Studing for the written

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JcBook47

Filing Flight Plan
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JcBook47
As a way to save some money I wanted to complete the ground school before I officially start my flying lessons. I plan on doing this with out spending the money on an online ground school. What areas should I focus on in the books?

I've downloaded the recommended books from the FAA websites and printed them out. I work for a commercial printer so I was able to bind them and put a nice cover on them. I'm starting with the Airplane Flying Handbook and highlighting a bunch of stuff but not sure if it's important to the test.
 
It's the horse's mouth, along with the other recommended FAA handbooks (AIM and PHAK).

Frankly, a lot of the stuff will make a lot more sense once you start flying. It's not at all obvious this strategy will save you money. It's not necessary to learn the entire subject before grabbing the yoke, only what's in your next lesson or maybe two.
 
Dauntless for $50 pays for itself in time savings.

Passing the test is one thing... putting it all together in the cockpit is another. MAKG1 is correct that it is not necessarily a cost saver in the long run.
 
JcBook47 said:
As a way to save some money I wanted to complete the ground school before I officially start my flying lessons. I plan on doing this with out spending the money on an online ground school. What areas should I focus on in the books?

I've downloaded the recommended books from the FAA websites and printed them out. I work for a commercial printer so I was able to bind them and put a nice cover on them. I'm starting with the Airplane Flying Handbook and highlighting a bunch of stuff but not sure if it's important to the test.
Click to expand...

Get ahead of the game. Go to www.faa.gov and click on Training and Testing, then on Airman Testing, then on Knowledge Testing, and finally on Airman Knowledge Test Questions. That will provide insight into what you need to know. Then go to www.as2fly.com and click on Resources, Updates, FAA Knowledge Exam Updates and then on the test you are preparing for.

Bob Gardner
 
bobmrg said:
Get ahead of the game. Go to www.faa.gov and click on Training and Testing, then on Airman Testing, then on Knowledge Testing, and finally on Airman Knowledge Test Questions. That will provide insight into what you need to know. Then go to www.as2fly.com and click on Resources, Updates, FAA Knowledge Exam Updates and then on the test you are preparing for.

Bob Gardner
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Thanks you sir! I went over and checked out that information.

I've already taken a flight lesson that went very well. The instructor is the VP of the Flight School I attended. Post flight conversation he said, since I need to save up some funds before starting, to get the ground school out of the way. Also mentioned that was one of best first flights he has had in a while and that I could look to complete my certification in 50-55 hours maybe less with ground school out of the way.

I'm not trying to blow up my stock here as I know it was only my first flight just relaying the information I was given.
 
If he's giving you hours to finish based on ONE early flight, he's FOS. There is no way he can possibly know.

Dealing with ground school while you save funds is not a bad idea just from a time management perpective, but it's not likely to make your flight time any shorter.
 
JcBook47 said:
Thanks you sir! I went over and checked out that information.

I've already taken a flight lesson that went very well. The instructor is the VP of the Flight School I attended. Post flight conversation he said, since I need to save up some funds before starting, to get the ground school out of the way. Also mentioned that was one of best first flights he has had in a while and that I could look to complete my certification in 50-55 hours maybe less with ground school out of the way.

I'm not trying to blow up my stock here as I know it was only my first flight just relaying the information I was given.
Click to expand...

That is a great idea. I got my PPL at 53 hours (and that was with an extra cross country with my instructor as well as several "checkride" prep flights). Everyone is different but taking ground school before flying was a huge upper hand for me personally. It probably is true that it won't decrease your flight time much, but I do think it is very helpful.
 
i like the dauntless software
 
After reading the two free FAA books that others have mentioned, I got the $13 ASA prepware book and that was the extent of my ground school budget. But I had finished most of my required flying by the then, so I don't know how much that helped being exposed to all this stuff before tackling the written. The ASA book comes with 5 free online exams. Once you pass 2 at 80 or better they even provide an instructor sign off to take the exam. I recommend that book, it really helped to organize all the information from the various sources.
 
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MAKG1 said:
If he's giving you hours to finish based on ONE early flight, he's FOS. There is no way he can possibly know.

Dealing with ground school while you save funds is not a bad idea just from a time management perpective, but it's not likely to make your flight time any shorter.
Click to expand...

It is about the same number of hours I heard (before even one flying lesson) so I would guess it is the standard estimate for anyone? I think it is 45 required (here in Norway, but they take after the US) but often takes more like 60 (they say).

I started thinking as the OP but since he has flown now I see he may have come around to what I found. All that theory, it's very nice to experience flying to see how it comes together, and maybe dispel wrong ideas one might get from just theory.

I had taken the theory of flight, motor, and instrument workings (sorry, not sure what they are actually called in English at this point) and was up to meteorology when I found out I could also take flight lessons, just not solo here until I pass the exam.

So I've only logged four hours so far, but my newest instructor warned me to not fly too much, make sure I keep good focus on the ground school (I had slacked off on ground school preparing before each flight reading up on the POH, checklists, and maneuvers/procedures before and after each so far) because I don't want to be in a position of being ready for my first solo, and then having to have a long break.

I have no idea if it is the same in the US though.
 
If you're looking for online practice tests, Gold Seal has the full set for free. It tracks your progress and you can even print out PDFs showing the questions you missed. There is a charge for the full Online Ground School, but do the free registration. This will give you full access to the entire quizzing engine without charge. If you start working with a CFI, he/she can get emails reporting all your quiz scores.
www.OnlineGroundSchool.com
 
when i got my private license worked in a cement plant, could only afford one lesson every 2 weeks so I asked the instructor and read the books so i knew what was to be taught on next lesson. At the next lesson I probably knew more than the instructor did, read about the maneuvers and knew exactly what was expected. In fact I was the one that knew when i needed the night flying and cross country flights. If I hadn't never would have gotten my PPL, same with my instrument, and at less than 25 hour the instructor said I was ready for instrument flight test. If you want to save money and whiz through it that is what you do.
 
Everyone,

Thank you for the replies. I appreciate the effort to help out a new guy. I've been looking in to all the information as it has been coming.

Again Thanks,
Book
 
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