Pilots - Good Self Study Ground School Program?
 

I’m finally at the point that I can realize a lifelong dream of getting my pilot’s license. I’m currently a Flight Test Operations Manager at an aircraft company which affords me easy access to a flying club, as well as numerous friends/coworkers that are active pilots and CFIs. After discussing this goal with my boss (former F18 pilot) he has offered to take me flying for free for practice and building hours. I need to start into ground school, but because of my work/family schedule I don’t have time to easily attend a conventional classroom ground school. Anyone have recommendations for a computer, DVD, or book based self-study ground school program? Of those options I think some sort of interactive computer program sounds the most interesting, but I’m open to other suggestions.

FWIW, I got my private ticket "start to finish" in just a couple of months (cost me under 3 grand total in the mid 90's) and never really took an official "ground school". The cheapest route is to fly several times a week until finished. Dragging it out easily costs some folks over double as they get rusty between spread out lessons and they do not advance very quickly.

I have not looked lately at what books or software is available, but I HIGHLY recommend the Gleim books for test prep. I used them for both my private and AP tickets and passed all tests with high 90's/100's scores after simply going through the Gleim FAA test prep books the week prior to taking tests.

Gleim Aviation: Private Pilot: Books: Test Prep

Whip,

Tim is the best resource...but, PLEASE make sure your Boss (former F-18 driver) is as far away from your training as possible.

If he's involved, your wrist watch will grow to epic proportions, your di?k will shrink and your wife will leave you for another woman.

Trust me.

Rofl. But Paul, he gets to wear pajamas to work!

Maybe the course from Sporty's Pilot Shop?

No doubt women's pajamas:0

There are a few F-18 driver on the board...so, bite me:)

I work with two of them, should I quit today?

Gleim is great as a test prep, IMHO. I would also HIGHLY recommend the Jeppesen hardcover book (it's expensive, but worth it). A lot of my initial Private Pilot students opted for the Cessna program.

There are so many different programs available right now (King, Ron Machado, etc.) it's not even worth getting into them all. They all present the same content, just IMHO the Jeppesen book does so in a very straightforward manner and it's a useful "brush-up" reference.

Best advice is go poke around your local pilot shop and see what jumps out at you but I've never had anyone fail the written or oral using the Jepp/Gleim combination for either a Private, Instrument or Commercial (and I've done several of each).

Best of luck!

Whip,

I apologize for my malfeasance concerning the best, shortest in stature pilots in the world.

Don't quit, poke fun;)

As always, Tim, Joe and the rest of the stiff wing pilots (slodave as well) are more current than I.

I really wish you well in this, Matt. Flying is the best of all worlds...study, learn and when you key the mike, don't stutter:)

You know how to tell the pilots on a nudist beach?

The one with the BIG Ray-Ban sunglasses, LARGE watch on their wrist and a small wee-wee... :)

Take a look at King School of aeronautics. Find a used "private pilot" kit on Ebay or at your local airport.

Like Tim I did not use an organized study situation. You can do it but probably better to have some textbooks. If you need some private help, you know how to get ahold of me...

Here is the fun way to do it:

YOUR WINGS by Jordanoff
Stick and Rudder by Wolfgang Langweische
The Student Pilot Flight Manual by Bill Kershner Kershner Flight Manuals

Once you have digested that then you can go to the more serious stuff.

The Jordanoff book was written around the beginning of WWII. . . a lot of fun.

After a little looking, Gleim and Sporty's both offer reasonably priced online/DVD based ground school programs that include all of the basic stuff for newbies.

Sporty's Deluxe Private Pilot Kit - Sporty's Pilot Shop

Gleim Products: Private Pilot Kit with OGS (Software & OGS)

Any comments between these two? King offers similar things but for twice as much, plus something about those two has always struck me as creepy.:)

the king videos are informative, but boring. you'll go crazy listening to martha.

the gleim books are good. the written exams are a breeze.

get the hardcover jeppesen private pilot manual.

van sickle's "modern airmanship" is another good informative text.

don't fall into the trap of buying useless crap out of sportys, or the such.

if i can get my jeppesen private pilot hardcover book, i'll just send it to you free.

let me ask my tenant if it's still sitting on my bookcase....i'll have him send it, if it's still there.

Thanks Mike, is this the sort of Jepp stuff you're talking about?

Product Information | Private Pilot Part 61 Kit - JeppDirect

I'm looking at the kits because I currently have nothing, they all seem to include the basics that I will need. Good idea, or is it unnecessary?

One thing you do want is the tests in a computerized format. They run you through the writtens back and forth. Once you can get 85% on them using the practice exams, you are ready for the real thing.

When I was doing checkrides if someone showed up with an 85 or above their oral was usually a lot easier than someone who had a 70 or 72 on their writtens.

matt, that's the book im talking about. that appears to be a good deal....i think i paid over $100 just for the book on the left in that picture...and that was like 12 years ago.

as for the test prep....


they give you the actual test questions in the prep material. look at the red gleim book (either online...best, like Joe said) or the actual book for two days, and you should get 100% on the written exam, and it will take you about 10 minutes to take.

i did my CFI written exam (not the Fundamentals of Instruction) in 11 minutes and got a 100%

i did my ATP written in 20 minutes and got a 98%. not bragging, but it's so easy to just memorize the questions with the test prep aids.

id recommend a good self study program. most private pilot ground schools ive observed are a joke.

As others have mentioned, I see no reason for any kind "kit". Joe's suggestion to look for used books on Ebay etc sounds like a good idea to me. I don't think I ever bought any of my books for my private as some pilot friends gave or let me borrow their old stuff. I had a set of the King videos from a friend, but after watching a couple, I got bored and gave up on them.

Between a bit of reading, casually talking with your flight instructor before/during/after flying and a few evenings of going through the Gleim test prep just prior to taking written tests, you will breeze right through the process.

With an engineering college education and with your aviation related work history, I can 100% guarantee you will have no problem bypassing formal "ground school". By the time you get all your flight time in, you will have absorbed all you will need to get your ticket.

I don't have a clue. I got all my licenses back in the 70's and we had to study the FAA books. Probably not doable now. I imagine things have gotten a whole lot harder!

Thanks guys, I'll probably go after the Jepp book used on Amazon and the Gleim test prep book/online course, I'll just pick up the other stuff seperate. As far as basic stuff, I assume I need the following:

Flight bag
E6B flight computer
Logbook
Navigation plotter

Do I need any of the other common books, like the FAR/AIM? Anything else?

Learn to Fly! | King Schools

the best BY FAR... I tried several of them, Sportys, Gleim, etc. the King videos were the only ones that kept my attention. All the other ones were too boring and classroom like. The King videos were full of energy and kept me entertained throughout. To this day, 20 years later, I STILL remember acronyms and such they taught me to remember altitutes, etc..