Instrument rating knowledge!!!

Rudy

Rudy

Line Up and Wait
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Feb 23, 2005
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Rudy
Ok, I am definitely getting my instrument rating, the citation flight reassured that, and i was wondering what the best DVD course to get is. I have looked at Kings and it looks pretty good. I didn't know if anyone on here has used it or has had something else that worked better.
Also if anyone has a good one lying around i would consider buying or borrowingit from you.

Thanks a lot
 
I have been using the King DVD Instrument Prep Course. I'm about one-third of the way through the course, and so far I like it. It was pricey to buy, though. I believe they give you a money back guarantee if you fail your written after using their course.
 
my humble opinions...YMMV...

VHS / DVD by King...the best, but somewhat boring (Instrument written anyway), and distracting because John and Martha age and 'rejuvinate' 10 to 20 years between scenes. The best to pass the test, but in no way makes you an instrument pilot. Little-to-none inflight video.

Sporty's Instrument Rating Course: beautiful graphics, awesome and inspiring in-flight video, much more emphasis on what it is like to be an instrument pilot...little to none in the way of written test prep.

King CD-ROM...too cumbersome...major pain...I bought it for Comm test...ended up just playing the video directly from the CDROM and bypassing the King program.
 
Its a journey. You find something to pass the test with, but don't stop there. Every year, read a new book or get a new dvd. Dogan, Gardner, Kerschner, the FAA, Jepp, ASA all have good things to learn from.
 
King videos....how can anyone stand Martha's voice for more than 6 femtoseconds? I got a free DVD from them, and I will never buy a King product for that reason alone. Informational - maybe. Annoying - definitely.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Hey Rudy, did you get to push any button, turn any dials in the CJ?
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Haha not all that much, messed with the autopilot knobs a little and helped him do some of the checklists. What a trip though, the traffic at KPHX was something else. A lot of jets landing back to back. It was unbelievable i could have stayed at the airport the whole time.HAHA
 
I used the King tapes. Boring as all H*** but it will get you there. I also bought the Sporty's which I found to be of almost no value. That guy was even more boring to me than John and Martha.
 
N2212R said:
King videos....how can anyone stand Martha's voice for more than 6 femtoseconds? I got a free DVD from them, and I will never buy a King product for that reason alone. Informational - maybe. Annoying - definitely.
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I agree, but I did learn the information. I waited until I had a cold that knocked me down and stayed home watching John and Martha all day. I was too whoozie to do much else and it hurt to get up and walk away so I just laid there and absorbed the info. Did amuse myself by watching where they spliced new info into the old tape and trying to guess what plastic surgery Martha had this time...
 
Rudy,
I have the Sporty's video's on VHS tapes if you want to borrow them give me your address and I will send them. I also just used the gleim test prep software along with reading the FAA book and Jepps book.
I gotta tell ya though, if you are having trouble sleeping, plug in one of the Sporty's videos and wa la! Asleep in 5 minutes.
Let me know
Don
 
I used the Cessna CD-ROM series (Cleared for Approach), which is the King set with only new 172SP's and no Pipers.

Funny thing is, I never thought I was learning much, but they somehow manage to cover the written exam contents very well. I also found myself tending to sleep, but that was mostly a matter of how tired I was when I cued 'em up. Long day of work, then the CD.

Lots of times I was awakened by the change in sound when the CD-ROM on the laptop spun down and the unit question was on the screen.

For the test practgice, I used Sporty's on-line Study Buddy and practice exams. When I was doing well on those, I took the written and did just fine.
 
Carol said:
I used the King tapes. Boring as all H*** but it will get you there. I also bought the Sporty's which I found to be of almost no value. That guy was even more boring to me than John and Martha.
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That pretty much sums up my experience with both of them, too.
 
Diana said:
That pretty much sums up my experience with both of them, too.
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Haha i guess no exciting way to do it huh? Oh well if it gets me to pass my written i will be happy, even if i am bored to death.
 
I also used the King tapes and like everyone else has said, I found them quite boring. I also used a computer based test prep but I can't remember who's it was but it wasn't King's. Between the two I was very well prepared. As I recall I got a 98 on my written. I got my instrument rating in 1999.

Jean
 
Regardless of who you use, there is just no way to make the instrument rating written prep exciting. Fagetaboutit! How about checking with your local FBO to see if an enterprising CFII is running a evening ground school and get in on that. As enthralling as the Kings, and Monster Graphics are, nothing beats good solid, personal instruction. Pass the test, read Pete Dogans book, and start training. Good luck.
 
I agree with the above evaluation of both King and Sporty materials. Sporty's is more interesting and more in tune with what IFR flight is LIKE, but King is better test prep, if you can stay awake through it. Even their quirky nature isn't enough to pep the material up, you just have to plow through it. (Which reminds me, I need to get back to it and to my lessons...)

Personally, I tend to do best in group study sessions - I wonder if I could find a few IFR students in the Baltimore area to set up a weekly study group with to plough through the material...
 
N2212R said:
King videos....how can anyone stand Martha's voice for more than 6 femtoseconds? I got a free DVD from them, and I will never buy a King product for that reason alone. Informational - maybe. Annoying - definitely.
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Hey you leave Martha alone. She's a "hottie" :rolleyes:

Oh and BTW I used the King tapes and CD to prep for the written. Did pretty well too.:yes:

Dave
 
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