Hello Ladies/Gents,
This will be the last one for a while,I'm probably boring some of you, so i will apologise for that (just very keen, thats all)....
really need some good advice for this one!... see below
I am looking at passing the theory within a couple months, and doing my flying lessons in parallel.
I have seen on a certain website, that you can do an intensive theory course and pass all seven modules within a week for £1000, and speaking to the women on the phone they have 100% pass rate, which indicates to me they obviously know the exact syllabus/questions and then teach the syllabus accordingly.
Which i guess is fine because as with all things in life, the time you start learning is when your out their doing it for real. To a certain extent of course!
The above is probably not an option for me as i will struggle to book a week off as im self employed, therefore i plan to buy the seven books and teach myself, along with having additional guidance from my instructor. Can anyone recommend me the best set of books to purchase? and also point out the best way to identify the most relevant information in the books for the tests)
Is this theory test similar to how it is for driving a car ( obviously more complex, but same multiple choice Q and A)
GENTS PLEASE ADVISE>>>
Thanks once again. Nate
I used the Trevor Thom books about 8 years ago, and while most people would say that they contain a load of stuff you don't practically need to know, they seemed fairly well written. At the time there was something called the 'PPL confuser' which contained pretty much THE questions and answers in the exams - give or take a few variables. Someone with more recent exam experience can probably tell you the equivalent name of the confuser. But, and this is just my advice, don't rush it or try to cut corners unless you really have urgent time commitments. Sure, the books contain a fair bit of waffle, but being a pilots comes with responsibilities and I don't see having additional knowledge - even if it is rarely used in the air - as a waste of time, not at PPL level.
The exams are not difficult.
Book wise they are all pretty good. Although I tend to think the Trevor Thom series uses a whole paragraph when a sentence would do and for that reason I prefer the Jeremy Pratt books. But as I say all of them deliver what you need.
A few evenings a week reading them. Then answer all the questions at the end of each chapter and to be honest if your getting all these questions correct then you will pass the real exam. If you want a bit of insurance then get hold of a copy of the confuser and do the questions in there they are about as close to the real questions as you can get.
To be honest a few evenings studying and you would be up to speed.
Is this theory test similar to how it is for driving a car...
Yes, basically. Less difficult maybe if you are really interested in aviation :-)
Regarding the other stuff, you must talk to the FTO that is in charge of providing your training! You cannot just put together your own training course and then walk to the autority and sit your exam (unless I missed something and you intend to get an FAA license). Under JAR/EASA, the FTO has to book your exam after you successfully followed one of their approved training courses. They might be able to get an approval for your self-study-under-the-supervision-of-an-instructor scheme, but this will be a time-consuming and costly exercise for them (the FTO where I instruct would certainly refuse to do that, no matter what you paid them, for lack of manpower alone!)
This will be the last one for a while,I'm probably boring some of you, so i will apologise for that (just very keen, thats all)....
Keep asking - that's what this place is for 
The only thing I would say is that the Student Pilots forum might be a better place.
At the time there was something called the 'PPL confuser'
That went out of print when, I believe, the author died. But you can pick it up on Ebay. I bought one for £20 for my son, plus the T/Thom books, but he unfortunately promptly gave up on the theory so that was the end of his lessons. I think the Confuser is getting progressively out of date, however. I found it extremely useful back in 2000 when I was doing this.
while most people would say that they contain a load of stuff you don't practically need to know, they seemed fairly well written
I think all the PPL books are 90% packed with stuff you don't need to know; the problem is "which 90%" There is a lot of stuff you really do need to know for a PPL. Whether you will learn it by the time you get your PPL is a big question............
don't rush it or try to cut corners unless you really have urgent time commitments. Sure, the books contain a fair bit of waffle, but being a pilots comes with responsibilities and I don't see having additional knowledge - even if it is rarely used in the air - as a waste of time, not at PPL level.
Totaly agree with this statement, and rest assured the last thing i plan on doing is cutting corners.
Regarding the other stuff, you must talk to the FTO that is in charge of providing your training! You cannot just put together your own training course and then walk to the autority and sit your exam (unless I missed something and you intend to get an FAA license). Under JAR/EASA,
I mentioned this particular website it is in fact called "www.greatcircles.co.uk"on my first post, i have spoke to them and apparently it is allowed to book the exams directly through them and they just provide you with an adjudicator. (ive heard of a few people doing the self teach method) can some one who has done this same thing recently confirm?
Also Can some one just clarify what is exactly the FAA license, Im only aware of the PPL under Jar/ESA.
... Im actually living in Norway for 12months and then return... after much research...the only way i can do the ppl in my current situation is pass theory in Uk and do the flying practical in Norway, both CAA uk and CAA Norway agree this fine,and then i will be issued a british PPL, as Norway is currently under JAR, and anything which is Jar certified is automatically Easa certified...
Does anyone have a copy of the "confuser" by any chance?
[text/quote formatting fixed up]
An FAA license is one issued by the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States - only of any use if you want to own or fly an N registered aircraft post PPL, which you may well want to do as it can (so long as EASA doesn't try and kill them all off) convey more flexibility and more attainable privileges (e.g. an Instrument rating), but I wouldn't worry about that now. If you want to fly an N reg later, you can fairly easily get a FAA PPL issued based on your EASA PPL.
Hi Nate,
I'm currently going through a ppl course myself (started back in nov/dec 2012) I have now done 5 out of the 7 exams. I'm studying during the week and sitting exams whenever the weather isn't good for flying in the weekends. My advice is to try to get them done before september, when the new 'rules' will require you to sit for 9 exams in 6 sittings and have some hours of formal classroom training. (see
The exams aren't hard at all. It's just a matter of understanding the subject and working out some mock pappers. I used the Jeremy Pratt books. Don't be intimidated with the fact that there are 5 books... I believe the entire syllabus could have been squeezed into one as there is a lot of repetition and general flaffing around.
I also used airquiz.com and Pilot's Manuals Q&A book 8 (borrowed one from the club). The book is really good and prepares you for the exam better than the confuser IMHO.
Geekyflyer, so you confirm it's perfectly allowed to self teach and book the exams when you wish? Also can you recommend a venue to book these at? Cheers Nate
I believe things are changing now so that at least some formal groundschool becomes mandatory for the PPL exams. Not sure when this comes in. Perhaps it arrives when the two new exams arrive.
It basically depends on what your flying school will allow, since they administer the exams.
When I did mine (spring/summer 2011) I didn't do a single minute of formal groundschool. I read the Jeremy Pratt books, got a feel for the exam questions using AirQuiz.com, and when I felt I was ready for a particular exam I turned up at ops desk and asked to sit it. Any instructor who had a spare five minutes would then take one out of the filing cabinet in the CFI's office and shut me in a room with it for the prescribed time. I'd then hand it in to ops if no instructor was available to mark it there and then.
They really aren't difficult. It is just a case of remembering stuff, some of it relevant to flying and most of it not. Watch out for double-negatives and various other trick questions. If you're interested in flying and the subject matter in general, it'll be easy to learn.
