what materials are needed to study for Private Pilot?

[Whiskey]

I'm a newbie, and would greatly appreciate advise from those who know there stuff about what textbooks should I buy to study for my private pilots Lic.

Both ground school and flight training and perhaps a few extras that are not mandatory but greatly help in studying.

Thanks,

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Oh, boy. Ask 5 people you will get 6 opinions....

You will definitely want to get a copy of the FAR's / AIM. ASA publishes a copy with "suggested reading" based on what ticket you are after. Or you can download them for free from the FAA web site. You can also download the "Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge" from the FAA. In theory that should be all that you really need to pass the knowledge tests.

There are the King / Sporty's / etc. courses that you can buy - your call.

Lots of books out there too.

Oh, and welcome to POA!

 

[ajstoner21]

Hi Whiskey, and Welcome to Pilots of America!


Check out this thread, I had asked something similar to this a while ago.
http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40286&highlight=ground+school+books

But, in addition to what you might find there,
I would recommend definitely buying a current FAR/AIM. You'll probably be most interested in Part 61 (maybe 141?) and Part 91.

There are several great books available for free in online PDF format through the FAA website.

Aeronautical Information Manual
http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/ATPubs/AIM/aim.pdf

Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviation/pilot_handbook/

Student Pilot Guide
http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviation/media/faa-h-8083-27a.pdf

Airplane Flying Handbook
http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/airplane_handbook/

As far as the ones that cost money, Jeppesen makes a good textbook.
I personally like the GLEIM books for written test preparation.
I like the ASA Oral Exam guides for oral exam preparation.

 

[TMetzinger]

For Free, download the Airplane Flying Handbook and the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge from the FAA (they're both available in PDF), or buy them online from ASA (www.asa2fly.com).

But for a formal ground-school course, I highly recommend finding a flight school, and then when you have an instructor you like, use what he recommends. You'll get some benefits when your flight instructor uses a syllabus that matches the materials you have.

 

[Flyparrothead]

Definetely get the Airplane Flying Handbook, that is a must have for any pilot. I would also get the ASA oral exam guide and a copy of the private pilot PTS and start getting familar with it. Other than that, forums like this are an excellent source of information. Good luck with everything.

 

[gcd89]

I have no idea how it works elsewhere, but at my flight school, you pay a sign up fee where you get a logbook, all the text books, FAR's, flight bag, etc...

 

[ajstoner21]

A lot of flight schools will sell or recommend a particular kit, but if it is a part 61 school, it should ultimately be up to the student, and how they learn. Not all textbooks teach the same way.

 

[snoopyloopy]

for my written, my primary method of info was class. i tend to absorb and regurgitate info presented in class settings rather nicely, so it worked for me. i took ground as a class from a community college. we used the asa ground school book and the gleim. i bought the gleim, but never really used it because i realized pretty quickly that i would just be memorizing the answers to the questions first and not necessarily getting at the concept itself. i passed the written.
for the actual flying instruction, i downloaded all the manuals off the faa website then printed them out. (i really need to get an ipad-like device to load them all onto so it's easier to transport them.) i also bought a book that i heard much buzz about called "stick and rudder" that presents the actual flying material in a straight-forward manner. (essentially the author intends to explain the complexities of flight without using all the complexities of design.) it's a pretty good book, although i actually am studying aero engineering so i generally understand the theories of flight and airplane dynamics at their fundamental level anyway.

 

[Ghery]

Back when I got my PP, I did the following -

Written exam prep - King Schools class (CD in those days, DVD or on-line today). They prepare you to pass the written exam, and nothing else. They have other courses for that. I also had the Jeppesen book, which I highly recommend. Filled in a lot of gaps. Also the other books mentioned. Probably "over prepared", but I got a 100 on the PP written.

Flight test - plenty of preparation with my CFI. He had been through a number of the DPE's oral exams and had extensive notes on the questions she would ask. Made the oral part of the practical rather easy. I also went through the King practical test videos. Not sure how much they helped.

Something that got extra credit and I'm sure helped was that I did W&B for two situations - DPE and me in the plane and DPE and me in the front, CFI in the back seat. I don't know why I did that (spreadsheet made it easy?) but when she surprised us by inviting him to go along (he hadn't had that 'pleasure' before) I pulled out a printout from the spreadsheet showing that we were legal (got to love a 180 hp C-172). She was surprised.

Sit down with your CFI and discuss all of this. I'm sure he/she will have his/her own thoughts on the subject. I'm not an educator, but am just relaying what worked for me 10 years ago.

Have fun! That's the key to this whole thing.

 

[jesse]

I ask my students to purchase the airplane flying handbook and the far/aim for starters. From there it depends on how much ground they want to do with me. I am pretty open to them using any of the various self study courses.

Some people seem to buy everything and learn little. They just don't put the time into it. Others seem to buy little but learn a lot, as they are trying hard and using lots of different resources.

 

[SkyHog]

Ground School is a waste of money unless you can't study on your own. Rod Machado's Private Pilot Handbook is the best option, bar none.

Ground School is much more expensive, and a good CFI won't require it.

 

[EdFred]

Ground School is a waste of money unless you can't study on your own. Rod Machado's Private Pilot Handbook is the best option, bar none.

Ground School is much more expensive, and a good CFI won't require it.

No, but there will be some ground to make sure that you know your stuff.

 

[SkyHog]

No, but there will be some ground to make sure that you know your stuff.

Very important distinction that I failed to make: Ground School and Ground Lessons are two totally different animals.

Ground lessons are important and necessary.
Ground school is less so.

 

[jesse]

No, but there will be some ground to make sure that you know your stuff.

I spend time before each flight to discuss with the student what we'll be covering, any questions they may have, etc. I then spend more time after the flight to discuss strong areas, weak areas, etc. We'll discuss what is next and I may assign some homework.

I'm not doing it because I'm trying to take their money. I do it to save them money and provide the best service that I can.

A lesson done right with about 1.0-1.5 hours of flying really will end up taking about 3 hours.

 

[EdFred]

I spend time before each flight to discuss with the student what we'll be covering, any questions they may have, etc. I then spend more time after the flight to discuss strong areas, weak areas, etc. We'll discuss what is next and I may assign some homework.

I'm not doing it because I'm trying to take their money. I do it to save them money and provide the best service that I can.

A lesson done right with about 1.0-1.5 hours of flying really will end up taking about 3 hours.

I am a little less with the debrief. I am generally about .5 to .7 of ground time per 1.0-1.5 of flight time.

 

[dmccormack]

I am a little less with the debrief. I am generally about .5 to .7 of ground time per 1.0-1.5 of flight time.

I tell students before we start that early we'll probably spend as much time before and after a flight as flying -- and that it's far cheaper to learn this stuff before the prop is spinning. So 1 hour flying equals 0.6 before, 0.4 after.

As the student progresses, less and less time on the brief/debrief, until the student is able to brief/debrief his/her own flights, which means I'm superfluous (at least for that level of certificate )

 

[jesse]

I tell students before we start that early we'll probably spend as much time before and after a flight as flying -- and that it's far cheaper to learn this stuff before the prop is spinning. So 1 hour flying equals 0.6 before, 0.4 after.

As the student progresses, less and less time on the brief/debrief, until the student is able to brief/debrief his/her own flights, which means I'm superfluous (at least for that level of certificate )

A lot of it really depends on the student. I have some that "over think" things and simply are not pleased or able to move on until you help them analyze the hell out of it. They cannot accept the answer by itself. They tend to take awhile.

 

[Anthony]

Money.

 

[dmccormack]

A lot of it really depends on the student. I have some that "over think" things and simply are not pleased or able to move on until you help them analyze the hell out of it. They cannot accept the answer by itself. They tend to take awhile.

Right, but after the student progresses, more and more questions go right back to the student -- after all, the point of the training is to shift the thinking from moi to vous.

 

[Whiskey]

Thanks for the advise...

 

[Bravo3]

A lot of it really depends on the student. I have some that "over think" things and simply are not pleased or able to move on until you help them analyze the hell out of it. They cannot accept the answer by itself. They tend to take awhile.

Lemme guess . . . Engineers??

[uh-oh, slings and arrows at my 3, 12, 9 . . . ]

 

[SkyHog]

A lot of it really depends on the student. I have some that "over think" things and simply are not pleased or able to move on until you help them analyze the hell out of it. They cannot accept the answer by itself. They tend to take awhile.

Personally, I think no one should accept the answer by itself. That's what leads to the beliefs that are rampant without justification (ATITAPA, Slips with Flaps, etc).

 

[Bravo3]

OK, being serious now . . .

I was presented with a Jeppeson kit upon starting lesson #1: a basic flight bag filled with a complete PP training package. It was a bit overwhelming and I felt like I didn't know where to start.

I cracked the big textbook a few times but primarily used the Knowledge Test question & answer review book and dog-eared the thing. I also have to admit that I bought the King Schools DVD and it prepped me pretty well after I learned to ignore the corny jokes. I just passed the test last week with a 95%.

My issue is lack of time, so I didn't crack the books as well as I could have. It's pretty hard to fail a test that considers 70% to be passing, but you have to ask yourself if you want to have a good pilot education or just pass the test. Bonus points to you if you do the extra studying.

$0.03

 

[jesse]

Personally, I think no one should accept the answer by itself. That's what leads to the beliefs that are rampant without justification (ATITAPA, Slips with Flaps, etc).

There is a fine line between blindly accepting answers and over-analyzing something to the point to where you come to the wrong answer and then have to spend another 3 more hours analyzing it to come back to the right answer in the first place.

 

[taters]

Over the years this has been my favorite thing to give to a student pilot
Student Pilot Handbook
It really nails it IMO as a quick ref guide, Already has the 4 most commonly used trainers in it for reference.

 

[Bravo3]

There is a fine line between blindly accepting answers and over-analyzing something to the point to where you come to the wrong answer and then have to spend another 3 more hours analyzing it to come back to the right answer in the first place.

Analysis Paralysis i.e. Give the left brain a day off, Dude! :wink2:

 

[Bravo3]

Over the years this has been my favorite thing to give to a student pilot
Student Pilot Handbook
It really nails it IMO as a quick ref guide, Already has the 4 most commonly used trainers in it for reference.

Ordered via Amazon per your recommendation.

 

[taters]

Ordered via Amazon per your recommendation.

Good for you....you will love it. Its like cliffs notes on the whole deal.

 

[Artiom]

Ground School is a waste of money unless you can't study on your own. Rod Machado's Private Pilot Handbook is the best option, bar none.

Ground School is much more expensive, and a good CFI won't require it.

It is really depend on what kind of ground school. There are schools that prepare you for written exam and that's it. Here I completely agree with you - waste of time and money.
But there are ground schools that actually teach students important stuff and not answers to the test questions. I went to such a school and I really liked it. It helped me a lot.

 

[SkyHog]

It is really depend on what kind of ground school. There are schools that prepare you for written exam and that's it. Here I completely agree with you - waste of time and money.
But there are ground schools that actually teach students important stuff and not answers to the test questions. I went to such a school and I really liked it. It helped me a lot.

Actually, I would tend to say that a ground school that focused only on passing the test and nothing else would be more likely to save money, so I'd prefer to see that. But at the end of the day, the self study is the best way to learn for those that have the capability to do so.

Plain and simple fact is that there's a lot of things we want young aviators to know, but we should not be requiring it of them as students. These are the types of things aviators learn as they progress through life.

The FAA knowledge test is really nothing more than a recitation of "Monkey see, monkey do." I'd rather see a new pilot spend more money flying than learning about speed limit restrictions below 10,000ft.

 

[ajstoner21]

.....
The FAA knowledge test is really nothing more than a recitation of "Monkey see, monkey do." I'd rather see a new pilot spend more money flying than learning about speed limit restrictions below 10,000ft.

I have nothing to back this up, but I have heard they are doing their best to change the FAA tests to avoid this situation. No more "memorizing test questions" is the ultimate goal, I've heard. I've heard the FAA knowledge tests will be more "modular" meaning, fail any individual section and you fail the test. Example: Get 100% on everything, but fail weather questions, you fail the entire test requiring a retake.

 

[TripleZ]

There is a fine line between blindly accepting answers and over-analyzing something to the point to where you come to the wrong answer and then have to spend another 3 more hours analyzing it to come back to the right answer in the first place.

+100

A good example of over analyzing is my response in "Impossible Turn". If you don't understand, ask for clarification. But try not to over analyze.

 

[saracelica]

Totally agree about the written. I did the King Schools lessons - in 2 months. Finally got to a point where I was tired of reading the same questions. Took the test and got a respectable 80%. If only I waited to fly more, I wouldn't have had to *memorize* the answers, it would've just been easier to get a better score as well. During the written I never understood VOR's and whatnot. Now that I've flown to them I get it! <sigh> When I go for my IFR I'll wait until the last moment to take the written.

 

[Bravo3]

During the written I never understood VOR's and whatnot. Now that I've flown to them I get it! <sigh> When I go for my IFR I'll wait until the last moment to take the written.

http://www.pilotscafe.com/products/navtrainer.html

I downloaded this app to my iPad for a couple bucks and I now totally "get" the VOR navigation thingy. The app really challenges your grasp of the position relative to the station--especially with the FROM indication. I thought I "got" VOR nav, too, but it turns out I didn't until I worked with the app.