Read the book first - don't study just from the confuser. The questions in the exam are a bit different and you should understand why answer B is the right one.

The books - apart from Air Law - are really interesting and they are a good read. They provide you with all the knowledge you will need for your PPL exams.

I usually read a chapter, make notes, run through notes and then move to the next chapter, once i finish the book, i run through all the notes i made and if I don't understand something fully, I go back to it and read through the certain chapter in the book again.


Once I think I have it all in my head, i do the confuser questions quite a few times. If i get something wrong - I read the explanation and on a seperate sheet of paper i write the question number down.. as with every other wrong answer.

Confuser is useful, really useful but it shouldn't be used as a primary source of information for your PPL exams.

Study for PPL exams hard.. ATPL comes next. :E

I found the confuser very useful as a study aid and I imagine it to be required reading for those sitting the UK CAA exams. However there are national differences in the way that PPL questions are set, and in my case (Belgium) the actual exam questions were very different in both format and content from those in the confuser.

Make sure you localise the air law exam to the location you train in as this can trip you up.

On the textbook side I found the Thom books well written with good content and quite user friendly.

Best of luck.

Ppl Books
 

Hi all,

I have started my PPL lessons and was wondering which ones are the BEST PPL books for the exams??? as there is so much choice available in the market!!!

Is there any one who wants to Offload their PPL Confuser by any chance??

Thanks in advance!!!

confuser is a must IMO and really help you out even though it has some mistakes which generally does "confuse" you.

I used this set for my PPL and found them a fairly easy read. I backed up a couple of subjects with OAT cd roms, including MET and aircraft tech.

Air Pilot's Manual Volume 1- Flying Training @ Flightstore Pilot Supplies

I used the AFE books, I also have the Trevor Thom Air Law/Met book and in general I far preferred the AFE ones. Much easier to read, and they have useful self-test questions at the end of each section. I used these in conjunction with the Confuser (essential) and did very well.
There's a confuser-type book as part of the AFE set but it's nowhere near as good as the 'proper' confuser.

I endorse what liam548 said: the PPL confuser has a small number of mistaken answers (<2%?), but it is very effective at getting you through the exams.

I got my worst exam result in my strongest subject (Nav), possibly because I took it before I discovered the confuser, (though a ruler malfunction didn't help either...)

The IMC confuser is pretty good too, when you get on to that.

If you want to understand the subjects in depth, neither exams nor confuser may be appropriate, but that wasn't your question!

There must be a story in here. Tell us.

(Back on topic: I used the AFE/Jeremy Pratt ones and got first passes in all subjects. I've not seen the Trevor Thom ones so I can't compare. AFE and TT used to be the only two book series for the PPL but I seem to remember someone here announcing a third supplier a while ago. Maybe Oxford, but I'm not sure.)

Hi

All the books are significantly cheaper from Amazon by the way.

For example Flying Training (Vol 1) is £15.49 at Amazon compared with £23.00 from the various pilot shops. Also, delivery is free.

Steve

Some might say I'm being unfair to the ruler, but here goes:

Near the start of the exam I had to measure some distances. One of them was too long for my trusty Radio Nav plotter, so I used my nav ruler for the first time. It was about 6 inches long, so that last mark on the end had to be 60 nm, didn't it...

At last I came to a multiple choice answer which was impossible given my distances, and I went back and reworked the paper. Quite stressful, as I recall.

The moral is RTFR - Read The ****ing Ruler.

BOOKS
 

I´m looking for some books for my PPL,

Airlife Trevor Thom The Air Pilot´s Manual, I need 2, 3, 4 and 5

If anyone have some I could shop it, here in Sapin it´s so much difficult to found this book, aren´t in any shops here.

Are they good books?


BEST REGARDS, JOSE LUIS

Yes, they're good books. You don't need vol 5 for PPL yet and I'd recommend Vol 1 and 6 as well.

Amazon.co.uk will ship to Spain.

Cheers

Whirls

Aren't the books that are cheaper on Amazon generally older editions? The £15.49 Trevor Thom ones look like they're 2003 editions - I know it probably doesn't make much difference in some areas but I don't think I'd want to be learning Air Law from a 6 year old book.

Having completed my exams using the Air Pilots Manual Series I think the confuser is a must, since it helps you understand the type of questions you will get and that familiarity saves time in the exam.

(Although not directly related to the question) I recommend for the Nav exam that you practice finding locations on the chart using the latitude and longitude scales. I overlooked this, and since I wasn't fluent at it spent 10 minutes of shear panic trying to find the required locations, without which the whole exam is a no go. I know its a basic thing but not necessarily easy when the nerves have cut in at the start of the exam.
A friend of mine had exactly the same experience.

Hi

No, they just haven't updated their cover artwork and associated information. They definitely ship the latest editions - I bought the whole set except radio nav.

Steve

yes amazon.co.uk will send to Spain.

They will be written in English obviously!, not sure if they do a Spanish version?

I used TrevorThom and passed everything first time (self study).

The Confuser seems to be considered as essential, but I got through all exams with a good result using the AFE books only.

I where about to buy the confuser but didn't do it in time for my first exam (airlaw) and had to rely on the "Private Pilot's Licence Course PPL Question & Answer Simplifier" by AFE. This went well so I decided not to buy the Confuser and used this book for all other tests as well. It has 3 mock tests for each subject and a really useful "essential review" for each subject. It has explanations to why a certain answer is correct using crossreferences to the other books in the series.

Private Pilot's Licence Course PPL Question & Answer Simplifier : AFE

If you're going to be doing your PPL in Spain, presumably under the oversight of the Spanish CAA and in Spanish, you should probably get Spanish PPL books too.

Particularly your "air law" books need to reflect the way JAR-FCL and a bunch of other regulations are put into Spanish law, while both the Trevor Thom and Jeremy Pratt books cover the way it's been put in UK law.

Question?
 

I going to do my PPL in UK,Stapleford, next week.I´m from Spain but I have decided to do it in UK.
I need the PPL books, I have three of seven , the collection is Airlife, author: Trevor Thom, The Air pilot´s Manual, I need the others four, but there are many collections of the same author, the difference is the publication year.will I have any problem if they are a little old?Are there different concepts?

Are there any problem with the licences?, because I only going to do in UK my PPL licence and my ATPL(A),the rest in Spain,

I think is JAA all Europe and I can do my licences where I want, is this correctc?

THANK YOU.

Best PPL study books
 

I am looking for a set of brand new PPL study books. I think oxfords are the most expensive ones but are they the best?

Would love all opinions !!

Thanks

I used Jeremy Pratt's stuff...under the AFE umbrella I believe.

A good set of books and the PPL confuser is what you need.

Amazon can save you a fortune in this pursuit.

Likewise, I found JP's AFE books very good some years ago, nicely written, well presented diagrams/illustrations/photos.

Trevor Thom's books are good but apparantly some find them a bit 'dry' and a little dull. I've only used book 5 of his series (RNAV/IMC) and thought it was fine. both of these (& is there another set???) have their fans and detractors.

Def. get a confuser (will make exams alot easier) but make sure it's a current one if you are buying from Amazon as some sellers try to palm off old editions. I was looking for an IMC confuser last year and a fair few vendors were selling the previous one rather than the latest edition.

Amazon is a good move tho' as the confuser was a few pounds cheaper and the latest TThom Vol.5 was £8 cheaper, brand new but 'seconds' just because it had a tiny black mark on one edge for god's sake!!!!!

Have used AFE and Trevor Thom books:
 

I purchased the AFE / Jeremy Pratt books and my colleague who is also learning to fly has the Trevor Thom books.

I find the AFE books much, much easier to read and to understand.
Another plus of the AFE books is that there are only 5 books to cover all of the exams for the PPL compared with 7 for the Trevor Thom (which makes them cheaper as well).

A word on the PPL Confuser:
It is an invaluable tool for passing the PPL exams. I am told that unfortunately the author has died and the copyright for the book is in probate, hence the current version of the book is out of print.
Check on ebay and make sure you get the current version (Edition 9, I think)

The PPL confuser is brilliant after reading the books, as it gets you thinking (trained up) on 95% of what you will be asked in the exams. If you get a question wrong, simply go back and re read the book on that particular point.

However ...the PPL Confuser has some errors, especially the Nav section exercises.

example: Bodmin to Okehampton 081T instead of 061T. Some of the Lat/Long are out too, but you can still find or work out where they mean. And some of the answers in the later editions are printed in bold type.

Books: Trevor Thom
Flight computer: CRP 1, otherwise the Trevor Thom Nav book doesn't help much! You also need a chart, protractor and ruler to work through the book.

I've managed fine with the AFE books and the confuser.

What's this 'books'? If you use Phil Croucher's there is only one book, with everything you need. You can even get it in Norwegian!

Thank you everyone, i have purchased the AFE books, and they seem to be well written from what ive looked at so far.

Thanlks for all the help :)

CBT
 

Has anyone ever studied and passed their exams using CBTs instead of textbooks?

Are the OAA CBTs designed to complement or replace the tradiational PPL manuals?

I've got some Oxford CBT stuff but they go beyond what you need for PPL - useful if you want to progress further though.

Like most of the others, I've been using the AFE books but find their Confuser style book misses out a few things so supplement it with the AirQuiz website.....so far so good!

I invested in the OAT CBT and must say that I find it much easier to take in that reading the books. CBT and the confuser would probably be enough but I did pick a set of Pooleys 'Air Pilot's Manual' to read for when the CBT doesn't sink in or if it's inconvenient to use the CBT i.e. lunch break at work.

Air Pilots Manual
 

Hello to everybody,

I will be commencing my initial PPL training with Multiflight in January.

I have been advised to purchase copies of the Air Pilots Manuals (Trevor Thom & co) and already have a copy of Volume 1.

I have been looking through Amazon and there appears to be a good number of used copies, some for as litle as 1p plus postage.

Now I know that six books shouldnt be my main concern financially when considering a career in the skies however I would like to try and save a few pounds here and there where possible.

Would anybody know if the earlier publications of these books are still relevant today. I would imagine that perhaps Air Law and Navigation may have altered somewheat since the late 80's but would there be significant diferences in the majority of content?

I must streess that I am no cheap skate and am more than prepared to spend the money :ok:......just wisely!!

Many thanks

Steve

You must get the up to date Air Law book (with Met) but the others would all be OK. Can't think how Nav would have changed since the 80s; dead reckoning is dead reckoning :}

However, you won't need Radio Nav until later in your career and neither will you need the Comms volume as you can download CAP413 for free.

Cheers

Whirls

You must get the up to date books and as you want to be wise with your money, try BookkooB : Cheap Books, whichever way you look at it they have all the books to compare and you will get them brand new for alot cheaper than the pilot shops.

Good luck with PPL

VFR

Hey,

Thanks very much for your quick response.

Thats great advice and I'll be sure to take a look into that.

Many thanks,

Stephen

Steve,

I did what you suggest & got the Thom books either second hand or via the internet book sellers who have a lot of new stock at knock down prices, one came from Browns in Hull I recall.

Lady Whirls II is right about getting a new Air Law book, I did my training on Microlights so had to get the Microlight version anyway, but you need to be right up to date there.

BTW - Personal preference was for the RT book in the Airlife series as I found CAP413 hard going (I went straight to the end of the story, turned out it was the ATCO did it!). At the RT exam I was asked if I'd read any of CAP413 to which I replied that I hadn't. When the examiner saw the book he commented that it was the content of CAP413, just written in terms us microlighters could understand.

Books for PPL
 

Hi Stephen,

The Trevor Thom books are not the only range for PPL. There is also the Jeremy Pratt series which some prefer, as the Thom writing style is apt to be a bit turgid.

I would also suggest you buy your books individually as you need them rather than buying the whole Thom set.

This way you can compare the Thom and Pratt books together for each subject and choose whichever one you prefer.

It is as well to know which edition is current and then buy only that edition, (irrespective of where you buy it,) in order to have the most up to date edition.

Broomstick.

Hi all,

Again some great advice coming through here.

I've decided to purchase a copy of Jeremy Pratt's Air Law, Operational Procedures, Communications: Volume 2.

There seems to be a recurring theme that the Air Pilots Manual's are a little tricky to get to grips with so as I already own Volume 1, I can now hopefully compare the two styles of writing and make a judgement on which suits me best.

Thanks for the tips and I'll keep you posted!

Steve

Hi Stephen.

I purchased the Pooleys starter kit with all new current books and most other equipment you will need all in a shiny new bag.

If you know of anyone else starting training with you consider a group buy Pooleys might offer a little more discount and it saves a lot on buying all items seperately.

Liam

Hi all,

Thanks for some great advice earlier this week.

I purchased a copy of the Jeremy Pratt volume 2 manual, which arived this morning and I'll be sure to let everybody know how I get on with it.

My initial thoughts are that is appears much simpler than the Air Pilots Manual volume 1 which I already own.

...not to mention some stuff you won't need, can be purchased elsewhere for a lesser price, or will be outdated by the time you'll need it.

Beautiful thing, hindsight:O