For what it's worth:
I attained my GFPT about three years ago and had been "too busy" to study for my PPL theory. I bought Trevor Thom and thought I would be too old for CASA to issue a licence if i learned all that they contained. They are excellent books and i am learning more from them now that I have my PPL and am actively flying. I think they would be great to read as Resource Material if you were "doing" a Theory Course. I lamented amny a night that my local Aero Club did not provide this. Instructors were always happy to assist but it is not the same as the discipline of preparing for and attending a lecture a couple of nights a week.
Some of the trial papers I got O found too hard...and in retrospect they were "too hard" when compared to the real exam.
So, what did i do:
I bought Bob Tait's PPL VFR Day Study Guide. Stuffed around summarising it on and off over about 6 months which meant I remembered little!
Then, I got serious........I took ONE WEEK off work and went to stay with an aviation mate who was at work all day (so the house was empty save coke and mars bars) and who promised to quiz me at night. I spent about ten hours per day working ie reading and highlihghting my summaries, and the VFR Guide. This little book is THE BEST RESOURCE FOR RULES/REGS and lotsa other bits and pieces you need to know. Use little coloured sticky labels to label pages ir flights over water or dogs on board or medical emergencies etc.
THEN I got lucky. I was told about the Aviation Theory Centre practice PPL Exam books and ATC Examnation Reference. They are about $15 each and worth their weight in gold. They increase in difficulty but there are recurring questions ( why? Because they are bloody important and will be in the exam!)
I would do the exam (3 of them) in the morning. Mark them, then read the relevent books etc to see where I went wrong. I had books spread all over the spare room floor. It was actually fun (yeah, I know, I'm weird) but as you read one thing to sort out why you balls up a question you read something else that is important or clarifies another question and bingo - that's important...so bookmark it for the exam. Don't forget - you are allowed to take the VFR Guide into the room. I bought all the CAR's, CAAP's etc as well but didn't really use them. When I turned up fir the exam, I had a huge plastic bin on wheels with books, notes etc. The CFI laughed and said he thought I was doing the PPL theory not 747 Check and Training ratings.
I started on Monday and sat the cyberexam on the Friday. Passed with 87%. I was happy with my 5 days work!
What got me through? Concentrated effort,Bob Tait's book,VFR Guide,Aviation Theory Centre Exam Papers. My mate...no! We wne tout and got on the pi...turps every night bar one. Yeah, ok, he answered a couple of questions and had an insructor come around one night to answer a couple of finer points on drag/lift/stall etc
BTW, I'm pushin' 50 and the ol' gret matter aint as fast as she used to be.
I apologise to all for the length of this mail and perhaps should have done it privately but there may be more than one it may help.
Regards
Boy, I should have edited that one for grammar and spelling before I posted it. My apologies.
One last thing. I also downloaded the CASA Cyberexam Questions or sample questions from the exam question bank from the CASA website. It is under pilot exams I think. I printed them out and I think there is about 60 or so. Whilst they do not give you the 'distractors' ie the possible answers, they do let you know what type of questions they ask. ie there are a million questions they could ask about flying into or out of or through a Military Control Zone. There are however seemingly only 2 or 3 things they are interested in asking and you find that out from the CASA questions and the trial exam papers. The answers are all in the VFR Guide...the best little book to come out of CASA for budding (and bloomed) PPL's for years!
BTW, I thought the cyberexam might throw me a bit because I'm used to written MCQ exams etc but it was a breeze. Also, in the trial exam papers there are 75 questions and I was happy to be finishing them within the allocated time. I was REALLY happy when I sat down to the real exam and found only 60 or 65 questions. You can pass over 'too hard' ones and come back to them later. It is easy to see where you are with the computer so don't fret about it.
I have every confidence that if you use the above books, especially the trial papers (HINT: Some questions off the TRIAL papers and some of the CASA questions DID, yes DID, come up in the exam. Every time I saw one I thought to myself, you bloody beauty) you WILL pass the exam. I got 87% with literally 5 days concentrated effort and I'm no brain surgeon, well actually I am but that's beside the point...no I'm not. just kiddin' ya! You would certainly pass with trevor Thom's books as well (so don't sue me Trev, ) but I think they would be hard to digest in 5 days. Do you want knowledge or to pass the exam? B&ll$h*t, you want to pass the exam because that's the REQUIRED amount of knowledge you need. You learn to be a safe and professional pilot behind the controls gaining experience and with an experienced 'mentor' at an appropriate distance.
God I waffle on.......but I'm goin' flying now. Hit the books boyo. You have 4 weeks before school starts and it CAN be done. Forget girls, skateboard, char lines, PPRuNe and Kazaa! Work, work, work. Good luck. Let us know how you fare.
Boy, I should have edited that one for grammar and spelling before I posted it. My apologies.
One last thing. I also downloaded the CASA Cyberexam Questions or sample questions from the exam question bank from the CASA website. It is under pilot exams I think. I printed them out and I think there is about 60 or so. Whilst they do not give you the 'distractors' ie the possible answers, they do let you know what type of questions they ask. ie there are a million questions they could ask about flying into or out of or through a Military Control Zone. There are however seemingly only 2 or 3 things they are interested in asking and you find that out from the CASA questions and the trial exam papers. The answers are all in the VFR Guide...the best little book to come out of CASA for budding (and bloomed) PPL's for years!
BTW, I thought the cyberexam might throw me a bit because I'm used to written MCQ exams etc but it was a breeze. Also, in the trial exam papers there are 75 questions and I was happy to be finishing them within the allocated time. I was REALLY happy when I sat down to the real exam and found only 60 or 65 questions. You can pass over 'too hard' ones and come back to them later. It is easy to see where you are with the computer so don't fret about it.
I have every confidence that if you use the above books, especially the trial papers (HINT: Some questions off the TRIAL papers and some of the CASA questions DID, yes DID, come up in the exam. Every time I saw one I thought to myself, you bloody beauty) you WILL pass the exam. I got 87% with literally 5 days concentrated effort and I'm no brain surgeon, well actually I am but that's beside the point...no I'm not. just kiddin' ya! You would certainly pass with trevor Thom's books as well (so don't sue me Trev, ) but I think they would be hard to digest in 5 days. Do you want knowledge or to pass the exam? B&ll$h*t, you want to pass the exam because that's the REQUIRED amount of knowledge you need. You learn to be a safe and professional pilot behind the controls gaining experience and with an experienced 'mentor' at an appropriate distance.
God I waffle on.......but I'm goin' flying now. Hit the books boyo. You have 4 weeks before school starts and it CAN be done. Forget girls, skateboard, char lines, PPRuNe and Kazaa! Work, work, work. Good luck. Let us know how you fare.
PPL Study?
I was looking at the options or ways of how the best and most effective way to study is. I was after your professional advice since most of you have been in my place already.
