Sporty's private pilot video course

[cowman]

Unfortunately I'm not likely to be able to do ground school due to my location/work schedule.

I've been reading the Jeppesen private pilot textbook my CFI suggested. I'm about halfway through. The early parts I breezed through as I'd read a lot of other things, watched a lot of videos, read posts here, etc and had a pretty good handle on the subject matter. As I get into the airspace, flight operations, weather, etc stuff it's a lot harder to read through a chapter with all the acronyms and various numbers to try to remember and retain anything.

I watched some of the sample sporty's videos and they looked good. Would this be worth the investment as a supplement to the textbook? Also does anyone know if you buy the DVDs can you view all the videos online with the ipad app too or do they make you buy it twice if you want to watch it both ways? Any other good resources?

It's going to be a while before it's time to take my written test but I want to get as much as possible out of every actual flight and be so well versed in the subject matter by the time that I do take the test that I can't possibly fail it.

 

[AggieMike88]

Have you checked into the FREE publications, such as Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge that are available on the FAA site?

 

[jconway2002]

I actually preferred the jeppesen and king videos over the sportys videos. The king videos were great for prepping for the written specifically.

 

[douglas393]

Check you tube, there is a plethora of videos on all sorts of things for learning the VFR material.

Doug

 

[Kevin H.]

Check you tube, there is a plethora of videos on all sorts of things for learning the VFR material.

Doug

^^^ Agreed. Just go to Youtube and type in Jeppesen Training and there is about 15 videos or so on there that follow right along with the Private Pilot Jeppesen training book that you can buy from a number of different sources online.

King has quite a few of their videos on youtube as well. There is a great one about Airports on there. The Private Pilot Oral Exam is also another great choice to watch. Granted you can stay awake through them

 

[cowman]

Have you checked into the FREE publications, such as Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge that are available on the FAA site?

No, I hadn't seen that one. Thanks!
At first I thought you were linking me to this which I've already gone through
http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraft/airplane_handbook/


Also more youtube videos sound great!
http://www.youtube.com/user/profpilotcouk I've gone through all of these a couple times now and wish there were more!

 

[Irish_Armada]

Also does anyone know if you buy the DVDs can you view all the videos online with the ipad app too or do they make you buy it twice if you want to watch it both ways?

No you can't -- you're limited to the format you purchase it in. I bought the online course originally, and when I bought an iPad, I asked if I could just switch over to the iPad course for free. They said I could switch over but I'd have to pay the extra cost (about $50) since the iPad course costs a little more. But now I can only watch the course on the iPad, which is fine by me. I imagine if you bought the DVD's, you wouldn't have this flexibility and would have to pay for the entire other course format since you couldn't really return the DVD's used. All that being said, the iPad version is by far the best because you can download all the videos onto the iPad and watch them at any time without an internet connection. I bring it with me everywhere since I'm still learning. Downsides to the other formats is that online you need to be connected to the internet and with DVD's, well, you need a DVD player/TV. Anyways, that's my experience.

I think the course is well worth the money, the videos are great, and they have a great FAA written-test exam element: flashcards and practice tests of about 800 FAA questions and answers, I think.

 

[Meanee]

I found that Sporty's video course is the best cure for insomnia. It's nice, technically advanced, but there's something there that knocks me out cold in 10 minutes or so. I read Machado's book, and used King Schools video. Got myself 92 on written. Could get more, but missed 3 questions purely out of my own stupidity and not paying attention.

 

[numl0ck]

I'll vote for the King videos. They are corny and make you groan, but they convey the information in a way that is easy to remember. After reading through a Jep book, and watching the King videos I got a 93% on my written. Pretty good results if you ask me.

FWIW: The King videos, if you purchase the online subscription, allows you to watch on your computer and iPad (using iSwifter).

 

[DogDaddy]

I used King Schools and got a 98. King Schools says their customers's average score is 95; so many get 100 that King Schools has special "Ace" hats they give to any of their customer who score 100.
The Pilot's Handbook from the FAA is also a must have. They videos from King and from everyone else are simply explaining what is in The Pilot Handbook.
As was mentioned, youtube has excerpts from King, Sportys, and other companies, allowing you to determine whose teaching style works best for you. Search youtube for "flight training". And there are at least 2 individual CFI's on there who make/sell their own video courses: search for "MzeroA" and for "FlyWithB".

 

[acluffpoa]

I found that Sporty's video course is the best cure for insomnia. It's nice, technically advanced, but there's something there that knocks me out cold in 10 minutes or so. I read Machado's book, and used King Schools video. Got myself 92 on written. Could get more, but missed 3 questions purely out of my own stupidity and not paying attention.

And here I thought it was just me. I had the exact experience and got the most out of Machado's book as well. The Sporty's practice test site which is part of the DVD package is well worth it however and keeps the questions up to date as well as possible.