PPL Theory - Distance

[The African Dude]

Ladies & Gents

I really hope this isn't pushing the boundaries of realistic thinking...

Put very simply.. I'm a uni student, and I'd like to do the PPL Theory through distance learning, then build my 50 or so hours over a (not too extended) period of time after passing the exams.

Who for the love of Spartacus will be silly enough to let me do that?


Tell me tell me anything anything:uhoh:


Andy

[SpeedBird 001]

African Dude,

This sounds exactly like how I felt last year. I am an engineering student at Leeds. I completed my PPL last year after completing the groundschool away from the 'house'. Alot of people don't pay for extra PPL groundschool and aslong as you have the right material and some correct feedback you should be fine. I do suggest the Trevor Thom manuals over the A.F.E editions and I recommend the PPL Confusser by some crazy named guy Sueng or something!!!! Anyway......the PPL theory is perfectly accomplishable (is that a word?) alongside your uni course. The 50 or so hours are gonna be a touch more difficult with the weather at this time of year. Try to plan it so that you have no UNI and good weather (ie June) to do your skills test. This will give you a good week to round up all your revision and focuss on the test alone. I hope this has answered your question. Good Luck. P.S - There is a thread on here somewhere about the rules for the PPL theory to change. When I find it I'll forward the address.

Birdseed:ok:

[The African Dude]

Bird, you're a superstar.

Thanks very much.

Andy:D

[RichardH]

There is currently no legal JAA/CAA requirement for the PPL theory to be done in any formal manner, unlike the CPL/ATPL.
Though one day this informal arrangement might well end.

As Speedbird 001 states get the books - Thom - very good,
then self-study as time permits.

You will have to take your PPL exams with an approved ground examiner, usually your flying school. You must pass all exams within 18 months then you have another 24 months to get your JAA PPL. (Refer LASORS C1.3)

I don't understand the building 50 hours after the exams. To hold a PPL you must have passed the exams, or do you mean do all the theory then start the flying?

[The African Dude]

Richard you're correct; I aimed to pay for and pass the theory exams within the next 6mths and start flying after that.

Just makes the financial burden a bit easier for now. Otherwise I would be forking out to remain current as well and paying for the theory exams at the same time. 1 step at a time for now.

Guys I can't thank you enough, as that's really cleared a few things up. Realistically think I'll join a flying club and start flying just before taking the exams. Then I will have a place to take them.



:)
Andy

[kula]

AD
Think you're in a similiar position to me, except I am planning to go to florida in march/april to do a jaa ppl, so therefore was thinking about doing the groundschool exams before i go.

So to go about this i guess i can either buy all of the trevor thom books, or join a flying club and just pay for the groundschool study and exams?? Comments anyone?

Few questions for anyone out there I've thought or already though:

1. The trevor thom books -- exactly which ones do i need? There seems to be several of them! Do i need all volumes (are there 7?)

2. How long should i expect it to take me to complete all the exams (just jaa ppl), bearing in mind i have a full time job so can only study part time in evenings and weekends??

3. If i was to join a flying club what would be a good price to pay for a ppl groundschool course??

Thanks

(BTW African Dude I see you are in Torquay, which flying club will you be going to? I'm in exeter and have done a few hours at exeter airport, there seems to be a few good schools there!)

[RichardH]

If you are going to Florida for a full JAA course then I should like to think that ALL training, Air & Ground including formal exams are included - you need to check this out.

Any advanced reading has got to be a bonus.

You need to be commercially aware that flying schools make their money flying and not on ground school. Not all flying schools will run formal ground school training. Cost can vary from as little as £80 per subject to £25.00 per hour. That's if you can find one to play ball with your plans.

All the Thom books are worth getting but for the PPL you could ignore Radio Navigation & Instrument Flying (Book 5 I believe).

All the best.

[JohnnyPharm]

Memorise the PPL confuser and you won't go far wrong. You probably won't have an in depth understanding of the subjects but you will pass all seven.

Some schools will give you free ground chool if you do the flying with them.

I know there is no merit to memorising the confuser, this is why have added the fact that you will have no in depth understanding. However if you want to do a short sausage factory type PPL where you walk in one end and 3 weeks later a sausage pops out I think this is the only way to do it. Full reading up can be done at later stage. There is just far too much material to learn in 3-4 weeks let alone take flying lessons as well.

Good luck whatever you do.

[FlyingForFun]

All the Thom books are worth getting but for the PPL you could ignore Radio Navigation & Instrument FlyingThat's true. You can also forget about the R/T book (book 7?), and get a copy of CAP413 instead, which is better and more definitive. And book 1 is very useful for the flying, but not relevant to the exams.Memorise the PPL confuser and you won't go far wrongThat has to be some of the worst advice possible. The Confuser exams are great after you've studied, to check that you're ready for the real exam. As you say, Johnny, anyone who "studies" this way won't have a good understanding of the subjects, and when it comes to things like Met, or Navigation, this could have serious implications on your flying (like getting you lost or killed). It's bad enough advice for a private pilot, but since this post is in the commercial training forums, the majority of the posters will be going on to do ATPL exams, which will be even harder than they need to be without a good understanding of the PPL subjects.

(Besides which, someone - BEagle, I think? - said very recently that the PPL exams are in the process of being replaced, and it's too soon to know if the Confuser exams are still representative of the new exams. So even learning the answers from the Confuser won't guarantee you a pass right now.)

FFF
--------------

[pa28biggles]

Memorise the PPL confuser and you won't go far wrong
I agree with FFF.
Though there are things that you will learn and forget, the point of the exams is to teach the knowledge that you will need as a pilot to operate an aircraft safely and efficiently. They are not just there for the sake of it. :ok:
If you want to go on to ATPL theory, a sound understanding of the PPL theory will be a advantage. The Trevor Thom books are the best in my opinion.

[Airbus.De]

Some interesting advice I am in a situation where I am overseas and require English JAR-FCL 1 exams but must perform practical in Germany and hope that they are compatible (Some people on this Forum will know about this as they have posted some good advice)

I plan to order a Home Study Package from Cranfield Aviation for around £240 this is complete with study help from tutors at Cranfield and is an Accurate extract of what is required for the PPL Exams (so they say). I could not agree more with the PPL confuser statement this is not a good idea and as far as in-depth reading after gaining your PPL emm!! “I have some spare time shall I sit and learn all the ICAO Articles or go to the club”?????

BUT I have the PPL starter pack from Transair (I don’t get paid for all this name dropping) this consists of

Trevor Thom Book 1 Flying training
Trevor Thom Book 2 Aviation Law & Meteorology
Trevor Thom Book 3 Air Navigation
Trevor Thom Book 4 The Aeroplane Technical

Human Factors for Pilots Second edition

CAP 413 Radiotelephony Manual

And all the other accessories Rule CRP computer ETC

Now I don’t believe that studying and taking in every single page of each of the books is possible and then taking the exams and passing the practical all in the allowed 12 months not 18, or so it says in Aviation Law Book 2

I am also looking for some study advice do I just read the books copy word for word etc any previous experience advice would be great

Cheers

[pa28biggles]

Airbus.De,
Not quite sure what your question is, but I think that your asking for a good method to study.
When I did my PPL exams, I did them one at a time. Study one subject, take the exam. I would recommend this method. You will not be expected to remember everything that is wrote in the Trevor Thom books, but a good understanding is required. Then go to the PPL confuser, and apply the knowledge that you have learnt. Answering questions in The PPL Confuser will teach you what areas you need to know in detail, and which you don't. Also, any weaknesses in your knowledge will be shown when you are trying to answer the questions.
Its one thing learning the material, then you have to learn how to do the exam. This was true in my A Level exams, some topics always came up, and you needed a thourough undersranding, whilst other topics only required a basic understanding.
I've heard that the PPL exams are changing very soon, the old papers cannot be used after March?? I'm sure somebody will correct me on this. Therefore, the PPL confuser questions may not teach you correctly which areas of the a subject need more attention than others.

Hope this helps.

[kula]

Ok so assuming i purchase the trevor thom books, then how long should i expect to have to study for in order to pass the ground exams just for JAA PPL?

I mean if i was to go for a ppl package in the states which is advertised at taking something like 4 weeks, then it must be possible to do the studying for the ground exams in that time?? (I've heard that it does mean studying every evening).

So could i expect to take say 2 months part time study of the trevor thom books before going to the states and be able to pass the ground exams after this period, or should i expect to take longer? (2 months doesn't seem that long considering there are 4 or 5 books to learn??)

[catherine]

If you are planning to do an intensive course in the US I really would recommend sitting the groundschool exams before you go - this was the best piece of advice I received before doing my PPL. The course is very intense bearing in mind you are learning something very new. I found that once I had completed a days flying the last thing I would have wanted to do is cram for exams. Those people who had to do the exams + flying found it alot more difficult. If the theory is out of the way, you can relax a bit more and enjoy the flying without being exhausted and take time in the evening to think about your flying and prepare yourself for the next day.

I didn't take any formal groundschool for the exams, and was charged £10 for each exam. Like PA28biggles I studied one subject at a time and then sat the exam, and I agree, the confuser is good to work out what area's are likely to come up in the exam. Its probably worth going to your local flying school to see what they can offer & advise - especially in light of the PPL theory changing.

Hope that is of some use & best of luck for your training.

ps I think I completed the exams within a month - studied every spare minute (and worked full-time)!

[Airbus.De]

For me to complete my PPL I may need to return to England from Germany to sit the exams as they might not be available in English here in Hamburg.

Is it possible to sit more than one exam at a time? and if an exam is sat before the change over date of March can you continue with the old style?

Cheers for the response

[Andy_R]

Firstly there is nothing stopping you at all in completing all the theory before continuing on to do the flying side of your PPL.

The alternative to distance learning is to use the services of one of the "cramming" schools, where you can study for and pass all your exams in 5 days. The method I have used, BUT do take the time on your return home to go back over your notes and learn the parts you were not all that clear about, especially the Met and Nav which are very important for your safety and future flying standard.

For those of us that are pressed for time or have kids at home it is an ideal way to get those initial exams out the way, away from all the distractions of work and home.

If you would like me to recommend one of these establishments near to your area African Dude then PM me as I wouldn't want to be accused of advertising for them :D

All the best in what ever you decide to do

[The African Dude]

It's fantastic to know that when I finally get off my arse and do something about my licences there's such a decent group of people to harass!! :}

Thanks very much guys & ladies - cloud I've sent you a PM. So who's bought a PPL Starter pack from Transair or flightstore.co.uk then? Anyone?? bear in mind I'll be going on to the (collective) ATPL's later and need decent kit.

Andy

[FlyingForFun]

Andy,

Be careful about buying the PPL Starter Pack. Amongst the things it includes are:

- A CRP-1. But you'd be better off investing in a CRP-5 instead if you're going for the ATPLs.

- A kneeboard. There are lots of different formats in different shapes and sizes, and once you begin flying you will form your own personal preference. A recent thread on Private Flying showed just how strong people's preferences can be. The one they supply may not be the one you prefer.

- Similar for the ruler/protractor - people's feelings aren't quite so strong, but give yourself time to form a preference rather than just using what Transair throw at you

- A log book. Many schools includes this for free in the price of their PPL starter packages.

- A chart. This may well be out of date before you start your training

- Marker pens for your charts. As with other things, this comes down to personal preference. I prefer to use regular permanent markers (I have a selection of thicknesses, too). Many people like using chinographs.

I know there's a big saving if you buy the whole lot in one go, but you might find that it ends up costing you more than you'll save.

FFF
----------------

[RichardH]

Andy

I see you intend to go the ATPLs later on.

A couple of tips:- Get a Class One medical from Gatwick BEFORE you start your flying training.

The Thom books go beyond the PPL level and though not enough for the ATPLs they are very good reference put across in a clear method.

Though the Transair PPL package sounds okay, for an ATPL you are going to require a CRP5 (or equivalent) navigation computer, I believe the package offers the CRP1 - try talking to them nicely.

[The African Dude]

FFF, those were my concerns exactly. Thank God I'm not too wide of the mark then.. thanks very much for breaking down the various items; I'll do a search for that thread you mentioned.
;)

Richard,
Thanks again;
I need to finish my degree (2.5yrs left!) before I can go for the ATPL's so I'm concerned about paying £400p/a Class 1 without using above Class 2 as required for PPL.

The Thom books, having looked at a few, do seem to be the way to go. I'll be careful with Transair - might be better to get the kit I really want first off, without having to replace later (eg. CRP-5)

you're all beautiful, and so on. :yuk:

Andy:ok:

[Airbus.De]

BEagle

In another thread "NEW PPL EXAMS" you talk about the syllabus

As I have some of the Thom Books already and these go into more detail than required for JAR FCL-1, how/where can I find the syllabus for JAR FCL-1 so I know the areas to subtract from the books and study as appose to trawling through the whole book?

Regards

ADe

[pa28biggles]

The African Dude,
When you get a class one medical it does not cost £400 per year. The initial is £400, then the renewals vary slightly each year, my first renewal cost £80. This is because some tests are not required every year, and the more tests that the doctor does at the medical, the more he charges.

[Oneday78]

Sorry to jump in but such a good thread thought I would. Just need to try and clear up a point or two........

If going to the US to do the intensive JAA PPL is it better just to revise the subjects via Thom books etc to then do in the US or get the exams done prior to departure?.

AND..as Airbus.de points out how would you know what areas to concentrate on, more than others through the Thom books if only revising before the intensive course?. (should validate that by saying I realise that all areas etc should be learnt, but I mean within the realms of reason/syllabus)

[Northern Highflyer]

African Dude

Take the Class 1 medical as without it you cannot move on to ATPL studies.

Once you have the initial medical done it will also act as a Class 2. You can let the Class 1 part lapse until you need to renew it for your CPL flying training.
In the long run this may work out cheaper than getting an initial Class 2 now followed by an initial Class 1 later.

Good Luck

NH

[Andy_R]

African Dude

£400 may seem expensive for a medical, but spending fortunes on initial training to then discover you can't pass a Class 1 will work out hellishly more. Get that medical first!!!!!!!!!

[The African Dude]

Ladies and Gents

Sincere thanks for your thoughts and input. I have a feeling I am not the only person who has benefitted from them! Confidence is a great side effect to my currect addiction to this forum.

Any personal thoughts are still welcome and I will check back frequently.. anyone for a pint?

Hmm??
:ok:

[Divergent Phugoid!]

The African Dude and Kula...

Check your private messages!

DP.

[mazzy1026]

These Thom books - do they cover absolutely everything needed to pass the exams and can they be bought it one PPL pack ? If so where is the best place and do you get the usual things like, computer, maps, case etc.

Cheers

[onehunga]

Mazzy - a couple of the outfits that do the starter packs are named above. Both Flyer and Pilot magazines often have advertising inserts from the main providers of pilot supplies which have full details of what is included in the starter packs. I will reiterate what FFF and others said above. Consider whether you will really need the stuff they are bundling into the packs. In particular negotiate for the CRP 5 and not be an egg like me and end up with 2 flight computers (doh)!

[sicky]

Sorry to bring this back up, but i have a similar query.

I am planning to go integrated eventually, but am trying to decide whether it's worth doing a PPL first.

How do you generally go about doing the PPL theory? Can you just buy the books, study them, and book the exams at a local flying school? Or is there a certain level of classroom tuition required?

I think it's Ormand Beach that offer the flying in 3weeks, if i recall correctly, and it's very tempting as it's half the price, and would be a nice experience to fly over there. From what i glanced over, this is just the flying, and not the theory? (i'll go and see if i can find it again now though...:p)

Thanks

[Gordon Bennet]

It's worth taking a look at Phil Croucher's JAR Private Pilot Studies - more or less all you need in one book. I got mine on the strength of the review in Today's Pilot. It does Helicopters and aeroplanes.

G

[Whirlygig]

I am planning to go integrated eventually, but am trying to decide whether it's worth doing a PPL first.
Wouldn't have thought it was worth it at all. Why spend another £3k that you don't have to. I can't see that you would be at any advantage if you really do plan to go integrated.

How do you generally go about doing the PPL theory? Can you just buy the books, study them, and book the exams at a local flying school? Or is there a certain level of classroom tuition required? Yes. No.

Cheers

Whirls

[sicky]

Thanks to both, i know it may seem a bit silly to ask these things, but i want to explore all avenues before i go ahead with anything.