Best Online Commercial Course

Which ground school do you feel best prepares a pilot for their commercial rating?

  • Sporty's

    Votes: 2 11.8%

  • King Schools

    Votes: 5 29.4%

  • MZeroA

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Fly8MA

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Gleim

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • AeroGuard

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Cardinal

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • AoA

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Other

    Votes: 8 47.1%

  • Sheppard Air

    Votes: 2 11.8%
  • Total voters
    17
flyingpreacher

flyingpreacher

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flyingpreacher
My goal has been to try out different course producers so that I can give good recommendations to my future students and friends who want to get into aviation. I did my Private Pilot ground school through MZeroA (Jason Shappert) and then my Instrument Rating ground school through Sporty's. I liked Sporty's so much that I planned to go back with them for commercial, but then I read the reviews, which basically said that the Sporty's course is a rehash of the Private and Instrument material.

So my question is this: What do you think is the best ground school for commercial? I'll add a poll so you can vote, but I'd love to hear WHY you think that one is better than something else.

I'm also well aware that you probably didn't use more than one school, so you're basically voting on what you used, or maybe voting AGAINST what you used. Bottom line, give your feedback with a reason.
 
Sheppard Air for written test, CFI to learn the maneuvers and how you can/can’t get paid to fly. Study a few regs, constant speed props/pressurization/retracts design, and you’re ready to test.
 
+1 for Sheppard for written. Used them for my instrument, about to take my first practice test for commercial.
 
I moved for work before I finished and never did my ride, but did very well on the written. I didn't vote though, since my written was so long ago...somewhere around about 1999

I'm pretty sure I just studied the old fashioned way using the old Gleim test book (paper) that had every question in it, coupled with the FAR/AIM and a text book or two from my personal library...I think the primary book was one published by Jeppesen as I recall.

Are the King lessons still the old corny sort of presentation that the old VCR tapes were? I think I used them to help with my instrument rating. They were odd but very very good at drilling the test into the old brain so that you did well on it.
 
@Brad W King does have some videos that seem dated in style, but they do a pretty good job of maintaining the new information. I think it just may be John and Martha's personal style that makes it look dated. Nothing against them, obviously with all they've done for the aviation community through the years.
 
I voted for King, but that is because that was the course that I used. I don't have any first hand knowledge of the others. My reason for using King's was that I had satisfactory past experiences with them in other courses and I got a timely email from them for a discount on any of their courses.

They have a younger instructor for many of the courses in the Commercial course, so it seemed to be a little more up to date than what I remember some of the other online courses to be.

I scored a 92 on the written test so I guess it did the job. I did actually feel like I learned the material and not just prepped for a test.
 
For what it’s worth, Sheppard Air is not a ground school. It is only a test prep program, where memorization of the answers to the questions is the goal. It’s a good tool if you’re already know the material, but I would not expect it to teach you anything. It probably has the most accurate bank of questions for the practice tests, but I’d emphasize understanding the concepts rather than memorizing answers.

I’ve used and recommended a few of the online ground schools over the years. The King Schools material is kept current but some segments are getting a bit aged. I’d probably use King, Sportys, or MzeroA.
 
What if I am looking to buy a Comm course, but I can only see results if I vote...but can’t vote cuz I haven’t done one yet?
 
Used Gold Method for test drilling on instrument. Used King at same time to learn material.
 
Took the written comm about 5 years ago but then the DA42 I was going to use for the ride got sold off and I didn't want to do it in a ratty old retract single so I never did the ride. But I did score 100% on the written (and have for the other written tests I took before) all with KIng Schools (private and comm) or Sporty's (Instrument) prep courses. They all do the job - especially if you are a good multiple choice test taker.

I think I may get back on the horse with the comm and maybe even ATP now and I still have the King Schools comm stuff so I might just fire it back up and take the test. Does anyone know if I can combine a 61.58 recurrent for a jet type rating with a commercial certificate?
 
Rgbeard said:
Is there simply an FAA PDF to download that can properly prep someone for the commercial written?
Click to expand...

I think I have seen that for private and I bet it exists for comm too. If you don't need the (often campy - eg King schools) entertainment factor, it's probably the most efficient way to a solid pass.
 
Rgbeard said:
Is there simply an FAA PDF to download that can properly prep someone for the commercial written?
Click to expand...
Not really. Sheppard Air is the most straightforward way to pass in my experience. They have the actual question database that you study. I've tried to cheap it out on some tests, but did not do as well as when I used shep.
 
fiveninerzero said:
Not really. Sheppard Air is the most straightforward way to pass in my experience. They have the actual question database that you study. I've tried to cheap it out on some tests, but did not do as well as when I used shep.
Click to expand...
The only problem is Shep doesn’t give you your 61.35 endorsement to take the written. That’s where your other ground schools have advantage.
 
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