PPL Ground Study - Interactive CD-ROM?
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2008
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From: UK
PPL Ground Study - Interactive CD-ROM?
Hi. I've seen some CD-ROMS on fleabay and wondered if they're any good (if so which are best as there seems a few different versions about)? Thought they might be useful to put on the laptop and/or a sneaky peak at work. My instructor doesn't think a full set of Trever Thoms is worthwhile - do you think PC based training could cover everything?
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: UK
Kinda depends what you're used to and what you get the best results from normally. I personally prefer reading books to staring at a PC screen but that may just be age/what I'm used to. I've seen some CD-ROMs that have been quite good (sorry, can't remember the name of them) when I was doing my PPL some years ago but overall, I get more out of a good book. I'm told the OAT ones are good but I've not used them myself.
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: London
I bought the Oxford Air Law CD-ROM. Big mistake! It's dull, dull, dull! Many of the pictures are repeated and the stuffy narrator drones on and on in a monotone. Highly recommended if you are suffering from insomnia but otherwise avoid
Sadly this is true of most of audio visual training aids on sale. I recently forked out 60 quid for a DVD on the PPL skills test. It's a fair briefing but it must have been made on a shoe-string budget - definitely not worth that kind of money.
I like Jeremy Pratt's books. At least he has a sense of humour!
Sadly this is true of most of audio visual training aids on sale. I recently forked out 60 quid for a DVD on the PPL skills test. It's a fair briefing but it must have been made on a shoe-string budget - definitely not worth that kind of money.
I like Jeremy Pratt's books. At least he has a sense of humour!
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: England
I purchased the OAT cd's fantastic, I hardly used the books after, passed all my exams first time, so much easier, seeing it happen, on my screen, rather than reading about it
Word of warning though, don't waste your money buying on fleabay
that's what your get, pay the price, get the up to date goods,
money well spent
Word of warning though, don't waste your money buying on fleabay
that's what your get, pay the price, get the up to date goods,
money well spent
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Wirral
I think it all depends on how you prefer to learn.
I personally prefer to read a hard copy rather than something on the screen and also found OAT a bit. But saying that, think my copy is rather old.
I'd say stick with the books and if you could borrow/'download for evaluation purposes' the software give it a try to see if it is for you.
I personally prefer to read a hard copy rather than something on the screen and also found OAT a bit. But saying that, think my copy is rather old.
I'd say stick with the books and if you could borrow/'download for evaluation purposes' the software give it a try to see if it is for you.
Wotmesir?
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Darkest Scotland
FFS! Just buy the full set of books, read them and learn the contents. That means reading them whenever you can. It really does not matter which series of books you choose just learn the contents.
Don't skimp, learn them thoroughly. Get to the point that you can answer every question in the back bit and every question in the confuser without any errors.
It aint just a question of passing the exams, it is the underpinning knowledge that will help you.
Don't skimp, learn them thoroughly. Get to the point that you can answer every question in the back bit and every question in the confuser without any errors.
It aint just a question of passing the exams, it is the underpinning knowledge that will help you.
Joined: May 2008
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From: EGTT
I bought the Air Law book. Read it through, then bought the PPL Simplifier and went through the three papers in there several times. I got 98% in the exam so I'd recomend that technique.
The books I'm using are the Pratt ones published by AFE. They are pretty good, as I also have a few Thom ones for comparison...
The books I'm using are the Pratt ones published by AFE. They are pretty good, as I also have a few Thom ones for comparison...
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 339
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From: London
The PPL Confuser is good. Apparently the only book that uses questions from actual old exam papers.
Don't take the time limit seriously though. For example, the Met section has 120 questions which you are expected to finish in an hour. In the actual exam there are only 20 in the same time period - you typically have more than enough time - I have so far written Air Law, Navigation as Meteorology and this was true of all of these.
To qualify my comments about the Oxford CD-ROMS. I have only seen the Air Law one - I believe the Met one was done in conjunction witht the Met Office. The test questions were quite good but some seemed to be off-sylabus. Again - I don't think the Air Law is well done - think 1960's school TV - I bought it for the visuals but in fact there is no animation and there is better visual material in the books. It's very slow going - you can read much faster and there's no summary to go back to - you have to make your own notes.
Don't take the time limit seriously though. For example, the Met section has 120 questions which you are expected to finish in an hour. In the actual exam there are only 20 in the same time period - you typically have more than enough time - I have so far written Air Law, Navigation as Meteorology and this was true of all of these.
To qualify my comments about the Oxford CD-ROMS. I have only seen the Air Law one - I believe the Met one was done in conjunction witht the Met Office. The test questions were quite good but some seemed to be off-sylabus. Again - I don't think the Air Law is well done - think 1960's school TV - I bought it for the visuals but in fact there is no animation and there is better visual material in the books. It's very slow going - you can read much faster and there's no summary to go back to - you have to make your own notes.
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Manchester
The cheapest way to do it I would have thought is to buy the books, read them until you understand them then complete all the exercises within the book.
After that, I used the ppl confuser which is as accurate to the test as can be. Once your getting high marks using the confuser, get the actual exam done. I found that I had over studied (which isnt necessarily a bad thing).
If you are struggling with something in the exercise book and think that the cd rom might be the answer, you usually find that most instructors will take the time out to explain things from the book to you.
After that, I used the ppl confuser which is as accurate to the test as can be. Once your getting high marks using the confuser, get the actual exam done. I found that I had over studied (which isnt necessarily a bad thing).
If you are struggling with something in the exercise book and think that the cd rom might be the answer, you usually find that most instructors will take the time out to explain things from the book to you.
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Twickenham
Regardless of study manuals or CBTs, to get you ready for the actual exam, ie to help you focus on the areas required for the exam and the question styles, get the PPL confuser, and also take a look at www.airquiz.com. You can sign up for individual exams @ £3 each, and can generate as many test exams as you like.
It is helping me convert the book theory into the knowledge tested for on the exams!
Mark
It is helping me convert the book theory into the knowledge tested for on the exams!
Mark
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Urf
Bought the air law cd from OAT, I was unconscious in 5 minutes! It is so slow and monotonous. Sold it on ebay the next day. Maybe I'm the wrong generation.
Used the ppl Pratt books & the simplifier. If you know the book inside out you can potentially get 100% -it is all in there, fairly easy to read & light hearted. Bought all mine on fleabay for next to nothing.
Good luck! Enjoy learning something new, even when entrenched in the full hideousness of air law .....
Used the ppl Pratt books & the simplifier. If you know the book inside out you can potentially get 100% -it is all in there, fairly easy to read & light hearted. Bought all mine on fleabay for next to nothing.
Good luck! Enjoy learning something new, even when entrenched in the full hideousness of air law .....
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Yorkshire
are the OAT ones the same as Oxford ones? ON this thread there is a comment on Oxford ones not been good.
Is this it for MET?
PPL Meteorology (PC): Amazon.co.uk: Software
found out OAT is Oxford aviation training so I presume one and the same
Is this it for MET?
PPL Meteorology (PC): Amazon.co.uk: Software
found out OAT is Oxford aviation training so I presume one and the same
Last edited by liam548; 4th November 2008 at 04:28. Reason: answer found
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 15
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From: Blackpool
I've used both the OAT disc's and the pratt books. I agree with the comments about OAT air law its very dry but the meteorology disc is much better helped alot when used in conjunction with the pratt books.
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: UK
I've got the OAT airlaw, met, nav, aircraft tech & the RT CD's - they are all pretty good, Air Law is a dry subject no matter which way you look at it (I also have the Jeremy Pratt books & he does his best to make it less of a chore, but I think its impossible)
The confuser was the best purchase I have made so far - invaluable IMHO
The confuser was the best purchase I have made so far - invaluable IMHO
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6
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From: UK
Linda True Groundschool
If you need Ground School you could do a lot worse than Linda True at Gamston (07798 801080). She's very good and costs less that 1 hours flying for the whole day!
She makes it ENJOYABLE and FUN which is what flying is all about!!
Twizz
She makes it ENJOYABLE and FUN which is what flying is all about!!
Twizz
