FAR/AIM Question

vkhosid

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Hey guys,

Just had a question for you....but the more I think about it, the more difficult it becomes to answer. The question is this: I know that a lot of people, for their checkride, bring in a copy of the FAR/AIM and other references. And with my checkride coming up, I was starting to delve into the FAR/AIM a bit more and organize my references within the book. How do you guy organize your tabs and marks within the FAR/AIM for quicker reference. I want to put post-it notes throughout the book but am not sure which sections to put them in.

I know its a "to each is own" type question...but there's gotta be some best-practices for it....right?
 
I've never done it, so, I guess figure out what subjects are your weakest and tab those first.
 
Get the little ASA Oral Exam prep book if you don't have it. That has pretty much every relevant question and the applicable FAR/AIM section it refers to. Would be a good starting point.
 
I've never done it, so, I guess figure out what subjects are your weakest and tab those first.

Yeah, I kinda figured it was a personal preference type of thing...I guess I was hoping to hear more about which sections people thought it would be useful to tab for their own references....and from there I can search through it and find my own points.

Get the little ASA Oral Exam prep book if you don't have it. That has pretty much every relevant question and the applicable FAR/AIM section it refers to. Would be a good starting point.

Thanks, I'll check it out. Does it come in PDF format, by chance?
 
I didn't tab or dog ear any pages. I simply knew where I had to look by actually knowing the material. Radical concept, I know. If it has to do with the person it's (most likely) part 61, if it has to do with the air it's (most likely) part 91.
 
I agree a lot with EdFred. What I find a lot of people never get around to realizing is that both the FAR and the AIM have a table of contents and are organized by subject matter. So, even going beyond his "If it has to do with the person it's (most likely) part 61," there's a good chance nothing in your oral is going to cover the qualifications for commercial pilots and ATPs or, for Part 91, the fractional share of larger aircraft.

On tabbing itself, nothing wrong with it if it's a way to get to the general neighborhood quickly. Over-tabbing, like over-highlighting, is going to emphasis some things at the expense of others. It's one thing to tab the beginning of, say, the FAR 91.100 series and tab it as where the general flight rules are, but if you start tabbing all of the applicable rules, its usefulness diminishes.
 
It's one thing to tab the beginning of, say, the FAR 91.100 series and tab it as where the general flight rules are, but if you start tabbing all of the applicable rules, its usefulness diminishes.

This. Plus if you have to keep referencing the FAR/AIM often during your oral, it's not gonna look good.
 
Just had a question for you[,] but the more I think about it, the more difficult it becomes to answer. [] I know that a lot of people, for their checkride, bring in a copy of the FAR/AIM and other references. And with my checkride coming up, I was starting to delve into the FAR/AIM a bit more and organize my references within the book. How do you guy organize your tabs and marks within the FAR/AIM for quicker reference[?] I want to put post-it notes throughout the book but am not sure which sections to put them in.

I know it[']s a "to each is own" type question[,] but there's gotta be some best-practices for it[,] right?


I don't use a hardcopy. I reference the FARs/AIM online, with local backup copies kept on my phone and tablet. Those are searchable and can also be bookmarked, highlighted, and sticky-noted.
 
To the OP: If you are using an iPad, get the ASA FAR/AIM app.

Costs less than the paper versions...provides updates to keep it current...and has nifty search and highlight options.

Good luck on the checkride!!
 
This. Plus if you have to keep referencing the FAR/AIM often during your oral, it's not gonna look good.


Old experience, but when I was going after my cert, the FARs were principle on the written. The oral was more aircraft-centric and if things were to be referenced, it was more likely something in the POH. Then, you get hit with FAR questions again on the practical (and, hint, hint, on subsequent BFRs -- [or FRs])
 
Old experience, but when I was going after my cert, the FARs were principle on the written. The oral was more aircraft-centric and if things were to be referenced, it was more likely something in the POH. Then, you get hit with FAR questions again on the practical (and, hint, hint, on subsequent BFRs -- [or FRs])

Every examiner is different, and questions pertinent to the rating you are seeking are fair game.
 
This. Plus if you have to keep referencing the FAR/AIM often during your oral, it's not gonna look good.
In most Practical tests, there are things in the FAR and AIM one should simply know and others that can be looked up. While one is tempted to paraphrase the prayer to "grant me the wisdom to know the difference" most are pretty obvious.

I think we can all agree "give me a moment to look it up" is not a satisfactory answer to "You are flying and approaching an airplane that is coming from your left . What should you do?".
 
To the OP: If you are using an iPad, get the ASA FAR/AIM app.

Costs less than the paper versions[,] provides updates to keep it current[,] and has nifty search and highlight options.

Why pay even $10 for the app when you can always download (and annotate) the latest pdf from the FAA for free (and use it on all platforms)?
 
Why pay even $10 for the app when you can always download (and annotate) the latest pdf from the FAA for free (and use it on all platforms)?
True of the AIM. Not of the FAR.
 
This. Plus if you have to keep referencing the FAR/AIM often during your oral, it's not gonna look good.

I tend to agree. I brought my FAR/AIM to my PPL Check ride, but if I opened it at all it wasn't more than once. Most of the questions should be on material that's pertinent to the type of rating you're going for, and as such you should know it reasonably well. Pretty sure any DPE will tell you that it's ok to have to look something up once in a while, but if it's frequent that's not a good thing.

I didn't tab or mark anything. My IFR ride is in less than a month and I'll probably go ahead and tab the pt61 requirements page, and maybe a couple relevant pt91 sections, but IMHO if you're using it for anything more than a way to quickly find a section then you probably need to study more.
 
Hey guys,

Just had a question for you....but the more I think about it, the more difficult it becomes to answer. The question is this: I know that a lot of people, for their checkride, bring in a copy of the FAR/AIM and other references. And with my checkride coming up, I was starting to delve into the FAR/AIM a bit more and organize my references within the book. How do you guy organize your tabs and marks within the FAR/AIM for quicker reference. I want to put post-it notes throughout the book but am not sure which sections to put them in.

I know its a "to each is own" type question...but there's gotta be some best-practices for it....right?


I got stick on tabs from the office store and a super fine tip sharpie.

I have tabs going all the way down the side, I've transferred those tabs for quite some time, and let my students copy my tabs.

It sets a good tone at the oral when you have tabs running down the FARAIM.

There are some aspects that are not memorization areas, but are look it up, minumum VFR/IFR equipment, just look it up, NTSB, look it up.

Airspace and wx, that's gotta be down cold.

I have a electronic FAR AIM on my ipad for work, but for a non company checkride I am a HUGE fan of a thick old paper FAR with good tabs.
 
Those appear to be only updated once a year.
 
Look at the PTS. Each task has a reference to the FAA published material from which you are expected to know or be able to quickly look up. Find all the tasks that reference a FAR or AIM subject. Study it and tab it.
 
Why pay even $10 for the app when you can always download (and annotate) the latest pdf from the FAA for free (and use it on all platforms)?

If, you, don't, want, to, you, don't, have, to. :rolleyes2:

If you have plenty of free time and want to go to faa.gov and download all of the .pdf files, compile them and go back for updates and use it that way, fine.

For a one-time $10 app that provides updates and has excellent search and other features, the ASA FAR/AIM is a bargain.
 
Those appear to be only updated once a year.
They are. They are pdf of what has been for decades the printed books. As printed books, they are only updated based on the publication schedule, not when the regs change.

Personally, for quick searching, I find an application to be a lot easier, whether on desk/laptop or a tablet than pdf file of this type.

I agree with others who have said the ASA electronic FAR/AIM is a pretty good deal if one is not going to search the eCFR or the FAA's online AIM.
 
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If, you, don't, want, to, you, don't, have, to.

I don't know whether I want to. That's why I asked what the advantages are.

If you have plenty of free time and want to go to faa.gov and download all of the .pdf files, compile them and go back for updates and use it that way, fine.

Automatic real-time updates do sound like a useful feature. But there are just three CFR pdfs that I need. Usually, I look up the regs online to get the latest version. I just download the (annually updated) pdfs for the (increasingly rare) occasions when I don't have a mobile data connection.
 
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