DVD's or online course.. King schools or Sportys?

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Addicted2climbing

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Addicted2climbing
Hello All,

I need to study to take my PPL practical test and I have the gleim book and program, but I tend not to retain as much as I should with just reading or trying to memorize questions and I am considering some help with one of the DVD sets or online courses. Does anyone have experience with the king schools course Vs Sportys? The sportys course looks good for the ipad and since I have my Ipad with me most of the time I can see using it a fair amount.. Or DVD's on my laptop..

Best regards,

Marc
 
Addicted2climbing said:
Hello All,

I need to study to take my PPL practical test and I have the gleim book and program, but I tend not to retain as much as I should with just reading or trying to memorize questions and I am considering some help with one of the DVD sets or online courses. Does anyone have experience with the king schools course Vs Sportys? The sportys course looks good for the ipad and since I have my Ipad with me most of the time I can see using it a fair amount.. Or DVD's on my laptop..

Best regards,

Marc
Click to expand...

I can't answer the Sporty's vs. King question, but I can say that I purchased an instrument ground school for my iPad and I've found that to be _very_ convenient. The iPad is easy to carry and I can slip in the earphones (or just one) and do a lesson in my office at lunch, or at a restaurant with WiFi (I don't have the 3G iPad). It's been great for me to harvest those short blocks of time.

John
 
While John and Martha sometimes bug me, they do manage to make their material "sticky", and as such, I tell people they're worth sitting through. Even if you groan at the jokes, the material still stays with you.

As does the urge to shave Martha's head (or is that just me?)
 
I cant bare to watch the Kings. Their 'over the top' happiness makes me want to vomit.
 
I did the King's online course (PPL). Their "humor" is corny at best, and it seems that it's either just corny enough to help retention without being a total turn off (this was true in my case) or just too far over the top and actually causes more of a distraction (seems to be Captain's case).

You can watch snippets of King videos on YouTube, and if you don't find them too grating, then I'd say they are a good choice. I cannot offer an opinion on Sporty's, however, since I have not used them.

Finally, with the widespread availability of Internet access, I'd say stick with the online course unless you know for a fact you will be without Internet access for an extended period, or where you plan to do most of your studying. For the King videos to work with an iPad, you have to install a 3rd party app that converts Flash video on-the-fly, since the King videos are all in Flash but the iPad doesn't support Flash. There are instuctions for that on the King online course site.
 
TMetzinger said:
As does the urge to shave Martha's head (or is that just me?)
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Not just you.

Every time I see her now, all I can think of is her talking about using the E6B and "what side of the computer do you use? the WIND side" *groan* But again, it worked for me.
 
I have the Sporty's DVDs, and I'm currently working through some King stuff on line.

I'll sell you my Sporty's DVDs at a steep discount, if that tells you anything. I am happy I just got the solo/recreational pilot half of the complete course.
 
DaleB said:
I have the Sporty's DVDs, and I'm currently working through some King stuff on line.

I'll sell you my Sporty's DVDs at a steep discount, if that tells you anything. I am happy I just got the solo/recreational pilot half of the complete course.
Click to expand...

I suppose this shows a lot... I found a used king course online for sale, but I was hoping for something more mobile. I may look into the King Ipad version where it runs in a different browser using flash...

Marc
 
I used John and Martha for my private and instrument training. They worked, and I agree with Tim that they make the memory items stick.

That being said, I'm going Gleim / Gardner for my commercial. I just couldn't take them any more.
 
Addicted2climbing said:
I suppose this shows a lot... I found a used king course online for sale, but I was hoping for something more mobile. I may look into the King Ipad version where it runs in a different browser using flash...

Marc
Click to expand...

Get the DVDs, run Handbrake on a fast PC, transfer to the ipad, watch and enjoy
 
Sporty's videos have a tendency to knock you out cold in 5 minutes. I am not even sure where my Sporty's set is now. Gave it to my father, I believe. For my private, used King Schools. Martha and John do tend to be a bit annoying, and sometimes sound like they are talking to retarded people, but I found it to be a wonderful training aid. As annoying as they can be, they make the material stick. Got 92 on my written thanks to their program.

BTW, anyone has their Instrument DVDs that I can buy cheap? :)
 
Jaybird180 said:
Get the DVDs, run Handbrake on a fast PC, transfer to the ipad, watch and enjoy
Click to expand...

Hello Jaybird,

I was just about to look up a way to convert the videos... Now I dont have to since you told me what to use. Thanks for the tip...

Marc
 
Are there any good Instrument courses for iPad that are app-based or downloaded video-based, and run without an Internet connection? I did the King stuff for PPL and it was tolerable, and am now considering IR material.
 
Addicted2climbing said:
Hello Jaybird,

I was just about to look up a way to convert the videos... Now I dont have to since you told me what to use. Thanks for the tip...

Marc
Click to expand...

You're welcome. I used this solution for another instructional DVD I purchased. Just remember that its for your own use and consumption.
 
King Schools.

Get Sporty's if you're having trouble sleeping. They should put that weather guy in a bottle.
 
I sell my duplicate materials on eBay. Here is a blurb from my auctions:

Some remarks on flight training videos

I guess I collect old instructional tapes but I feel that if I watch an instructional video from, say, 1984, or 2004, and gain one bit of information or one clarification out of it that I did not, as a pilot, have before, then that time was well spent. And the old VHS tapes go for a lot less on eBay than current courses on DVD and probably 98% percent of the material is applicable to what we do and fly today, especially if you fly "steam gauges" like I do.
I have almost all the pilot instructional video tapes series including some you have probably never heard of (like the Mentor Instrument Flight School Course or the American Flyers Private Pilot Written Course - borrrrring). I think Sporty's puts out the best product of all of them as far as educational and production value. I would place the King/Cessna and Jeppesen products tied for second in that category. They are good products and you may prefer them over Sporty's. I am not a big fan of ASA, they come across to me as a mediocre clone of the King test-prep format. I am not too familiar with Gleim products. Go with the traditional King test-prep if you want a concentrated course in how to pass the written test (they are the best when it comes to that) but go with Sporty's or one of the others to really be engaged and learn a lot. Ideally, I would recommend you do a course like Sporty's to learn the material and then a King test-prep course to put on the finishing touches for the test. For coverage of specific topics, as opposed to a rating ground school or test prep, the King Take-off, Jeppesen FlighTime, and AOPA products are all very good, though again, I prefer the Sporty's Air Facts series. They take different approaches and have different styles of presentation but are all watchable and worth watching. Finally, pick up a set of the ABC Wide World of Flying (AKA Wonderful World of Flying). There are 23 videos in the set and they make wonderful watching.
 
ASA is releasing its new private pilot online course tomorrow. Costs $149.95. Several appearances by aviation luminaries like Barry Schiff and (ahem) me. I have never seen any of the other online courses so I have no basis for comparison. My book THE COMPLETE PRIVATE PILOT is included in the online reference material. Quizzes throughout and at the end of each lesson. There are two tests at the end of the course, and with satisfactory scores comes a graduation certificate to take to the examiner.

Bob Gardner
 
Addicted2climbing said:
I suppose this shows a lot... I found a used king course online for sale, but I was hoping for something more mobile. I may look into the King Ipad version where it runs in a different browser using flash...

Marc
Click to expand...

The new ASA online course lives in the cloud and is available using any device that can access the web.

Bob Gardner
 
bobmrg said:
ASA is releasing its new private pilot online course tomorrow. Costs $149.95. Several appearances by aviation luminaries like Barry Schiff and (ahem) me. I have never seen any of the other online courses so I have no basis for comparison. My book THE COMPLETE PRIVATE PILOT is included in the online reference material. Quizzes throughout and at the end of each lesson. There are two tests at the end of the course, and with satisfactory scores comes a graduation certificate to take to the examiner.

Bob Gardner
Click to expand...

Examiner or testing center (for the written)?
 
I bought sportys as my very first DVD set. They put me to sleep in no time. I actually ended up giving mine away.

The Kings can be a bit cheesy, I'll admit, but their online course I actually don't mind which is a good thing since I teach with it. Online you dont watch all of the videos at once, they come in snippets so it's not 8 hours of corniness at once. I like the idea of things being online anyways. My only drawback with them is some of the topics I wish went into slightly more detail but I wish all courses did that at some point or another. This is why I still tell my students to refer to the FAA's books if more detail is needed.

Honestly, you can get everything you need as a pilot free online but no one really wants to read pdfs for hours. Videos tend to help by showing by example much better than a book does anyways.
 
For those who are interested, I was wrong on the price of ASA's online private pilot course....it is $179.95.

Full disclosure: I am not an employee of ASA nor am I associated with any of the pilot shops that sell ASA products; I am a contractor.

Bob Gardner
 
How's the Instrument video course? Anyone has recommendations? I am more inclined to go with King, but would like to hear arguments for other courses out there.
 
I used King for my PP back in 2000. I bought both the Sporty's and King courses for my IR. Sporty's was entertaining and the flight videos were interesting, but in terms of preparing me for the written - King, hands down. And I've also used the Gleim books for both writtens. That style of studying just doesn't work for me. I'll recommend the on-line version of the King training as it is updated as needed. With the DVD you're stuck, or at least you won't know if an update is needed.

Good luck. I got a 100 on the PP and 97 on the IR writtens, so King must have worked for me.
 
Captain said:
I cant bare to watch the Kings. Their 'over the top' happiness makes me want to vomit.
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Martha's hot.

lvidcap_656.jpg
 
Of the two, I reccomend King schools (the kings are annoying, but not nearly as bad as dick collins), but just remember that their knowlege test course won't give you all the tools you need to get through the practical.
 
darrell said:
I did the King's online course (PPL). Their "humor" is corny at best, and it seems that it's either just corny enough to help retention without being a total turn off (this was true in my case) or just too far over the top and actually causes more of a distraction (seems to be Captain's case).

You can watch snippets of King videos on YouTube, and if you don't find them too grating, then I'd say they are a good choice. I cannot offer an opinion on Sporty's, however, since I have not used them.

Finally, with the widespread availability of Internet access, I'd say stick with the online course unless you know for a fact you will be without Internet access for an extended period, or where you plan to do most of your studying. For the King videos to work with an iPad, you have to install a 3rd party app that converts Flash video on-the-fly, since the King videos are all in Flash but the iPad doesn't support Flash. There are instuctions for that on the King online course site.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't say that is true with the Kings, but it is with Rod Machado.

I personally love the Gleim and Jeppeson books. Quick, dirty, and to the point.
 
TMetzinger said:
While John and Martha sometimes bug me, they do manage to make their material "sticky", and as such, I tell people they're worth sitting through. Even if you groan at the jokes, the material still stays with you.

As does the urge to shave Martha's head (or is that just me?)
Click to expand...

I agree with every, single, word of this. LOL!
 
I've been using the King School's "Cessna Flight Training Course" - Online version.

http://cessnaflighttraining.kingschools.com/course/ppc/privatepilot.aspx

The course is a flash application (not just flash video but also an interactive flash application), so it's not iPad friendly by itself.

Last night I got it to work on my iPad, however, using a 'remote desktop' application to connect to / control my home computer remotely. I simply use the remote desktop app to connect to my home PC from my iPad, and run the course from there. It's worked great so far.

There are many apps out there to allow for remote desktop and I suspect that most of them would work for this. I have been using "Splashtop Remote Desktop" myself (so far) and its worked pretty well:

http://www.splashtop.com/remote
 
KING Courses On Your iPad!

http://johnandmartha.kingschools.com/2011/06/29/king-courses-on-the-ipad/

A snippet...

iSWiFTER is an iPad application that was originally developed to enable running Flash-based games on the iPad, but it also works for viewing any website that (like ours) is implemented using Flash. While not perfect, iSWiFTER allows quick and easy access to King Schools’ online training courses, including video playback and taking interactive questions.
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