order of exams for ppl

[cooper1976]

Has anyone got any feedback for me please.
I plan on going to america to do my ppl. I intend on doing as many exams before i go as i can.
just wondered if anybody else has approached it this way recently and how. What exams in what order can i achieve before the practical ?

cheers anyone

[BackPacker]

Should be no problem. Just make sure you bring the proper paperwork to the US so that they indeed have proof that you passed the exams. This might actually mean a package straight from your UK school to the US school so that you cannot tamper with its contents.

There is no particular order to the exams. Take them in any order you please. The schools in the USA also don't bother with the "met before solo, nav before x-country solo" quasi-rule: In the US you'll be flying solo on an FAA student pilot certificate, and the FAA mandates a rather simple pre-solo exam.

[sprthompson]

The schools in the USA also don't bother with the "met before solo, nav before x-country solo" quasi-rule

Probably something I should ask my instructor, but is there a rule like this in the UK?

I've done 9 hours and my instructor says I'm almost ready to go solo after some EFATO practise and a few more circuits. I have my medical but as yet have sat no exams - I didn't intend to until I'm a lot closer to achiving my 45 hours (as this may take some time) but if I need one to solo now then I better get a move on!

(FYI I've read the books, and used the educational CDs from Oxford Aviation so I have the basic knowledge, just don't have an exam pass to prove it...)

[BackPacker]

Probably something I should ask my instructor, but is there a rule like this in the UK?

Not a rule in the legal sense. But a lot of schools implement a rule like that on their own to motivate/force you to study the theory, and do the exams, while your flight training progresses.

[znww5]

There are many threads on this and other forums regarding training in the USA. In a nutshell the general consensus is:

a) do all the exams before you go - intensive course are very intensive
b) protect your money by escrow or credit card payment
c) research your short-list of schools carefully
d) do a full costing and compare with UK training costs

Other than that, good luck and I'm sure you will enjoy it :ok:

[Keygrip]

JAA exams are technically invalid in USA training - so the order doesn't *actually* matter...........but.....

logical recommendations were suggested a long time ago for training in the UK and they make sense for US based operators anyway....

Air Law and VHF Communications (written) before first solo,
Navigation and Meteorology before first solo cross-country

Remainder before skill test.

If you *do* do any JAA written exams in UK and take them to USA the ONLY thing you should carry is a PPL application form with the exam results already entered and signed by an appropriate examiner.

You should not have a "package" of exam papers with you. They stay at the school that you took them at.