Originally Posted by
Pilot DAR
I'm not saying that a digital map (including Google Earth) is not useful
I find it particularly useful when flying by myself to a grass airfield I've never visited before, as they can be a bit of a b*gg*r to find (yes, even with GPS), and familiarising myself with the local landmarks in advance does help.
But I can't imagine how it would be useful for a beginning PPL student.
What
would be useful is reading (some of) the books you'll need to learn to pass the exams (some bits are rather harder to get to grips with until you have some flying experience). And, yes, listening to the radio, but
whilst you're studying the appropriate book so that you know what you're listening to.