Revising
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Between Galaxies
Revising
Helloooo everyone,
Just a quick question about how everyone else revised for their PPL exams. I'm still in 6th form at school so I'm use to having everything put on a plate for me to revise (well.. kind of).
I've been reading through the Aviation Law book and argh, lots of information. How do you know which points are needed to be jotted down?
So, did you write down the important facts as you read through the book then refer back to them in the book from your list, or??
Because I read through and think, do I need to note that... then recap... but if I do that it's like re-writing the book.... if you get me.
Thanks for your feedback
Just a quick question about how everyone else revised for their PPL exams. I'm still in 6th form at school so I'm use to having everything put on a plate for me to revise (well.. kind of).
I've been reading through the Aviation Law book and argh, lots of information. How do you know which points are needed to be jotted down?
So, did you write down the important facts as you read through the book then refer back to them in the book from your list, or??
Because I read through and think, do I need to note that... then recap... but if I do that it's like re-writing the book.... if you get me.
Thanks for your feedback
Official PPRuNe Chaplain
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,498
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From: Witnesham, Suffolk
A-levels are a very long way away now, so I can't remember much about them. I didn't have any real problems with the PPL writtens - just read the books through a few times, tried to "understand" the why of each rule etc, then had a crack at some practice papers.
If it makes sense, and you can understand the thinking behind the various bits, it will become like a language you speak.
The only hard bit is the air law: for that, I took the textbook on a two-week holiday and sat under a palm tree while I pickled it all into my head (with liberal doses of the local hooch), then flew home and took the written the next day. Passed it, too!
I'd forgotten most of it within two weeks.
If it makes sense, and you can understand the thinking behind the various bits, it will become like a language you speak.
The only hard bit is the air law: for that, I took the textbook on a two-week holiday and sat under a palm tree while I pickled it all into my head (with liberal doses of the local hooch), then flew home and took the written the next day. Passed it, too!
I'd forgotten most of it within two weeks.
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 3,077
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From: Oop North, UK
Best advice I had for doing the exams was, RTBQ (Read The B***** Question), especially with the way the CAA seem to twist their wording sometimes it is only to easy to end up answering a question they have not asked!
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 871
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From: Chichester, UK
Confuser, Confuser, Confuser. Buy it!
Read a book - I use Thom's, but there are others - and make brief notes (couple of pages per chapter). When you're done with that do the Confuser practice exam. Look at what you got wrong, try and understand why, go back and learn it. Repeat as required.
With Air Law there is a lot of information to learn and you cannot easily guess answers - i.e. a typical question is
[quote]
Unless authorised by ATC, an aircraft operating below FL100 under VFR or SVFR in class D airspace must carry
(a) VHF radio, transponder modes A & C
(b) VHF radio only
(c) VHF radio, transponder modes A & C, VOR
<hr></blockquote>
(b, in case you care). There isn't really an alternative to just learning stuff like that. However, the confuser is a big help to getting an idea of how much you know - and there is a certain similarity between the confuser questions and the exam... <img src="wink.gif" border="0">
Read a book - I use Thom's, but there are others - and make brief notes (couple of pages per chapter). When you're done with that do the Confuser practice exam. Look at what you got wrong, try and understand why, go back and learn it. Repeat as required.
With Air Law there is a lot of information to learn and you cannot easily guess answers - i.e. a typical question is
[quote]
Unless authorised by ATC, an aircraft operating below FL100 under VFR or SVFR in class D airspace must carry
(a) VHF radio, transponder modes A & C
(b) VHF radio only
(c) VHF radio, transponder modes A & C, VOR
<hr></blockquote>
(b, in case you care). There isn't really an alternative to just learning stuff like that. However, the confuser is a big help to getting an idea of how much you know - and there is a certain similarity between the confuser questions and the exam... <img src="wink.gif" border="0">
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 190
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From: The Death Star
Have to echo the words above, buy the confuser!
I've done all the PPL exams and if you can attaing high 80's and 90's in the confuser you should be up to the standard for the exams.
However, make sure you read all the stuff, its not there for no reason. In terms of actually how to revise, I read the books and highlighted the key points in each section, I copied these poitns into a revision notebook and then sat practice papers. Anything I got wrong in the practice papers I re-read, and it worked.
The PPL Confuser is a great aid, and AFE now do an Air Law questions and answer similar to the confuser, sugest you buy it, however their thick book of questions and answers is full of wrong answers so I dopn't personally recommend it!
Good luck and happy flying,
Rusty.
I've done all the PPL exams and if you can attaing high 80's and 90's in the confuser you should be up to the standard for the exams.
However, make sure you read all the stuff, its not there for no reason. In terms of actually how to revise, I read the books and highlighted the key points in each section, I copied these poitns into a revision notebook and then sat practice papers. Anything I got wrong in the practice papers I re-read, and it worked.
The PPL Confuser is a great aid, and AFE now do an Air Law questions and answer similar to the confuser, sugest you buy it, however their thick book of questions and answers is full of wrong answers so I dopn't personally recommend it!
Good luck and happy flying,
Rusty.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 274
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From: Location, Location
I am sitting at work between Xmas nad New year- this is proving to be a great time to revise Nav <img src="wink.gif" border="0">
My method is the write it down as you go one - yep, you end up rewriting the book, but I find it helps with understanding rather than just learning the facts.
The confuser is definately a huge help, although I have to confess to feeling a teensy bit guilty about using it. Especially when questions out of it actually come up in the exam...
Still - gotta get 'em to go flying!
Hersh
My method is the write it down as you go one - yep, you end up rewriting the book, but I find it helps with understanding rather than just learning the facts.
The confuser is definately a huge help, although I have to confess to feeling a teensy bit guilty about using it. Especially when questions out of it actually come up in the exam...
Still - gotta get 'em to go flying!
Hersh
PPruNaholic!
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Buckinghamshire
Ian_Wannabe: I'm also sitting at "work" today - so you get the benefit of my input as well I'm afraid... <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
I think its good you're doing the "Air Bore" first - best to get it out of the way: the rest are more interesting (because they're mostly about flying!), and therefore easier to make stick in your brain.
As has already been said, definitely buy yourself a copy of the Confuser. Armed with this and the text book I would:
1) Read the text book from cover to cover, making bullet point notes of anything that seems relevant along the way. Yes, sometimes that will mean writing out a loot of cr&p, but I believe this is effective as whenever information goes IN through your eyes and then OUT through your arm, it helps to stick in your brain - hopefully just long enough to get through the exam;
2) Go through the Confuser questions resisting the temptation to cheat. Mark yourself - expect low score initially;
3) Now focus only on the questions you got wrong... go back to the text-book, and try to understand the issue for each question you got wrong. Then, re-do the Confuser questions you got wrong and mark yourself again;
4) Repeat until score is better than 90%;
5) Sit the test before you forget!
Hope this helps,
Andy
[ 27 December 2001: Message edited by: Aussie Andy ]</p>
I think its good you're doing the "Air Bore" first - best to get it out of the way: the rest are more interesting (because they're mostly about flying!), and therefore easier to make stick in your brain.
As has already been said, definitely buy yourself a copy of the Confuser. Armed with this and the text book I would:
1) Read the text book from cover to cover, making bullet point notes of anything that seems relevant along the way. Yes, sometimes that will mean writing out a loot of cr&p, but I believe this is effective as whenever information goes IN through your eyes and then OUT through your arm, it helps to stick in your brain - hopefully just long enough to get through the exam;
2) Go through the Confuser questions resisting the temptation to cheat. Mark yourself - expect low score initially;
3) Now focus only on the questions you got wrong... go back to the text-book, and try to understand the issue for each question you got wrong. Then, re-do the Confuser questions you got wrong and mark yourself again;
4) Repeat until score is better than 90%;
5) Sit the test before you forget!
Hope this helps,
Andy
[ 27 December 2001: Message edited by: Aussie Andy ]</p>
