PPL Thoery Study Techniques

[chris-squire]

Hi All,

Here's the situation...

Off to Canada in 6 weeks for PPL, NR, HB. I plan to arrive in Canada with as many Thoery Test Certificates as possible. So...PPL Study Pack and text books arrived yesterday and its beginning to dawn on me how much I have to learn and pass in the next 6 weeks, particuarly with the PPL being all self taught!

So my question is this....

Whilst I know everyone learns differently, are there any particular study techniques that I should be looking at to help cram in the knowledge ASAP???

Cheers

CS :ok:

[ksa5223]

I studied for it in 2 weeks after my BAK exam, the test is easy... just go through a chapter at a time of the book, write a short summary, then at the end review it all and go through about 4 practice tests from different sources.:eek:

Dont retype it like a robot though, put summary's in short own words and yeah.

Thats what I did and got 87%

Not sure if the test is very different but yeah im in AUS btw.

[Whirlygig]

Please don't let the post lull you into a false sense of security!

Everyone is different but, if I was in your position, I would aim to go through a subject every 5 days with continuous question practice. It's tough, especially if you're working. Personally, given the timescale, I wouldn't try to do a chapter of each subject (say) a day. I think you'd waste time by cross-referring.

Cheers

Whirls

[chris-squire]

I think that could well be the way forward. Study all week after work and sit an exam every sunday, shich gives me the saturday to consolidate from the week and revise before the exam. Not gonna be easy but nothing decent in life comes easy I suppose!

Cheers guys

CS:ok:

[AlphaMale]

Chris - I'm in the same position as you, I'm going to start looking for PPL material to read from soon as I aim to start my PPL training in June/July by taking 4 weeks off work.

I'm up to gen with ATPL exams (how many you can do / resits / visits etc) but not the PPL exams :confused:. From your post can I assume I/we can sit an exam every week? If so is this done at the school for example B-F-C?

Good luck with the exams Chris :ok:

[chris-squire]

AlphaMale - You can sit an exam every day if you want to. It's up to yu. You just ahve to do them at a CAA approved test centre. I'm doing all of my training through Cabair at Bournemouth who are approved to sit these exams so will be doing them there.

Hope this helps and good luck! Where abouts are you in the UK? If anywhere near Bournemouth it could be an idea to meet up and study together. As I said, my books arrived yesterday and I'm thinking theres alot to cram in!

CS :ok:

[AlphaMale]

I'm from just outside of Cardiff so quite away from Bournemouth. I think B-F-C has a CAA office there so I could be in luck.

Meeting up to study would be a good idea but we're not really in the same area :bored:

Think I'll do one exam per week, I'm tempted to use the OAT CBT packs but I'm unsure how goos they are? I did buy a night rating CBT disk and it looks pretty good.

[mb2ai]

Way back when, I purchased some Audio training CDs from the transair website. These worked well to supplement the reading I was already doing. The costed in all about £10 per subject. I just whacked them on my ipod and everytime I went out for a jog, or on my drive to work, i'd listen to them.

Theyre about an hour long, but I cannot stress enough that they should only supplement your reading and already existing revision techniques.

I also bought an AFE PPL book, full of practice questions for each subject.

Ive still got a few exams to go though!

Happy Landings.

[Hyph]

mb2ai: Way back when, I purchased some Audio training CDs from the transair website. These worked well to supplement the reading I was already doing. The costed in all about £10 per subject. I just whacked them on my ipod and everytime I went out for a jog, or on my drive to work, i'd listen to them.

Holy moly! "Way back when" and "iPod" in the same paragraph.

I feel old! :{ My "way back when" is a very bulky cassette walkman.

[chris-squire]

Well I've got the Trevor Thom books and thus far have only managed to have a few quick flicks through the Aviation Law & Meteorology book but went and did a practice PPL Law paper just to get an idea of what a paper would look like....answered about 2/3 questions and got 47% overall 1st time. Now...this is a far cry from passing and I've got alot of work to do to ensure the high marks but given that I managed to correctly answer almost half the paper with 1/3 of it not even attempted I'm reasonably optomistic for whats to come.

Although I get the impressiont hat this will be short lived! :ugh:

[Philpaz]

Read the books 1 subject at a time, twice if possible and then do some practice exams. I've just got the OAT PPL exam prep CDR and its really REALLY helpful. It contains all the PPL exams and generates new tests for you, you can even pick the chapters within a subject you wish to be tested on. Great help for me, averaging about 90% on the practice exams.

Phil

[jetman12]

for ppl get the ppl confuser, buy it from transair or any other pilot shop, all the questions are very similar and sometimes the same. I took 1 exam every week but subjects like human performance are just common sense really, which i did in a couple of days. Just hammer the confuser but also read the books because especially when you come to ATPL's you need the knowlegde. hope this helps

[Irish_Stu]

Have you got the PPL Confuser by Nung Sornying? Basically if you can answer all the questions in the confuser, you can breeze through the exams...
I'd say study hard for 3/4 days on each subject, should be enough time to cover most of the material. Then when you're done, attempt the confuser questions, and re-revise whatever you get wrong. Rinse and repeat until you are getting high scores in the confuser and you'll have no problems with the exams.

[mattia_70]

My technique:
AFE books
1 subject at a time
first read and underline important things of subject
do the revision question at the end of each chapter
then re read quickly the whole subject
do the 3 papers of the "confuser" book (they are the same as the real ones
then do the test

It all worked fine for me (I have to say that I am an aeronautical engineer though and a sailplane pilot, so that helped a lot)

cheers

[mb2ai]

What happens if you fail a PPL Theory exam, (as I have in the past)?

I know they say you can do it three times then you have to go Gatwick for an Exam.

If you pass second time - will that have any influence later on in life or training.

If you stay with the same FTO for ME CPL IR and MCC, will they put it on your final training report?

Will they say :=ahhh, due to the fact you 'eFF'd up once in your PPL theory, you may do the same in ATPL?? SEEeeya!

Or even if you go to a different FTO, will they know, hence will it effect me later on in training even at another FTO??

:eek:

[tomshepherd]

Hi

The new oxford aviation training cd roms are a great training aid. They are worth the money at £40 each.

[RTN11]

mb2ai

I believe the reason you only get 3 attempts is that the CAA only issue 3 exam papers for each subject, and therefore to retake a 4th time you will be doing a paper you have already failed. There is no guarentee they will let you do this, so don't rely on it.

The best study technique I can offer is to plan your subject order well. There is a lot of overlap across the subjects, and things make a lot more sense in a better order. For example, I found nav a lot easier having already done met.

I spent about a week learning each subject and got first time passes on all. Highest was 100% on HPL, lowest 75% on met.

Use the PPL confuser, it's brilliant.

Good luck to all.

[Greg2041]

Most will tell you to avoid the OAT stuff - except for OAT. They are good, don't get me wrong but if you wanted to be a First Aider would you really want the full training to become a GP? Keep it simple and find out what best works for you.

[fabbe92]

How does this sound. I read everye subject every day. I read for 20 minutes in every book. Then I take a break for 20 and then I read for 20 in the next book. Is this good? Should I do it chapter by chapter instead?

Like this. I read one chapter. Then I do the questions for this chapter and then I move on to another subject?

I have my second attempt at the Single Comand test in 3 weeks. And I have normal school work to think about as well.

[preduk]

Fabbe92,

No, thats called information overload. You should be trying to abosrb t he information long term, so you studying for 20mins (which isn't enough) and then changing subject will result in you getting mixed up and forgetting it all.

Study one book, answer questions on the one book and when you feel you know the information well then move onto the next.

[fabbe92]

So one book a day ok. And for how long should I stuy untill I take a break?

The exam is in 3 weeeks so How do I stuy 7 books in just 3 weeks?:confused:

[tigermagicjohn]

I got the Oxford PPL set, and interactive CD ROM and all books, I would say it was very high quality. Sometimes was good when tired to watch the CD ROM's - as they was very good for me.

I was working and going trough all 7 written exams and RT practical exam from mid September until around mid November, go trough one subject at the time and finish the exam as you go along.

I took the one I considerd the most complicated first, Principles of Flight, Mass and Performance was easy second exam, read 4 days on that, Air Law, Human performance, Met, Nav, RT - and RT practical - in my opnion makes sense to save Nav, Met and RT latest before you start flying, as this what you going to need have as fresh as possible.
Took me 6 weeks to do all exams, from first was started. And my brain was old and slow + I had full work commitments.

Compairing the AFE and Oxford books, I have to say the AFE are really boring - altough the Oxford is probably a bit overlearning - but if you going to do the ATPL after, then better to overlearn - Oxford books far more graphic - used AFE question book, and PPL confuser + Oxford questions.

Principles of flight exam, 50 questions finished in 10 minutes, not one error - had seen most the questions in advance in the different questions banks.

Nav is the hardest one, not because of the questions, but because of the time available.
Mass and performance, Human Performance, RT are relative easy exams.

Also the doing it quick and just learning the questions is not the right way - you cant learn one subject in one day - you need to know the subjects as you will get these questions during your practical training and skill test - one thing is to know the answers, but you also need to understand the subjects - because one day that knowledge or lack of knowledge will save your life, or if not knowledge - that will kill you!

[fabbe92]

I am at a flying club. We have one exam now on 7 subjects at the same time. After that we have more exams with all the subjects. You cant choose how to do here.

[dublin_eire]

Hi Chris-Squire,

Mind me asking where you're doing your PPL in Canada and what kind of deal you got? Is it intensive?

I, too, am studying for the PPL exams. I'm doing the 3 reads technique. Scan read, read more in depth, practise questions and give one more final read.

Can't wait to start my PPL!

[Greg2041]

Has anyone used the PPL Exam Secrets Guides and if so, are they really the exact same CAA exam questions as has been suggested?

Greg

[sion22]

Use the CATS online resources for PPL or ATPL its all you will need

CATS WBT 2.0 | Departure Lounge (http://www.cranfieldaviation.com/2/?task=login&ee=demo@cats&ea=demo)

The questions build you up to the exams and you have got auto-help explanations for them all

[dublin_eire]

It's a good website. Pity it's only a demo. Wouldn't pay for it though. If you pull the thumb out and don't mind opening the books it's all the same really....

[Greg2041]

How did I miss that Sion22? A great link. Many thanks.

I would still be interested to hear if anyone has used the Secrets Guides.

Grerg

[Keygrip]

I'm confused (easily done) - how does a one year old thread on PPL studying find itself in Professional Training?

Follow the re-direct link to the PPL forum (well, you already have done, actually).

[fabbe92]

Can anyone reccomend a good strategy/program for my studyes. I have the exam in 3 weeks on Thursday the 12th of february.

I have 7 subjects to study (7 books) I am looking for a plan that goes fast. Because I obviously don´t have time to go trough all the books one by one.

[BackPacker]

fabbe92, if you're studying for your PPL exam (which I assume you do) you need to realize that these exams are slightly different from your average highschool exam. If you study for a highschool exam, get the passing grade and then forget all about it, you might eventually have an embarrassing moment with your employer, but that's about it. You can always google for the answer, can you?

But if you pass your PPL exams with minimum effort and minimum grades, and then forget all about it, it might get you killed. So your attitude of
Because I obviously don´t have time to go trough all the books one by one.
scares the c**p out of me. This is not stuff you should get over quickly. This is serious.

Start with book number one. Do two chapters plus the test questions per evening. Next evening another two chapters plus the test questions. Once through the book, spend an evening or two with the PPL confuser on that specific subject. Go back to the book for anything you missed in the PPL confuser. Make notes, make a summary for yourself. Only once you feel confident you can take the exam on that subject, move on to the next book. Don't mix and match subjects - they've been put in the books order for a reason. Don't rush through the materials - there is very little stuff in the PPL books that is not required for the PPL exams. (Whether some of the knowledge in the PPL exam is required in life after the PPL is a different discussion.) Study when you're up to it. Don't rush through two chapters when your head isn't up to it simply because you need to stick to a schedule.

And yes, this is not going to fit in three weeks.

I'm a fast learner. I have a university degree and my daily job still requires me to quickly learn stuff thoroughly, then write course materials about it, then teach about it. Working about four hours, five nights a week it took me about four weeks to go through all the PPL materials. But I'm pretty confident I can sit any of the PPL exams right here and now, including air law, and get a passing grade.

[BackPacker]

Oh, just thought of something else. If you do decide to ignore my advice and study for the PPL theory exams highschool-style, with the aim of getting the minimum passing grade with minimum effort, think again.

Your PPL skills test (the final flight test) will include an oral exam which may cover literally everything that was covered in the theory exams and the examiner can and will fail you on that part of the exam. Even if your preparation, flying, R/T, nav and everything is completely by the book.

Examiners are really good at spotting those who learned PPL theory by means of the confuser alone.

[fabbe92]

Okey. But this is not the big exam. This is only the Single Comando exam that gives you the right to fly solo.

I have about 3 months left for my first solo so Offcourse I will go trough everything before that. I will not get on a plane by myself with the chanche of getting into an emergency, without knowing how to do.
But The exam is about 6 subjects. 7 questions on every subject and you have to have at least 4 correct on every subject. So you have to have 32/42 right and 4 at every subject.

The questions look like thes. What are the purpose of flaps?
a) to generate lift b) to generate that c) to generate this d) to generate that. So you have two put a mark in the box you think is correct. The questions are not that hard on this test. I have allready done it once but I got one point short.

[b_sta]

If this is your pre-solo exam then all of it is basic knowledge that you absolutely do have to know anyway. Why not study it right the first time?

[fabbe92]

Because I did study and I had the misfortune of getting 31 right when you have to have 32 right. No whe I think about it. You have to have 32 of 42 points right. But that isn´t any good if you don´t get 4 of 7 right at every subject. So I got like 37 out of 42 and I scored 6 and 5 of 7 at all the subject with the exeption of one where I only got 3 so this made me fail.:ugh:

Since then I haven´t had time to study since I am allso doing my schoolwork wich is far more important.

[BackPacker]

Interesting. JAA does not mandate a pre-solo exam at all. Whatever the school wants to impose is the discretion of the school. A lot of UK schools use the air law exam as a sort of pre-solo exam, but personally I like the FAA-style exam better: 18 or so questions on airframe, local airspace, emergencies and a few other things. You have to have all 18 right, but if you get one wrong, the instructor is allowed to explain the answer to you and sign you off anyway.

So this exam you've got to do, is it a school-imposed exam, or something the Swedish CAA imposes on top of the JAA requirements?

In any case, you will probably find that the exam is the exact same next time you have a go at it.

[b_sta]

Well, if you hadn't learnt enough previously to pass, then the only answer is to study properly and learn the material, and if you don't have the time now then wait until you do. Flying shouldn't be something where you're satisfied with the bare minimum of knowledge, just enough to pass the exams, that's really a dangerous attitude to have.

[fabbe92]

You get me wrong. I don´t have that attitude. The really big exams that will come later, I will focus to get as much knowledge as I can and study on the questions that I don´t know. I will be as prepared as I can be when I fly solo for the first time.

[daria-ox]

I think learning the whole PPL theory is a good idea, but you need to learn it, instead of just remembering specific subjects for an exam. As others said, this could kill you later in life, if not earlier. PPL theory will somehow help you with getting on with the ATPL exams, don't you think? I usually study a book for about 2 weeks and get pass marks over 95%, but I also work monday to friday and I'm at college after work for another four to six hours. I study when I feel good.. basically when I feel like it. I'm not rushing things. I used to have a schedule, and study everyday for 2 hours.. you know what? It didn't work, because after work and college, I got home some days at about 7pm and I was way too tired to do anything.. still studied.. and didn't learn anything. I need to concentrate on what I'm doing, I don't know how about you. I also have to study for my college work, as currently I'm doing Physics, maths and english at college. But I found a way to get my head around it. I do a chapter or two every night, then do the exercises on these chapters, next evening just have a look through it and study next chapter or two. It works. I study the stuff and I don't forget it. It used to take me ages to get through the books in high school! I could never get it into my head that easily, I guess another thing was that I absolutely hated some of the subjects at High school but that's a completely different story.

Just take your time, don't rush things. Learn it, don't just remember it.

[fabbe92]

Okay. But the books are pretty thick. The naviagation and prestanda book is about 100 pages of information. I have done 4 chapters untill now. Now I know the chapters inside out but I am affraid that when I continue with the other chapters and the weeks go by, I will forget the initial chapters.

[BackPacker]

I am affraid that when I continue with the other chapters and the weeks go by, I will forget the initial chapters.

Don't worry about this too much. The chapters are not independent: you usually need the knowledge from ch. 1 to understand ch. 2, and need 1+2 to understand 3. So to a large extent you are almost continuously being reminded of the theory in earlier chapters.

And you are making notes for yourself, so that you can revise quickly, are you?

[fabbe92]

Yes when I read a chapter I wright down the thins I feel are more important and the things that I don´t understand so good so I can look at them later. I allso think that I learn better when I see it in the book at the same time as I wright it myself and then I look at it again.

[daria-ox]

The books aren't that thick, come on and they're not as hard as I thought they would have been as English isn't my first language. I always find time to study and what's more important I enjoy it.. oh well, maybe not Air Law, its a bit boring, but the rest of the stuff is pretty interesting and it stays in my head! If I like then I learn it much quicker, don't know how about you.
The books also don't have 100 pages :E The thinnest, Human Factors (..) has 243 pages :E

But You can get through the book pretty quick, by doing a chapter per day, then the exercises. Don't do it as it says on the schedule. Do it when you want to and when you feel like it. Honestly. I know studying for school work and flying is a bit hard, so divide your time somehow. I only do college work for 1.5h on every subject, and I have 3 ( and that's per week ), sometimes I don't even have to study at all, as I remember a lot of stuff I have heard in class, and what I read.

Don't hurry it to get 75% pass mark so you can go off and start studying for another exam. That's not the point. PPL knowledge will be useful in the future! At least that's what I heard. :p

[Vems]

Fabbe, if you read it and analyse it, you will not forget it that quickly.

[Raptorstick]

You must have discipline to ensure that you keep reading the books and take it in!
Yes they're certainly not the most exciting books to read by any means and at times hard to find the motivation, but your discipline to keep reading and keep taking the information in, and to keep to your reading schedule is of utmost importance!

Remember you have 3 chances to pass each subject with your flying school before heading to gatwick for a fourth (which if you read the books and use your confuser properly, you won't need a fourth, or third actually)

Also, from your first ground exam pass, you have 18 months to pass the other 6 ground exams. and get the practical R/T done in this time as well. I aimed for 3 weeks per subject minimum, a chapter plus questions a night (but thats me).
Need discipline to switch off the football and pick up the book!

Once you pass ALL your ground exams, you have 24 months to pass the skills test, but I can't imagine that anyone would need that long!

This according to LASORS.



reward at the end!

[Greg2041]

Hi Guys,

Like you I was trying to get through the groundschool stuff asap and previously I did say that the OAT CD Roms were too detailed. Well, they are but I regret saying so as I only used the Air Law one.

Thanks to the Met OAT CD Rom, I am now reading, watching and listening to all things Met and I am really enjoying it.

Am I sad?.... maybe but I am passing all the tests, Confuser and otherwise so perhaps the secret is to enjoy it.

All the best

Greg

[liam548]

Hi Guys,

Like you I was trying to get through the groundschool stuff asap and previously I did say that the OAT CD Roms were too detailed. Well, they are but I regret saying so as I only used the Air Law one.

Thanks to the Met OAT CD Rom, I am now reading, watching and listening to all things Met and I am really enjoying it.

Am I sad?.... maybe but I am passing all the tests, Confuser and otherwise so perhaps the secret is to enjoy it.

All the best

Greg


I like the OAT cd roms but some of the stuff on them is completely pointless when it comes to sitting the actual exams..