PPL Training - what to buy and when?

[Ds3]

Ok so I'm now 7 hours in, have completed all the exercises and from next lesson on will just be working the circuits with a view to going solo asap.

I have my medical cert and log book, but that's all I've bought so far. Immediate priority is the Law exam as my school won't let you solo without it, so I need to crack on with that. I'm also concious I need a bag of sorts for various bits of paperwork, headset (once acquired) etc.

I'm not really keen on the idea of one of these 'student' packs as I'd imagine you end up with some bits you don't really need, and others that aren't of the quality level you'd want.

So, what should I prioritise ordering now, and does anyone have any recommendations of makes, publishers etc? Do I need flight computers, protractors etc now or can they wait until later?

THIS (http://shop.pilotwarehouse.co.uk/product20060023catno2810023.html) headset seems like good value for a noise reduction set that comes with a bag and telephony CD - any thoughts?

Thanks!

[airpolice]

In the event that you do infact manage to buy something from the people at pilotwarehouse, ask them why they never answer the phone.

[mad_jock]

Problem with headsets is one that is heaven on earth to one person can be absolute torture for another. EBAY has many on it that folk have discover this fact, personally I would go there to get one.

Actually most of the stuff you can pick up on ebay

The other bits, well for the books its Thom or Pratt check your local libary out they may have a set. As to which one is best its really a personal choice, both are good but which one suits you , you will only find out when you read one.

Just wait until you need stuff before you buy it. Quite alot of the stuff out there is utter ****e. Quite a few plastic gimics which you will use once than never again. And for gawds sake don't buy any big fancy timers you normal watch will do. You can get by with stuff from tescos. And apart from maybe a nav ruler its just as good as the pilots supply shops.

And to add do a search on pprune about pilotwarehouse before you have any grief. Next time you go into london visit the transair shop and try a few on the go and search the net for the one that suits you best be it EBAy or a online supplier

[Torque Tonight]

I didn't buy a headset of my own until I had over 2000 hours. I wouldn't say a headset was a priority 7 hours in.

[Dan the weegie]

I would say buying a decent headset is worthwhile purely on the basis of hygene, that said you needn't spend the money on anything mad expensive unless you know you're going to put the hours in and you want to have the functions.

The HM40 at gps.co.uk is excellent value for money and will see you for the 2000 hours the guy above was talking about :) price per use is virtually zero and there's no sucking on other peoples spittle.

The student packs are all decent value, there's very little in there you wont use. You need the books and the PPL confuser, you need the rulers and protractor and flight computer and all the other stuff. The pace you buy it at depends on the speed you train at but buying it all is perfectly good value for money.

[FleetFlyer]

As others have said, buy stuff from ebay as and when you need it and you'll save some money.
Headset wise, buy a second hand BoseX for £350 or get a set of David Clarks converted to ANR by the guy in Hertfordshire. A cheapo second hand DC set costs £40 and the conversion replaces everything but the headband and cups. It works very well and the conversion costs £160. This is what I use. (plus ear plugs).

I suffer from constant tinnitus as a result of using cheap headsets when training and not protecting my ears properly. I know it will shorten my lifespan due to a lifetime of poor sleep and prescription drugs to get me to sleep. The only reason I still fly is because the ANR headset combined with ear plugs has prevented further deterioration.

I've seen studies that showed every GA pilot suffers hearing damage, but you won't know how susceptible you are until after the damage is done. There is no cure, nor is there ever likely to be, so protect yourself properly or you may live to regret it.

[mad_jock]

I have tinnitus as well and my hearing profile shows marked damage over the engine range of sound.

I did 900 hours without ANR and hate flying without it now because all I can hear is the engines when I go to bed at night if I run out of battery. It takes two days off until it returns to normal which is still hearing things when in bed but I find having the radio on or an audio book gets rid of it.

[Ds3]

Cheers for the replies all. I've ordered a couple of books and a Robin HR200 check list to get myself started - I need to get the law exam done asap as I don't want that to prevent me going solo so will just buy the other bits as and when.

Interesting comments about the headsets. I guess it's more of a 'want' than a 'need' however listening to concerns about hearing issues maybe I should think about picking something up, rather than finding out the damage has been done further down the line.

I don't want to spend a fortune as I don't foresee I'll ever be flying that intensively - for now I just want to get my PPL and fly for leisure purposes, but it would be nice to have my own set. Hmm, and it is my b/day in a couple of weeks...!

[Obi_Wan]

No you don't have to buy a headset, but it was one of my first purchases after only about 5 hours. A comfy DC headset for me meant I didn't have the distraction of a slightly uncomfortable school set.

[Ds3]

I must admit, after my last lesson my ears were pretty sore from the school's headset.

I've been scouring Ebay and have seen a couple of possibilities. I don't really want to spend £300+ given the stage I'm at, but it seems to be get a cheap set for < £100 which probably won't be much better than the school's sets, or spend > £300 to get a decent ANR set, not much in between!

[FleetFlyer]

Considering that your ears will be exposed to damaging levels of noise for perhaps only and hour per month is looking at it the wrong way. Parents of children at rock concerts put ear defenders on them to prevent damage, and this exposure may only amount to a few hours a year.

Its that hour of exposure that does the damage, that its less frequent is not as significant a factor.

I would give both balls for a time machine that could take me back and tell my younger self to start with an ANR set and ear plugs. Possibly avoiding a lifetime of tinnitus is worth the extra couple of hundred pounds, heck its only the cost of one and a half lessons.

If your eyes were similarly exposed to potential damage would you treat things differently?

[tmmorris]

There definitely are headsets between £100 and £300 - my vote is for the Sennheiser HME100. Comfy and effective, though I did add optional gel ear seals. If I flew more I'd have ANR but it's way better than the cheap one I started out with, which used to give me a sore head after an hour or so. I did 4.5 hours in a day doing Project Propeller this year, and my HME100 was fab.

Tim

[Magic90]

I have 3000 hrs of military flying as non Flt deck crew - I would hate flying without my own headset, hygiene being the biggest issue - you are not going to die from other's germs, but it's a great way to ground a fleet with colds and flu. So when I started my PPL it was a priority and DC headsets are generally what the RAF use. Books can be bought via www.abebooks.co.uk. I have the full series of AFE PPL books and they are in almost new condition. The various Q&A books are worth the expense as they are the exact questions you will face in the exams. Flt computers can be bought on eBay for less than half the new price. I have several nav bags etc from my previous flying exploits, but a headset bag is sufficient In the early days.

Make the most of bashing the Cct it will hone your familiarity with your 'office' and give you confidence with basic RT procedure. Most of all enjoy both the good and the bad days and respect the weather.

[Rod1]

I used the instructor’s headset until solo and then had to use the schools which were very poor so got myself a headset. It made a huge difference as it was much clearer sound and less pain! If you can get a Bose x for 350 ish do it.

Rod1

[Ds3]

Funny you should mention the Sennheiser HME100, having scoured Ebay I've just picked up a set of HME110 Sepcial Editions with bag for under £120, second hand but claimed as having less than 10 hours use.

Looks like they have good reviews and excellent passive noise reduction, so should suit all my needs for now without breaking the bank. Cheers for the advice all.

[tyto]

does anyone have AP-3456 in pdf??

[mur007]

I was told that some makes of headset are not compatible with others and that if you go for some of the more expensive ones then there's a risk your instructor won't be able to hear you and vice versa. Is this correct?

[mad_jock]

Depends on the intercom and how old and ****e it is.

Peltors on the same box as DC's create heaps of issues. Its an impedance thing with the mic apparently. This doesn't only apply to light aircraft it happens in bigger things as well I have had to make the FO use the aircraft DC's because of it to much o bitching. Two peltors together no prob mixed with DC's its a nightmare.

I did used to have a pair of peltors myself but gave away when I got a pair of DC ANR's because they were great solo but utterly pish with anything else.

If you have a new intercom apprently it balances everything out and there is no problem.

[WILCO.XMG]

Quick Question,

I was scouring through the websites and it seems that Helicopters and Airplanes can't use the same headsets.

Is this true or is it that some certain headsets are specifically designed for Helicopters? And will ask for a higher price?

[mad_jock]

they have a different jack on the end. The Heli ones end in a three core single jack and the aircraft ones usually have one for the mic and one for the speakers. You can get converters between the two types.

[WILCO.XMG]

Great to know.

Some more useful information tucked into the back of my mind now for one day.

:ok:

[Ds3]

What do people think to online mock exams? I've seen a few websites offering them at very competative prices and find repeating mock multiple choice exams a good way to learn, after having studied the book of course.

Are these places accurate, covering the correct topics etc and therefore worth paying the small fee to access them? If so, any specific recommendations?

[FirstOfficer]

Hello,

I did my Air Law exam today, for study I used Air Pilots Manual (1), also used airquiz online and PPL Exam prep CD. I found the combination quite good. I would recomend airquiz after studying the book.

Needless to say I passed Air Law. :}

[Magic90]

I am attempting to 'source' a pdf version of this 9 volume classic!!

[jez d]

Is this true or is it that some certain headsets are specifically designed for Helicopters? And will ask for a higher price?

they have a different jack on the end. The Heli ones end in a three core single jack and the aircraft ones usually have one for the mic and one for the speakers. You can get converters between the two types.

It's not always as simple as that. Some helicopter headsets will have 'dynamic' mics, while the vast majority of fixed-wing aircraft are set up for 'electret' mics, so you could end up with an impedence issue. Best to check before buying.

Back to the original topic, and while there is nothing wrong with going down the eBay route, there are a couple of gotchas. The most common one is buying an out-of-date air law book. Another is wasting money on nav kit which your instructor doesn't want you to use.

By far the best option, I think, is to acquire your kit from your flight school. Most schools keep basic training kit in stock and have accounts with pilot shops so can source anything else you may need, including a headset which will be compatible with the one your instructor uses.

Buying via your school also provides an extra bit of income for them. PPL schools make very little money so every little helps. And they won't charge you more than the pilot shops as they get their kit at a discounted rate in order to be competitive.

Support your school ! :ok:

Regards, jez

[jez d]

One other thought...

If a new headset is beyond your means then at least make sure you buy yourself some ear and mic covers to put on the club headsets.

Ear cups bathed in another person's sweat are hardly a boon to hygiene :yuk: