PPL Thoery Study Techniques
Join Date: Jan 2006
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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!
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!
Join Date: Oct 2008
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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!
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!
Join Date: Apr 2008
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Use the CATS online resources for PPL or ATPL its all you will need
CATS WBT 2.0 | Departure Lounge
The questions build you up to the exams and you have got auto-help explanations for them all
CATS WBT 2.0 | Departure Lounge
The questions build you up to the exams and you have got auto-help explanations for them all
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Join Date: Mar 2003
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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).
Follow the re-direct link to the PPL forum (well, you already have done, actually).
Join Date: Dec 2008
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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 donīt have time to go trough all the books one by one.
I have 7 subjects to study (7 books) I am looking for a plan that goes fast. Because I obviously donīt have time to go trough all the books one by one.
Join Date: Feb 2007
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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
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.
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 donīt have time to go trough all the books one by one.
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.
Last edited by BackPacker; 21st Jan 2009 at 07:35.
Join Date: Feb 2007
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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.
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.
Join Date: Dec 2008
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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.
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.
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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 isnīt any good if you donīt 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.
Since then I havenīt had time to study since I am allso doing my schoolwork wich is far more important.
Since then I havenīt had time to study since I am allso doing my schoolwork wich is far more important.
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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.
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.
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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.
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You get me wrong. I donīt 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 donīt know. I will be as prepared as I can be when I fly solo for the first time.
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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.
Just take your time, don't rush things. Learn it, don't just remember it.
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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.