PPL Exams & Books

[keith904]

Well here I am, first ever post! I am at the very start of contemplating starting my PPL and satisfying aneed I have had for many many years - finally flying!

I will be going to Florida either to NAC or EFT (havent decided which yet) sometime in November this year. I would like to get the exams out of the way before I go.

What I wondered is:

1. What books would you recommend to study for these exams?
2. What order would you recommend sitting the exams?
3. Does anyone know where I can sit these exams around cranfield?
4. Does anyone have an experiences of EFT they would like to share with me. (Please lets not go down the route of dont use this school or that school! I know NAC is highly regarded - just interested to know of peoples thoughts and experiences with EFT specifically).

Many thanks folks, I'm looking forward to becoming an active member of this community!

Keith

[Evo]

1. I used Trevor Thom books 2,3, 4 and 6 (although the Human Factors exam is so simplistic that I resented spending £20 on a book for it!). Thom 5 is for the IMC, 7 covers RT but CAP413 is better and free to download. The Jeremy Pratt books are supposed to be good too, but I've never used them. I'd also buy the PPL confuser for practice questions, but read and learn the Thom or Pratt books first!

2. I did Air Law, Met, Nav, Flight Perf & Planning, Human Factors, Aircraft Technical (or whatever it's called) and then RT. Seems reasonable enough.

Both subjects have been covered in the past, so some searching should find other opinions.

Can't help with 3 or 4 i'm afraid.

HTH

edit: and welcome to PPRuNe :)

[Whirlygig]

1. Definitely Trevor Thom books. You might want to get volume 6 Human Factor and Pilot Performance especially if you haven't got O-level biology. Although much of it seems common sense there is probably some jargon with which you won't be familiar. Also try Human Factors for Pilots by Green et al.

Also there is another PPL Question and Answer book; I would tell by whom except my instructor has STILL got it! Something like Holden & Brett. I found it more representative of the actual questions in style than PPL confuser.

2. Do the Aviation Law and Human Factors first since you can't fly solo and do x-country without them. Other than that it doesn't really matter.

3. ...er Cranfield? There are a number of flight schools there - ring 'em up and ask. You do not have to sit all your exams with the one school - if they say you do that is horse**it. I did two exams at Thruxton in advance of my full-time training.

4. No, can't help there - did it UK

Cheers

Whirlygig

[charlie-india-mike]

keith904

Cranfield Aero Club has a resident examinar and will conduct the exams for you.

01234 752272 and ask for Donald , and he will fill yoy in on the costs etc.


C-I-M


BTW I don't work for them but do fly their aircraft on the odd occasion.

[keith904]

Folks,

Thanks for all your advice.....just ordered Trevor Thom, avaiation law and meteorology (book 2) to kick of my studies. Wish me luck. I'll let you know how I get on.

Cheers
Keith

[FNG]

The alleged inability to fly solo and cross country without first passing ground exams is one of those general aviation myths. Passing the exams first is often a club requirement, and it may well make a lot of sense, but it is not a formal requirement of the syllabus.

For the RT stuff, reading CAP 413 is in my opinion more use than reading Thom.

Apart from the text books, you might like some inspirational reading, such as "Stick and Rudder" by Wolfgang Langewische.

[ThePirateKing]

FNG,

Are you sure that Air Law is not a minimum requirement for solo flight?

TPK:ok:

[FNG]

Yes.

(extra characters to satisfy minimum posting rule)

[Fly Stimulator]

TPK,

This one has come up once or twice before. A couple of good threads on the subject are here (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13772) and here. (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=130220)

[J.A.F.O.]

I did all of exams earlier this year using the Trevor Thom books and a website called airquiz.com which, for less than the price of one of the books, gives you the chance to endlessly practice exam papers; I really can't recommend that enough.

You might get through the Noddy goes Flying Exam (otherwise known as Human Factors) by just going through the quiz a couple of times.

Best of luck and leave your wallet by the door on the way out.

[ThePirateKing]

I sit corrected.

TPK:ok:

[Big Hilly]

It may also be worth mentioning the Oxford/Transair CD Rom set. I had a peek at it from someone I know who is doing their PPL and it certainly seems good.

The downside, is of course, the price (a staggering £300) but if you're one of those people who gets on better with PC's rather than books it might be worth a look. . .

Best wishes,

BH

[keith904]

Hi BH,

I did look at the Oxford CD-Rom's and I must admit to being tempted....but like you say £300 is a lot of money - I could get three hours flying in for that!!

But still very tempted as I am an IT consultant by trade I do get on far better with PC's than with books :8

Keith

[charlie-india-mike]

Don't be tempted, spend the money on flying instead. Most of the PPL exams are a lot of common sense mixed with a little bit of factual information

[FNG]

I agree with CIM. The exams are not difficult and a bit of self-directed study using the books and websites is all you really need to pass them. The extent to which you read further and broaden your understanding of the examined topics is a matter of personal choice and interest. I keep trying to re-visit Met theory and it still makes my head go ping, even though the met exam itself is pretty straightforward.

Another book for the list: "Flight Without Formulae" by Kermode

Another website: "See How it Flies" at http://www.av8n.com/how/

[ALEXA]

I used the Trevor Thom books (JAR PPL last year) supplemented by the PPL confuser, which I found to be excellent. I wouldn't have passed on the Thom books alone because they are not geared to the exam format.

My only practical suggestion: don't do the nav exam until you've done some real nav with your instructor. It'll be a doddle once you've done it in anger.