Which PPL study books?

[Odai]

Hello,

After a very long break from flying due to medical reasons, I am trying my best to get back into it.

While I wait for things to be sorted out with the CAA, I thought I'd finish off all my ground exams and get my RT license.

My question relates to two things.

Firstly, the books I purchased (all from AFE, Jeremy Pratt) when I first started were published in 2007 (apart from the Meteorology and Navigation one, which is from 2008). I'm pretty sure I'll have to purchase a new copy of the air law book, but will I have to buy a new copy of any of the other books? Have their been any significant ammendments to what I should know for the exams?

Secondly, I found the style of these books to be poorly suited to the way I learn. The technical side of things, especially with regards to the physics behind meteorology and the mechanics, was explained very poorly (and often incorrectly) from a scientific perspective. I realise the vast majority of PPL holders and students do not have a scientific background (and that the books therefore have to be written with little assumption of scientific knowledge), but for a student like me who does, are there any books out there that are more suited to my style? I felt due to the way the author was explaining the material, there was an excessive amount of information I would not have needed otherwise and that it therefore became more difficult to wade through.

Also, the AFE books were black and white, with few pretty coloured pictures.

I would greatly appreciate any advice you may have.

Thanks,

Odai.

[4015]

Odai,

I don't think much has changed, only the Air Law. If you have a spare £100 lying about then buy a brand new full set of books. If not, I still use my old ones for reference (The spin recovery technique hasn't changed, and the use of a slip'n'slide rule has been the same for thousands of years, so no new books needed there). Just use a bit of thought, what might have changed, what definitely won't?

My books were Pooley's. Plenty of colourful pictures. I think they were about 2008 too, and they still work nicely. I never got on with the AFE stuff, the Pooley's are fine but...

I suffer the same problem as you wrt the over simplification, even with the ATPLs. Unfortunately I don't think there is a way around it, just sit tight and learn to skim read.

4015

[Wibblemonster]

Don't waste your money, I've just passed all my exams using 2001 editions of the Pratt books. There are changes, most notably to radar services provided, but everything else is pretty much the same.

[Odai]

Sorry to bump this thread (very late thanks to 4015 and Wibblemonster BTW ), but I have a quick question regarding these PPL study books.

I purchased the Pooleys APM Air Law book back in May. I ended up sticking with it as I found the information to be more concisely presented than the AFE books I used to use.

However, when I used the AFE Air Law book back in 2008/9, I remember reading about topics I can't find any mention of in the Pooleys book. Specifically, I am referring to wake turbulence and aviation fuel (differences between JET-A1 and AVGAS, etc).

The AFE books cover those in plenty of detail, whereas there is no information on them in the Pooleys book. I seem to recall them being part of the Air Law syllabus however, so why aren't they covered?

Is there anything else I need to be aware of, that isn't in the Pooleys APMs?

Thanks!

Odai.

[Whopity]

Once upon a time a new set of PPL exam papers was produced annually, but with the advent of JAR the CAA in its wisdom, disposed of its ground examiners thinking they would no longer be needed. As there have never been any "European" exam papers they have struggled to even update those papers they have so chances are the questions are still based on the older books.

[Odai]

Sorry, the older book I used was the AFE book, not the Pooleys. So even if I used the Pooleys Air Law book back in 2008, the content I am referring to would still be missing from the book. I'm also guessing the latest AFE books would still contain the material also.

I guess I could find information on fuel and wake turbulence in AICs, the only problem is I am concerned that there is other information I need to be aware of, but is not present in the book and I simply have not picked up on its absence.

[cockney steve]

I don't know if it is of any help, but I had a set of Trevor Thom's books. By and large,there appeared to be a lot of duplication between them, me , being old and cynical, assumes it was deliberate "padding" to make you buy 6 books instead of 4.

but they wouldn't exploit a poor trainee, would they?

whizz-wheels are extortionately priced, considering the tooling-costs to make/emboss them,must have been recouped about 50 years ago!

Tiny volumes, I hear them cry.......If that's the case, why aren't they all selling the same one from a single manufacturer?
couldn't possibly be that the margin is so fat that they can all afford to develop their own. (or plagiarise the basic scales which remain the same and play with the cosmetics)

Sorry, back on track,- the Thoms I found easy-reading and the repetition did help to refresh the memory. Basic physics really don't alter,so most of the" old " info in your volumes, is still valid.....there are possibly changes in Air Law and new research affecting Human Performance.

it's highly unlikely these changes have filtered through to the exam papers


Even more unlikely,is the possibility thesepotential "fails" would form a significant proportion of the wrong answers you are allowed,whilst still getting a pass.

[Odai]

Many thanks for the input guys, much appreciated.

However, my question was whether there are any topics I should be aware of that aren't covered in the Pooleys Air Law book, other than the topics already mentioned (wake turbulence and fuel). That, and why it isn't covered in the first place.