Knowledge test prep?

smoore · #1 03-19-2007, 12:25 PM

What's the current favorite way to prepare for the knowledge tests? 20 years ago I took ground school and had a few hours in a 172 through my high school. Basically, I remember nothing of it.

I'm self motivated and can learn from books and videos. Would it make sense for me to purchase one of the self-paced "ground schools" from Sporty's or something? Is this sufficient? Who recommends which program?

I don't want to be a GPS pilot only, I'd like to learn the older methods of navigation, at least touch on them.

I'm looking at SportPilot right now, as I understand all time can be applied towards PPL. Am I correct here?

I want something simple, "baby steps" as it were.

TIA

fstringham7a · #2 03-19-2007, 12:51 PM

Give a close look at the King training stuff. It has been a while but I do remember that using the computer to practice the FAA test was the best training for me inregards to test prep.....If I remember right it was by Gliem http://www.gleim.com/aviation.

Good Luck and have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Frank @ SGU Rv7A "NDY"

cytoxin · #3 03-19-2007, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoore

What's the current favorite way to prepare for the knowledge tests? 20 years ago I took ground school and had a few hours in a 172 through my high school. Basically, I remember nothing of it.

I'm self motivated and can learn from books and videos. Would it make sense for me to purchase one of the self-paced "ground schools" from Sporty's or something? Is this sufficient? Who recommends which program?

I don't want to be a GPS pilot only, I'd like to learn the older methods of navigation, at least touch on them.

I'm looking at SportPilot right now, as I understand all time can be applied towards PPL. Am I correct here?

I want something simple, "baby steps" as it were.

TIA

i did all the usual books, far/aim some jepp book i dont even remember, the sportys stuff which in my opinion wasnt all that great but was free from a freind and this online test prep http://www.exams4pilots.org/ these were very close to the real deal and free. i ended up with a 92 on the written only took it once ..i passed the practice tests every time in the beginning. good luck

davcor · #4 03-19-2007, 02:30 PM

http://www.pockettest.com/

cawmd82 · #5 03-19-2007, 03:17 PM

You cannot go wrong with their products for getting the book work straight. I used their tapes 20 years ago for my instrument course and their updated versions to do the commercial in 1999. I highly recommend it on a bang for the buck per unit of time basis.

JonJay · #6 03-19-2007, 03:18 PM

It has been a long time ago, but I believe you can order the actual tests. Take them over, and over, and memorize the answers. Many of the answers are not necessarily the most correct answer, but the answer that you are supposed to choose. My kids where sick the day before I tested, and it was my turn to stay home so I just took the test over and over and over until I had the answers memorized. I was the only person that the CFI witnessing had ever seen that got 100%. Frankly, surprised the heck out of me too.
Good luck. (PS- 100% test score means nothing when it comes to being a good pilot. In fact, many or under the theory that the higher your written, the lower your chances of being any good with the stick.)

TSwezey · #7 03-19-2007, 03:20 PM

King also. It worked. Didn't do any studying besides the King course and passed. Would have gotten a higher score but I refused to learn ADF. Two questions on my test about it.

Rick_A · #8 03-19-2007, 10:19 PM

The answer posted by JonJay is dead on. The books and videos give a lot of good info. I used both and most of the real learning was from the books (Jepp).

However, for the test's I went thru the practice tests so many times, that I had most of the answers memorized - Aced the 3 written tests I took, which carried over the the orals also.

rzbill · #9 03-20-2007, 03:57 AM

I'm with Rick and Jonjay.
When I took my PPL written, there was an FAA publication that had all the possible questions in it. 1000 or so in total. I did them all and then reviewed the ones I missed until I was satisfied I knew the subject matter.

I made a 99 because I let my logical engineering brain answer a question correctly rather that with the answer they wanted....

I think Sporty's has free online tests that you can take anytime you are connected to the world wide wait...

DGlaeser · #10 03-20-2007, 08:03 AM

If you want a good book that explains all the basics in depth, look at: "An Invitation To Fly" (available online through Amazon.com). It covers everything required for the Private Written exam.
I used it to teach PP ground school at Parks College for 12 years, and it's been used by a number of other college aviation programs as well.
(Biased opinion alert - I'm the author)