Thread: best method of learning for exams

Good evening all,
Can any one help me in regards to learning for my ppl exams. Whats the best method of learning/remembering all the info needed to pass the exams. perhaps Morbz and anyone else who has gone through the whole process.

Originally Posted by jigglyjohnson

Good evening all,
Can any one help me in regards to learning for my ppl exams. Whats the best method of learning/remembering all the info needed to pass the exams. perhaps Morbz and anyone else who has gone through the whole process.

Hi! An answer you may be given is to buy the Trevor Thom books and learn all the theory and the exams will come naturally. I would recommend reading these books and making sure you understand everything, but ultimately for the exams I recommend the PPL Confuser. This was one of the best books I have ever bought and is absolutely brilliant. It contains the majority of the PPL exam questions and going over these questions a few times before the exam will give you great marks guaranteed.

If you prefer to know everything about each subject and then go onto the PPL confuser then I recommend sitting with a notepad and making notes, brainstorms, creating crazy/stupid ways of remembering things (I often found using swear words helped...maybe that's just me), making posters with main points. Everyone's revision methods are different. My personal favourite was writing notes and then writing notes on my notes until ultimately I was left with a single sentence or even a word that triggered an explosion of knowledge.

Hope this helps a bit. I'm sure some others will give you their words of wisdom.

I did it the old fashioned way Jiggly...read the trevor thom books, made notes, drew diagrams,re-read the dull bits and did the questions at the end of each chapter and like Ads says used the PPL confuser. Most flying clubs do evening classes which I am sure would help and these interactive cd roms look a nice way of learning. You can also do these intesive courses over a few days although I would recommend you read the books first. You'll learn enough to pass the exams but you wont cover the subjects in enough depth in a few days

Like the above I used the PPL confuser and self study with the books, although the PPL Confuser is no longer in existance because I believe the author passed away. I think there is a newer alternative coming out but I am yet to see it myself.

Everyone's method of studying is different, for me I just read the books and made pencil notes in them but you can buy interactive CD's from the likes of Oxford if your not much of a "read and learn" kind of person.

Another tip is perhaps sign up to AirQuiz if it's still in existance. An online database of pretty much all old PPL questions to help you highlight your weaker areas. I think I paid about £20 for a 2 year subscription. Google it, it might be of use!

Morbz

*Edited*- link for Airquiz http://www.airquiz.com/

Yes some good advice from the posts above.

Dont get bogged down in too much of the information in the Trevor Thom books, some of the detail is not needed. Make some notes of your own but keep them brief.

The PPL confuser is a fantastic book to use once you have read the manuals. It will help you really get a feel for the questions in the exams... as most of the questions that come up will be the same.

Do, however, make sure that you understand the material and can talk about it a small part, as you will have to answer a few questions from the examiner/instructor on the test flight!

I have recently bought the AFE PPL Simplifier - this has helped me out loads!

My testing scores are looking so much healthier now - I have been tied up with Air Law for so long as the Trevor Thom books make it seem so hard to learn at times.

The AFE book has broken it down in an easily digestable way, with 2 test exams per subject, and answers with full explainations.

Well worth the money!

chris i also have the ppl confuser thanks to a very kind paul in admin i have the trevorthom books 1,2 and 4 in the series and at the moment im reading through each book in turn and making mental notes in my head and im also getting my wife to ask me questions on the subjects at random to see if my brain is holding what i read.

still a long way to go though, how you doing with airlaw chris will it be long before you attempt the exam, what sort of hours have you got to do before you take the exam?

I am getting near the end of my revision now, and getting confident to sit the exam.

You can sit the exam with zero hours if you wish, same with all the exams. But I find that a little bit of experience helps you understand the content and questions involved. It makes it easier to understand why these laws and operational procedures exist.

I have faced several situations that involve manouvres found in the Air Law manuals...

* Keeping a ground feature on your left when following it (River Severn)
* Turning right when you are in a head-on collision situation (unfortunate that the 3-axis Microlight pilot turned left... whats that all about?)
* Situation requiring me to overtake on the taxiway.
* Understanding taxiway signs and marks, and using the CAP413 R/T manual (available online for free) to polish my radio work.

- The 'Green is a smaller airfield, and thus has a small field R/T at times (not CAP413!). I just ensure that my R/T is tidy and accurate, reporting holding points like "Callsign, Alpha Fife, Ready for Departure" and so on instead of just "Callsign, Ready for Departure".

Overall Jiggly, be pedantic over every single thing! Make sure its right! Everybody else could be screwing it up around you, stepping in on your R/T conversation, flying a 200 Mile Final etc, as long as you know you're doing it safe and correct, thats all that matters.

chris sounds like your enjoying your flight training mate where can i get a copy of the cap manual you mentioned for r/t could you post a link if poss mate

when are your next lot of lessons

Hi Jiggly,

Here you go: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/cap413.pdf

My next lot of lessons? Probably when I have a penny to my name haha. Having houses and fiancee's and expensive festive times of year approaching makes it awkward! Might raid the savings for 2 more lessons while I have time off work still untaken and the weather is not white and fluffy!