Best test prep software IR written exam?

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skynewbie

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I'm taking an IR ground school and the FAA no longer publishes test questions and many new changes coming to the written exam from what I've heard. I have the 2014 ASA prep software for the IR written. What other test prep software has been useful to folks who've passed it? Is Dauntless or Shepard Air any good?
 
I still think Gleim makes the best stuff out there. They track the tests well and they have really good image display (and related) tools so you can do all your studying with just the software and not have to carry around the figures book.
 
I have used the gliem programs from IR to ATP. Always worked for me.
 
King. Sportys has good stuff. Sheppard if you want to memorize answers.
 
Thanks! I'll try these out. Then look at a boot camp training program like PIC or AFIT since I'd rather use my vacation this year to finish the rating.
 
skynewbie said:
I'm taking an IR ground school and the FAA no longer publishes test questions and many new changes coming to the written exam from what I've heard. I have the 2014 ASA prep software for the IR written. What other test prep software has been useful to folks who've passed it? Is Dauntless or Shepard Air any good?
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Go to www.asa2fly.com. On the home page, under Resources, click on Updates.
Jackie Spanitz has just returned from a meeting with the test writers and has the latest scoop. (Have to mention that the Kings, Gleim, et al were also at the meeting.)

Bob Gardner
 
King, Gleim, Gardner, and Levy all did a great job for the comprehension of the material. SheppardAir was the best written test prep.
 
Awesome thanks so much Bob. By the way I'm reading your new book The Complete Advanced Pilot which is a fantastic aviation book just like your excellent Say Again aviation communication book.
 
skynewbie said:
Awesome thanks so much Bob. By the way I'm reading your new book The Complete Advanced Pilot which is a fantastic aviation book just like your excellent Say Again aviation communication book.
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Plus 1
 
Shepard Air... Scored 98 on my IR written. I used King as well.
 
King worked for me on the PP (100%) and IR (97% or something like that). YMMV.
 
Triggerhappyjack said:
Does one work better than another on an IPAD?
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King: Uses Flash to drive the interface, so Safari and Chrome browsers on iPad won't work work for their online product. You'll need to use the Photon Browser.

SheppardAir: No to iPad. Yes to Windows PCs. Unknown on Mac.

Dauntless: The Ride Ready product works on PC's and iPads. No info on the written prep.

Sportys & ASA: Both have apps in the store that mirror the books and DVD's.

Did that answer your question?
 
Sheppard Air has an Ipad app now. YOu don't pay them for the interface though..
 
Doing King test prep now, about 1/2way through.. solid explanations, no-nonsense approach.

Using laptop 89% of the time but also bought Photon app for ipad use. OK, but the figures are a bit hard for these old eyes to see on the ipad Mini.
 
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Thanks I use a MacBook Pro so as long as Shepard Air works on Mac OS X then I'm good to go.
 
AggieMike88 said:
King: Uses Flash to drive the interface, so Safari and Chrome browsers on iPad won't work work for their online product. You'll need to use the Photon Browser.

SheppardAir: No to iPad. Yes to Windows PCs. Unknown on Mac.

Dauntless: The Ride Ready product works on PC's and iPads. No info on the written prep.

Sportys & ASA: Both have apps in the store that mirror the books and DVD's.

Did that answer your question?
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What's the diff between the King DVD and King Online (except for faster ability to update questions or material)?
 
Jaybird180 said:
What's the diff between the King DVD and King Online (except for faster ability to update questions or material)?
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That's about it. The online version can be updated as needed. The DVD version is more a "what you see is what you get" deal.
 
The other difference between King online vs dvd is with online, you can access it anywhere you have a net connection.

It was nice to sit at my local sandwich shops with the iPad and headphones, and learn IFR knowledge whilst satisfying my gastronomic needs.
 
AggieMike88 said:
The other difference between King online vs dvd is with online, you can access it anywhere you have a net connection.

It was nice to sit at my local sandwich shops with the iPad and headphones, and learn IFR knowledge whilst satisfying my gastronomic needs.
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I thought you had the DVD set....oh well....

Do you get updates for life with the online version? In case you wanted to review the material or didn't take the test within a certain period of time.
 
I'm about halfway through the Sporty's videos. It's a TON of information. I might watch through parts of them a second or even third time. I've not looked at a single test question so I really don't know what to expect yet.
 
Sportys makes a good IFR test prep. They have a free version called study buddy that I am using to supplement ASA and Sheppard Air.
 
I've been using King. I blazed thru the lessons in about 5 days. Scored 92 and 96 percent on my first two practice tests. I'll be going thru all the lessons again, but I really do like their online course...and call me weird, but I like their goofiness and enjoy watching Martha age 20 years in between scenes, lol.
 
Being arrested took its toll on her.
 
Anybody that utters the phrase "enjoy watching Martha" is weird, but hey if that's your thing....:lol:
 
EminiTrader said:
Shepard Air... Scored 98 on my IR written. I used King as well.
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I used Gleim and King and also scored 98. I studied for close to a year, just going over the material over and over because I knew that any subject area that I got wrong would result in an extended oral session and I wanted to keep that as short as humanly possible.

In the end I still had to sweat out a 2.5 hour talk with the examiner.
 
Sheppard will get you scores in the 90s with only a week or less of studying
 
I passed it today with a 95 percent using only King, studying solid for about a week.
 
You had asked a question about the supplement on a different forum. Any challenges there?

Oh and congrats on a 25% over achievement.
 
mr_happyland said:
I passed it today with a 95 percent using only King, studying solid for about a week.
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Excellent!

I will probably do similar, but with the Sportys videos. Just not sure I can stand any more sessions with Martha.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Ralph, don't forget to investigate the SheppardAir product we've mentioned may times.
 
I thought that Sheppard Air only offered ATP and commercial and CFII prep? I am using ASA which is good as well as test prep course from PTS- Pilot Training Solutions http://passfaaexams.com which has great explanations for VOR, ADF, and holding pattern entry. For me these are the hardest parts of the test. Plus the weekend ground course is fun. I've learned a lot more about what it means to be IFR than before I started. I still have a long road ahead but at least I now have a neophyte appreciation of why IFR is useful and when not.
 
skynewbie said:
I thought that Sheppard Air only offered ATP and commercial and CFII prep? I am using ASA which is good as well as test prep course from PTS- Pilot Training Solutions http://passfaaexams.com which has great explanations for VOR, ADF, and holding pattern entry. For me these are the hardest parts of the test. Plus the weekend ground course is fun. I've learned a lot more about what it means to be IFR than before I started. I still have a long road ahead but at least I now have a neophyte appreciation of why IFR is useful and when not.
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Shepard doesn't have Private, but everything else (well, IR, CP and ATP anyway).

John
 
Sheppard offers prep for the IFR written exam.

3 or 4 part time days, then 3 really solid full time days and I was confident and did just fine.

Do follow their suggested method to prevent "wandering around lost" and wasting time.

For the price (less than $50), it's one of the best test prep solutions going. Great customer service, frequent updates, and a "no surprises" guarantee that will send all of your money back if you discover a question they didn't cover.
 
How does Sheppard compare to Dauntless and ASA for test prep for the IR?
 
Difficult to answer based on the question posed. The method of preparation between the three has enough variance that it isn't an same same comparison.

Sheppard used the "primacy method" of teaching the answers. The idea being that by pairing the correct answer with the question during the first two passes of reviewing the question bank helps to lock in the association of the answer with the question. Then further review reinforces this. In a nutshell, it comes down to pattern matching, which the human brain is very good at doing.

Keep in mind that foe the written exam, it's more about memorizing and recognizing the correct answer than interpretation and application. The practical exam handles that.
 
AggieMike88 said:
You had asked a question about the supplement on a different forum. Any challenges there?

Oh and congrats on a 25% over achievement.
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Supplements were just fine and easy to use.

skynewbie said:
I thought that Sheppard Air only offered ATP and commercial and CFII prep? I am using ASA which is good as well as test prep course from PTS- Pilot Training Solutions http://passfaaexams.com which has great explanations for VOR, ADF, and holding pattern entry. For me these are the hardest parts of the test.
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I was getting stuck on the ADF relative bearing questions until I memorized the formulas and filled in the numbers...then it was simple for me.

MB(to) = RB + MH
RB(to) = MB - MH

I was bummed because I kinda liked doing those big long calculations using the E6B and the one I got on the test was very simple :dunno:
 
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