ME/CPL/IR/MCC Preparation

[Nozwaldo]

I now have 6 months to go before commencing ME/CPL/IR/MCC. I know now isn’t the right time etc etc and I’m doing this whilst well aware of the current job situation so no dissuaders please. In preparation, aside from flying currency, I have worked through ATPL books again to keep my knowledge current, have copies of Handling the big jets, Ace the technical pilot interview, R D Campbell Multi-engine rating (working through each), I’m using RANT XL.
Is there anyone else preparing to start soon, or have started recently who can offer any words of wisdom on further preparation?
I have also looked at buying these books: Instrument flying - David Hoy, Jeppesen Instrument Commercial, Multi-engine piston - David Robson, Multi-engine textbook - Jeppesen. Can anyone recommend these or are they not worth getting hold of?
Any other thoughts on what else I can do/read to prepare would be welcome.

Noz

[Leezyjet]

When your hour building, get hold of the CPL tolerances for test and try and teach yourself to fly with-in them. On cross country flights, fly calculated headings rather than feature crawling and adjust your heading accordingly if you have drifted off by using either the 1:60 rule or drift lines and try and make your routes as direct as possible.

Learn about holds and hold entries and NDB tracking for the IR, and practice on RANT, but try not to get fixated on just watching the needles, as you need to fly the a/c on the AI when doing it for real in the a/c or sim.

Personally, I wouldn't waste money on so many books. Your flight school should provide all the info you need.

:ok:

[no sponsor]

The MEP exam is type specific, so the best you can do is to ask the flying school for their notes.

Learn aspects of JAR/OPS for Single PilotIR Minima

Rant is good, but make sure you know what you are looking for in terms of procedures.

[potkettleblack]

Personally, I wouldn't waste money on so many books. Your flight school should provide all the info you need.

Agreed. Find a decent school and make an appointment to sit down with one of their instructors for a few hours. Choose a nice wet day when they aren't flying. Go through the entire syllabus of the ME/CPL and IR and ask them how they teach the various bits and what they want to see. Things like position fixing, how they want you to do a plog (each school has their own way), drift calcs etc. Get a copy of their SOP's and the POH for the aircraft you are going to be flying. Also grab a copy of the aircraft checklists and read through those.

For the IR you can get copies of all of the approach plates if your doing it in the UK from the AIP. Its on the internet. The plates will be in a slightly different format depending on whether the school uses Aerad or Jepps but reviewing them will still get you ahead of the game. When you get really bored have a read through the relevant bits of the UK AIP as well. The approach ban is essential reading plus the required minima for single pilot ops as mentioned by another poster.

Do a search on hour building. Lots of posts on how to turn it into quality time and not just burning holes in the sky.

If you find your potential school won't give you the time of day then consider whether you should be taking your business elsewhere.

[Nozwaldo]

Thanks for the replies so far, I'll definitely be looking at all things suggested. I'm pretty much done with the hour building and I've tried to keep within the CPL tolerances and have been very self-critical. I still have the CPL QXC to complete having started 3 times so far and returned for weather/technical reasons, hopefully get there next time!
I feel a bit out on a limb as to my chosen school as it's 300 miles away and I'm relocating when I leave the RN, maybe they'll send me a copy of the syllabus once I make a firm booking for the courses, good suggestion so I'll chase that on Monday. As for the books, I find reading lots just helps me focus more on what I want to be doing so would just want to pick up those that are worthy of a read and that are relevant so any thoughts on that would be appreciated. Any idea where I can get a copy of the POH for a DA42?

[Csaba74]

Hi,
Maybe here: :)
Diamond Aircraft :: Basic Manual (http://www.diamond-air.at/da42_afm_bas+M52087573ab0.html)

[Nozwaldo]

Very many thanks for that :ok:

Noz