackboard to go through all the questions 4 times. The pre-tests are good but there are too many questions in the database that are often missed without going through each question individually. Study on an don't fear the instrument ticket, just set your personnel mins to reflect your experience and your stay safe.
 
There is not substitute for the good old fashion Gleim paper study guide.

I respectfully disagree. It's called Sheppard Air - for the SINGLE purpose of passing the written. A huge difference between passing a written and actually learning and maintaining functional knowledge, but with the FAA still asking antiquated and absurd questions, I'll take Sheppard Air's approach every time. Knock out the written and be able to dig into the books, charts, and plates and focus on really learning.
 
The sad part is, as an airline guy, my multiple choice answers would be:

1) Ask for direct.
2) See if he has a heading for that.
3) How do you spell that fix again?
4) Was he calling us?

Flying the last of our hardballs a few years ago, we had a jumpseater ask "how do you guys know where you are going?"
 
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Love to fly in the clouds. If it's sunny flying doesn't excite me but if it's raining I can hear the airport calling. Been averaging 2 to3 approaches a month in the SF Bay Area. Won't do it without GPS though. That's too much risk for me.
 
passed.jpg


On to the XC and checkride...

Congratulations! I bet your head is swimming with information, now to let that settle and get back into the air!!

I had 3 instrument instructors. One took me 95% of the way. I could not nail the approaches (ILS in a round gage 182). I got a highly recommended guy that took a pointed with a presentation pointer and tidied up my technique, he would whack my hands if not in the right place, doing the right thing, and would tap that needle when I needed to act. Never said a word. In one hour he had me nailing every approach, something the last guy could not do in 10 hours. I figured that "pass" may be good enough for written, but was not good enough to keep me alive. A fantastic experience and well worth the effort.

This is a graduate degree.
 
I respectfully disagree. It's called Sheppard Air - for the SINGLE purpose of passing the written. A huge difference between passing a written and actually learning and maintaining functional knowledge, but with the FAA still asking antiquated and absurd questions, I'll take Sheppard Air's approach every time. Knock out the written and be able to dig into the books, charts, and plates and focus on really learning.

Shepard Air is a popular choice among my students and is good if you go through the database. However, there success places them somewhere in the 80th percentile and the students that go through the database multiple time average in the higher 90's. I'm not mocking the 80's, because it is a really great score but we all know that a well done written sets the initial tone for a DPE. Some ways work for some and other ways work for others. I am just stating facts that I have accumulated over many years and hundreds of students that have gone through my class!
 
...but we all know that a well done written sets the initial tone for a DPE...

No...have to disagree with that. Having asked that question of four DPE's, their unified response was there is no correlation with a knowledge test score and the passing of the oral & practical test.
 
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