How do you study for exams?
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How do you study for exams?
I mean, its not like being at school and having the teachers drum it into you regularly until you understand, and its not like you get a specific set time frame to do it in. So how did you PPLers do it? Was it mostly a get the book and study thing, or did you have p2p interaction?
Dir. PPRuNe Line Service
I don't look upon the PPL exams as "something to pass" - they are they to check that at least I have the theoretical knowledge to safely aviate. Whether I have the practical skills is a different matter...
My plan was to read the relevant book (either Pratt or Thom, both are excellent), then after each chapter I did the exercises for that chapter. Any area I'm weak on I noted down, then went back through the chapter and underlined that point.
While I was reading I tried to think how each thing I've learnt relates to flying a light aircraft. Sometimes this is easy, e.g. in the air overtake on the right. Sometimes it's hard, e.g. the minimum age for granting a pilots' license is ?? years. In my case I'm "over 21" so that doesn't matter to me!
The day before the exam I used the confuser for revision, again noting which areas I was weak on.
This works well for me, I've passed each exam I've taken first time. I've only got the performance and the radio exams to do now.
--Mik
My plan was to read the relevant book (either Pratt or Thom, both are excellent), then after each chapter I did the exercises for that chapter. Any area I'm weak on I noted down, then went back through the chapter and underlined that point.
While I was reading I tried to think how each thing I've learnt relates to flying a light aircraft. Sometimes this is easy, e.g. in the air overtake on the right. Sometimes it's hard, e.g. the minimum age for granting a pilots' license is ?? years. In my case I'm "over 21" so that doesn't matter to me!
The day before the exam I used the confuser for revision, again noting which areas I was weak on.
This works well for me, I've passed each exam I've taken first time. I've only got the performance and the radio exams to do now.
--Mik
The Original Whirly
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People vary as to the best way to study, but this is what I did.
I read through each book first without trying too hard to remember anything, just understanding and making sense of the subject and knowing how much work I was likely to have to do for it. I then went through again slowly, doing the exercises at the back etc. Then I went through again and used the Confuser, and swotted specifically for the exam. I set aside specific periods to study, never longer than about an hour and half without at least a short break, as I found it counterproductive after that time; I just couldn't take anything in.
It sounds like a lot, but learning stuff takes me a long time; maybe you'll be quicker. And I passed them all first time that way, so I must have done something right. I did my CPL ground exams in a similar fashion, though I did go on a couple of courses for those as I couldn't understand half the stuff by myself
Good luck!
I read through each book first without trying too hard to remember anything, just understanding and making sense of the subject and knowing how much work I was likely to have to do for it. I then went through again slowly, doing the exercises at the back etc. Then I went through again and used the Confuser, and swotted specifically for the exam. I set aside specific periods to study, never longer than about an hour and half without at least a short break, as I found it counterproductive after that time; I just couldn't take anything in.
It sounds like a lot, but learning stuff takes me a long time; maybe you'll be quicker. And I passed them all first time that way, so I must have done something right. I did my CPL ground exams in a similar fashion, though I did go on a couple of courses for those as I couldn't understand half the stuff by myself
Good luck!
PPRuNe Handmaiden
As has been said, different folks have different methods of study.
I make a summary of the notes I took in class or chapter of a book. Reread them every so often.
Come revision time for the exams I make a topic heading and then write every thing I can remember about it. Then use the notes to check my scribblings. This ensures I know the topic, not the answer to some feedback question.
I try to ask myself as many different versions of the same question so it won't be a surprise in the exam.
I also use feedback questions as a adjunct to the study, not the backbone to it. If the exam bank changes, you can be in trouble.
This technique worked for 14 out of 14 JAR ATPL exams
I make a summary of the notes I took in class or chapter of a book. Reread them every so often.
Come revision time for the exams I make a topic heading and then write every thing I can remember about it. Then use the notes to check my scribblings. This ensures I know the topic, not the answer to some feedback question.
I try to ask myself as many different versions of the same question so it won't be a surprise in the exam.
I also use feedback questions as a adjunct to the study, not the backbone to it. If the exam bank changes, you can be in trouble.
This technique worked for 14 out of 14 JAR ATPL exams
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I don't view the PPL exams as something to pass either, just that there are a lot of them and when you're 16, doing 5 AS + CSLA, have modulars in January, going solo soon but have the pass te Air Law b4 January...plus all the other exams I didn't mention deliberately,then studying gets mega hard. I gues I'm going through the reading stage (understanding) b4 I think about the passing. There is just so little time to do so many things!
Thanks for your views, all very helpful. I'll probably combine the 3.
Thanks for your views, all very helpful. I'll probably combine the 3.
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My theory for doing PPL exams...
I did all mine during my A-levels. So, sign up for some A-levels, and youŽll find revising for the PPL exams no problem at all. Compared to some of the mind-numbingly boring crap I had to do for Geography reading about hypoxia was really quite interesting.
I did all mine during my A-levels. So, sign up for some A-levels, and youŽll find revising for the PPL exams no problem at all. Compared to some of the mind-numbingly boring crap I had to do for Geography reading about hypoxia was really quite interesting.
