PPL Info

[bmb7jiw]

Im going to do my PPL in the US next January, and I want to read up as much as possible before I go. I have seen Trevor Thoms 7 volume edition Air Pilots Manual. Would anyone recommend that I buy this? If not, what is recommended?
Thanks in advance,

James

[FlyingForFun]

There are two standard sets of texts for PPL, Trevor Thom is one, Jeremy Pratt is the other. Although I've never actually looked inside any of the Pratt books, they are apparently both as good as each other, so I always think the best thing to do is just use whichever one your school recommends.

As far as reading before you go is concerned, this is a very good idea. You can even do the exams before you go, some people feel that this is better because it lets you concentrate on the flying when you are out there, some think that the exams are easier if you have the flying experience to back them up.

Book 1 in the Thom series is the book which backs up your actual flying training. By all means read it first, and also make sure you read the relevant chapters before each lesson, so that you know what you're going to be doing before you do it.

The other books are study materials for the written exams. Book 4 (I think?) is for the IMC rating, and not relevant for the PPL, so don't buy it. Book 7 is the radiotelephony book, but you'd be far better buying CAP413, the official guide to radiotelephony published by the CAA. CAP413 is what the exams are based on, and Thom doesn't really have anything to add to it. The others (or their Pratt equivalents) are definitely recommended.

Good luck!

FFF
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[bmb7jiw]

Thanks a lot for your help. I think ill really need the luck when I come back and start applying for Cadetships though!!


James

[Port Strobe]

I used the Trevor Thom books which I found to be very helpful, I can't comment on the other books because I haven't seen them myself although I'm sure they're very good too. Volume 5 in Trevor Thom is the one on the IMC, Night Rating etc so you won't need that right away unless you have intentions of going onto those soon after or there's a package price on the books and you're after some extra reading .:p
One book I would say is almost a neccessity is the PPL confuser by Neung Sorning (spelling?), a lot of it is EXACTLY like what you will face in the exams, so it doesn't matter which books you go for, the confuser will let you know what you'll be faced with in the exam. It has solutions for all the questions which is very useful indeed, look into it if it's available for the FAA PPL, I did JAA.

Hope this helps.