Ground School First?

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J29172

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I currently have the Cessna training kit. Once I complete it, would I then take the written test, complete flight training then do the check ride?

Has anyone done it that way? Any regrets? Do you feel it provided any advantages? Ill be training in the Cessna 162.
 
No advantage either way you do it, before flight training or during flight training. Things make more sense after say 5-10 hours of flight training. Yes, you take the written exam then the check ride after all training is complete and your CFI recommends you for the ride.
 
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J29172 said:
I currently have the Cessna training kit. Once I complete it, would I then take the written test, complete flight training then do the check ride?

Has anyone done it that way? Any regrets? Do you feel it provided any advantages? Ill be training in the Cessna 162.
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I didn't use the Cessna Training kit but otherwise that's the path I followed. worked well for me.
 
I have decided to complete the ground school first, it is nearly free in terms of $/hour of instruction compared to 1 on 1 with a CFI at their instruction rate. I figure that I will save a lot more in expensive CFI time than the course costs. I also like the classroom interaction.

I'm not slamming CFIs for charging for instruction, but I do want to minimize it. Hopefully the pre-flight brief will then be more of a quick review/confirm understanding than starting from nothing instruction.

You might look at Aviation 101 from Embry Riddle:
https://goto.erau.edu/aviation101/index.html
Not a full ground school, but free online course and good information. I took a couple of BoldMethod classes, the airspace one was really good IMO.
 
Good for you, Baxsie. The best way to save money and complete your training the quickest is to do lots of homework! It will make a huge difference. The only thing to be aware of is that a good ground school program will do more than just prep you for the written test. There is a lot of material that does not appear on the test, but you still must know it.
 
J29172 said:
I currently have the Cessna training kit. Once I complete it, would I then take the written test, complete flight training then do the check ride?

Has anyone done it that way? Any regrets? Do you feel it provided any advantages? Ill be training in the Cessna 162.
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With all the guys I've trained, doesn't make a notable difference.

I'd spend more effort finding a good CFI, also I hope both of y'all are little if you're going to be using a flycatcher for your training.
 
kyleb said:
I'd take a few lessons first to make sure flying is what you're expecting.
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I have done a Discovery Flight and my first lesson. I have 2 hours in my log book so far.
 
James331 said:
With all the guys I've trained, doesn't make a notable difference.

I'd spend more effort finding a good CFI, also I hope both of y'all are little if you're going to be using a flycatcher for your training.
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I am not but my instructor is only 135lbs so it evens out.
 
Baxsie said:
I have decided to complete the ground school first, it is nearly free in terms of $/hour of instruction compared to 1 on 1 with a CFI at their instruction rate. I figure that I will save a lot more in expensive CFI time than the course costs. I also like the classroom interaction.

I'm not slamming CFIs for charging for instruction, but I do want to minimize it. Hopefully the pre-flight brief will then be more of a quick review/confirm understanding than starting from nothing instruction.

You might look at Aviation 101 from Embry Riddle:
https://goto.erau.edu/aviation101/index.html
Not a full ground school, but free online course and good information. I took a couple of BoldMethod classes, the airspace one was really good IMO.
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Thank you. I will check out these resources. I like my CFI, just thinking this may be a better route and save me some money. I am still able to call him with any questions while working through the Cessna Training.
 
Absolutely nothing wrong with being efficient and thrifty. I was the same.
However, don't make your goal to become the cheapest pilot you can, as fast as you can.
It may cost you later.

The number of hours you have before you get your ticket will not be what defines you as a pilot. It's just a number. You can make it into a badge if you want, but a badge of knowledge, safety, and confidence is a much better one to wear.

Enjoy the ride, and take it as you learn it. You're going to spend money and be learning every time you fly.....both before and after you have that piece of paper. So keep plugging along and whenever that magic number shows up, celebrate.
 
Skyrys62 said:
Absolutely nothing wrong with being efficient and thrifty. I was the same.
However, don't make your goal to become the cheapest pilot you can, as fast as you can.
It may cost you later.

The number of hours you have before you get your ticket will not be what defines you as a pilot. It's just a number. You can make it into a badge if you want, but a badge of knowledge, safety, and confidence is a much better one to wear.

Enjoy the ride, and take it as you learn it. You're going to spend money and be learning every time you fly.....both before and after you have that piece of paper. So keep plugging along and whenever that magic number shows up, celebrate.
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I really wanted to be able to go over the ground school information more than once. Since this one tells me which questions I have answered correctly/incorrectly, I can judge how well I am learning the information and where I am needing more clarification.

I was on the how fast/cheap can I get this done mission...I had to slow myself down and realize that wasn't going to be safe or productive as I want to know everything there is to know with the expectation that I will always continue learning. I just didn't think it would be cost effective to do here and there, pay as you go lessons, so I want to wait until I can do more in a shorter period of time so that I am not just throwing away money when patience could save me a lot. I had several lessons planned that were cancelled due to weather in the same week. So, I figured it was a sign to slow down and rethink the plan.

I will get there eventually but I have to learn this information first. The book part is never the fun part and actually flying the plane is fun. So, I probably need to focus on the part that is more time consuming and not as fun first. That way I may not feel as rushed when trying to do my flight lessons.
 
Just my (recent and current) experience.
I started with flight instruction and ground school. I started (school used an online testing, and we bought the textbooks) ground school basics and then started flying soon after. After I had about 7 hours flight time, then some bad weather, and also my CFI was mentioning that I ought to take the exam soon because in the near future I would be ready to solo and here in Norway it is required that one takes the exam (not nec. passing ALL subjects) before one is allowed to solo. That my well be different in the USA, but the main thing probably isn't...

That between doing my homework, reviewing what I had learned from the last flight, preparing for the next flight, AND trying to study the ground school material and take the quizzes online, etc. it was just plain TOO MUCH. For me. I felt split, and like I was doing neither to the best of my ability.

In my case I work full time too, so it was just too much. At that point, I realized that I was going to be stopped anyway from flying solo, which meant a break in my flight training. I decided it was better that I go through all of the ground school, take the exam, pass the exam and then can concentrate totally on flight instruction.

So that is what I did. I think it was the best solution. It took a good deal longer than I expected to finsh, take a three day intensive course, pass that test so I could take the exam. I have seen indications that the Norway ground school is possibly harder (but USA does more stick time..or better) but still I think it was the right decision even if it had been a little easier to get it out of the way so I can concentrate totally on flying.

It feels REALLY good not having ground school hanging over me. Another thing, there is a reason to take ground school first. Not all but aerodynamics, aircraft systems, instruments, communication, airspaces, etc. all are important to know when taking flying lessons. After I stopped flying to finish ground school I realized my instructor referred to things he expected I already knew about, but I didn't. That stuff was in the ground school course.

Good luck whatever you decide. For me, a few flight lessons were VERY nice to have had, but then concentrating on GS first was the best way for me to go.
 
J29172 said:
I really wanted to be able to go over the ground school information more than once. Since this one tells me which questions I have answered correctly/incorrectly, I can judge how well I am learning the information and where I am needing more clarification.

I was on the how fast/cheap can I get this done mission...I had to slow myself down and realize that wasn't going to be safe or productive as I want to know everything there is to know with the expectation that I will always continue learning. I just didn't think it would be cost effective to do here and there, pay as you go lessons, so I want to wait until I can do more in a shorter period of time so that I am not just throwing away money when patience could save me a lot. I had several lessons planned that were cancelled due to weather in the same week. So, I figured it was a sign to slow down and rethink the plan.

I will get there eventually but I have to learn this information first. The book part is never the fun part and actually flying the plane is fun. So, I probably need to focus on the part that is more time consuming and not as fun first. That way I may not feel as rushed when trying to do my flight lessons.
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One thing I noticed. It was a LOT to get through in GS. After I took the exam (had to retake three of the nine, but in the end good grades!) and am now ready to just fly with the CFI I find it's like a huge weight off my shoulders SO...now when I go back through the GS course material, I can actually read it completely relaxed and fill in more, remember more, and ENJOY it more. I didn't realize it at the time but when I studied before taking the exam I was studying to learn, yeah, but a part of me was studying to PASS the exam, which meant added stress ("damn...how am I going to remember THAT"). After it is just because of interest, and icronically, it's easier to pick up new points. And kinda fun to go through thinking "yeah, I know that part...".
 
Much of what you will learn in your ground school course may not make much sense until you have a few flying hours. If you're like me, you may learn to punch out the answers before you really understand what it all means. There is no best way to learn it; it's just your way, whatever works. Just a few tips: Always come to the field prepared to fly - do your homework. Checklists - Know them, use them, especially on the Skycatcher (see POH). Don't argue with the CFI. If something doesn't feel right, speak up. Be ready to "push through" frustration and learning plateaus; they are inevitable. And, always remember to have fun.
 
LongRoadBob said:
One thing I noticed. It was a LOT to get through in GS. After I took the exam (had to retake three of the nine, but in the end good grades!) and am now ready to just fly with the CFI I find it's like a huge weight off my shoulders SO...now when I go back through the GS course material, I can actually read it completely relaxed and fill in more, remember more, and ENJOY it more. I didn't realize it at the time but when I studied before taking the exam I was studying to learn, yeah, but a part of me was studying to PASS the exam, which meant added stress ("damn...how am I going to remember THAT"). After it is just because of interest, and icronically, it's easier to pick up new points. And kinda fun to go through thinking "yeah, I know that part...".
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Yep exactly.
 
CC268 said:
YES. Do the ground school and take the written before hand. You'll thank me later. Listen to me and only me! :D

But seriously...take the ground school and written before hand.
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Definitely, at least for me. But I AM very glad that I got a few hours in with flight instruction. I got them in as I was learning about aerodynamics, how planes fly. It was a real help to feel the forces I was learning about I think. But after that, back to GS, exam. Nothing better than being done with it and just fly!
 
Consider this:
The written and the oral portion of the Check ride are pretty darn similar.
You can forget a lot of stuff if there is a gap between those events.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Consider this:
The written and the oral portion of the Check ride are pretty darn similar.
You can forget a lot of stuff if there is a gap between those events.
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Well people make the assumption that if you take the written before you start the flying that you just never study the ground material again lol. That is a silly assumption. You simply take the written before the flying and then brush up and continue to study the material alongside the flying, but you don't have the stress of having to do the written on top of the flying and the checkride. In fact, I would argue you learn the material more and on a deeper level because you are going through it once as your studying for the written and then again as you do the flying.

You can do however you see fit. Either is fine. It is just how I have done it and it has worked well.
 
I just took the FAA written exam on Tuesday (2 days ago), so I feel I am qualified to give you my opinion.

I spent 168 days studying, accumulating 423 hours of going over the POH, Test Prep book, Test Prep online, YouTube videos, FAASafety website courses, and asking many questions to pilots here on pilotsofamerica. It never occurred to me to race through any of the subject matter. Remember, there is a big difference between reading and studying.

Now that I have the written behind me, I can utilize all the bookwork knowledge in the cockpit with my CFI. I am actually enjoying the journey in becoming a pilot and not trying to reach the destination as quick as I can.

Lastly, good luck with your choice of actions in becoming a pilot.
 
Personally I think the written is by far the easiest part, but maybe being an engineer I tend to think any multiple choice test is easy ha.
 
I just started my flight training a week ago and have clocked 6 hours so far on a Piper Archer.

Before I started off with the actual flying side, I went through different online pages and also into the Airplane Flying Handbook to have a brief understanding of the Mechanics of flight.

It helps to some extent. I would recommend the Sporty's study buddy to get the actual feel of the questions and King School materials are also highly recommended.

It works differently for different people but I would recommend Self-study, Understand the fundamentals so well, learn about the airplane you fly, actual flying, FAA written exam, Check ride and Oral.

Wishing the best,
-Chris
 
CC268 said:
Well people make the assumption that if you take the written before you start the flying that you just never study the ground material again lol. That is a silly assumption. You simply take the written before the flying and then brush up and continue to study the material alongside the flying, but you don't have the stress of having to do the written on top of the flying and the checkride. In fact, I would argue you learn the material more and on a deeper level because you are going through it once as your studying for the written and then again as you do the flying.

You can do however you see fit. Either is fine. It is just how I have done it and it has worked well.
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Exactly what I was thinking.
Also, I started out trying to do both. Didn't take long for me to see it was best to get GS out of the way, but it was no big deal. Talked wi my CFI and he agreed it sounded smart. As I said, here you have to have taken it in order to be allowed to solo. Is that different in the US? So I just stopped flying until I was ready. One can adjust under way.
 
I don't have the money to get in the air (yet), so I decided to do ground school at home and fly on x-plane.
I found GS rather easy and passed the written with a 88%.
However, I have been skydiving for years and have great interest in canopy flying (which means there is some overlap).

I found the videos from www.fly8ma.com very helpfull
 
steingar said:
Ground school? I bought a textbook and read it.
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When I started on this journey...I understood ground school to be the CFI teaching on the ground before each lesson. Well, the way it went for me, I quickly realized it was moreso this training guide online. Of course, I was told this would be better than the book since it updates when things change. So, I bought the whole Cessna Flight Bag. It is actually going well and I can focus now that I cut out the flying and trying to rush to match what I was reading with what was going on, because I didn't feel it was really lined out as a "syllabus" that I was told about when signing up. So, not sure if I am just misunderstanding the way they tie together. But now that I am over "What is an Airplane?" It is actually making a lot more sense and I don't feel rushed.
 
mscard88 said:
No advantage either way you do it, before flight training or during flight training. Things make more sense after say 5-10 hours of flight training. Yes, you take the written exam then the check ride after all training is complete and your CFI recommends you for the ride.
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This.
 
Don't forget in the US there's also a pre-solo written exam your CFI is required to administer (FAR 61.87(b)). It's less formal than the FAA knowledge test, however, and can be a "take home" type of test. My CFI canceled our flight this Saturday and turned it into a ground lesson to go over the answers on this test. I passed the FAA exam last week with a 98 but there's a lot of stuff on the pre-solo exam I still can't answer off the top of my head. It's a lot of stuff very specific to the airplane you're flying in (like knowing a whole bunch of V speeds), and unlike the FAA test it's not multiple choice but you actually have to write complete answers.
 
Steve Kanefsky said:
Don't forget in the US there's also a pre-solo written exam your CFI is required to administer (FAR 61.87(b)). It's less formal than the FAA knowledge test, however, and can be a "take home" type of test. My CFI canceled our flight this Saturday and turned it into a ground lesson to go over the answers on this test. I passed the FAA exam last week with a 98 but there's a lot of stuff on the pre-solo exam I still can't answer off the top of my head. It's a lot of stuff very specific to the airplane you're flying in (like knowing a whole bunch of V speeds), and unlike the FAA test it's not multiple choice but you actually have to write complete answers.
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Interesting. I mentioned here having to have taken the exam in order to solo, which I have, but your way sounds to me like it's smarter. I've been trying to memorize the plane (Cessna 172SP) that I will be flying when the weather clears, but it is my third different aircraft (Aquila 211, Piper Warrior III, and now will be Cessna 172...and I only have a grand total of 8 hours flying time :) ) Vspeeds and starting also with the checklist sections I feel definitely need to be memorized, checked later when time. I find it kinda hard. Find myself starting over a lot "ok, JUST remember the Vr, Vy, V best glide...can I please just do that??". Going back to trying to memorize in smaller chunks. Makes it hard too that many Vspeeds are the same or very similar :)
Also knowing that they are weight dependant and this is at gross...

I kind of expected my CFI to ask me things like "ok..what is your Vy speed?" but he never did. In fact, he just seemed to settle on an airspeed there and then "ok, let's use 79 kias for climb" or whatever. But that doesn't mean it isn't coming. Seems like a good idea to have a test on the aircraft you will use to solo on!
 
My point of caution is that the written expires after 24 months.

For my private I did the written at then end. It was an albatross around my neck.

For IFR I decided to get the test done as an admissions exam for the training. Passed the test on the first try and then was training and then life/work got in the way and before I knew it the darn thing had lapsed. I still haven't retaken it.

So... if you start with the exam, be reasonably sure you'll get the training done within 24 months.
 
Steve Kanefsky said:
Don't forget in the US there's also a pre-solo written exam your CFI is required to administer (FAR 61.87(b)). It's less formal than the FAA knowledge test, however, and can be a "take home" type of test. My CFI canceled our flight this Saturday and turned it into a ground lesson to go over the answers on this test. I passed the FAA exam last week with a 98 but there's a lot of stuff on the pre-solo exam I still can't answer off the top of my head. It's a lot of stuff very specific to the airplane you're flying in (like knowing a whole bunch of V speeds), and unlike the FAA test it's not multiple choice but you actually have to write complete answers.
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I did see information about the knowledge test. Perhaps, this is why the school says they make 100% sure you're ready for the FAA exam before allowing you to go forward and take it. I'm excited to learn all of the information. I just think for me, I needed to slow down to take more of it in at once.
 
Ravioli said:
My point of caution is that the written expires after 24 months.

For my private I did the written at then end. It was an albatross around my neck.

For IFR I decided to get the test done as an admissions exam for the training. Passed the test on the first try and then was training and then life/work got in the way and before I knew it the darn thing had lapsed. I still haven't retaken it.

So... if you start with the exam, be reasonably sure you'll get the training done within 24 months.
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Thank you for this information. Life/work always has other ideas for us! I will keep this in mind. I just need to set out a consistent schedule and be able to stick to it after completing this online course.
 
I prefer my clients study for the written test first so that they can help plan the missions and I can demonstrate how the knowledge is used. It saves time ($) and reinforces the knowledge.

Part of their homework may be to review some of the FARs.

The pre-solo test is an open book test to find out if the client knows how to find the answers and they won’t break the rules. I am required to go over the wrong answers with the client before I can sign them off for solo.
 
CC268 said:
Not everyone is as smart as you dohhh
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You think he's smart? Why I just bought the Cliff notes, and only read the index, and I got a...um...I gotta 109% on my exams...yeah..109..that's the ticket!
 
So to date I have read the PHAK, Airplane Flying Handbook, Risk Management, Instrument Flying Handbook, some of the Instrument Procedures Handbook, and a lot of the AIM. The problem is that I don't retain knowledge all that well that I read. I do much better with visual forms of learning (King Videos, etc). Some people are the opposite and learn best by reading. I'm glad I read through the books and I certainly learned a lot, but I would not have felt comfortable with just reading the FAA Handbooks and taking the written...simply because I don't retain the knowledge as well as other forms of learning. But you fellas are much older and wiser and smarter than me so I digress :)
 
CC268 said:
So to date I have read the PHAK, Airplane Flying Handbook, Risk Management, Instrument Flying Handbook, some of the Instrument Procedures Handbook, and a lot of the AIM. The problem is that I don't retain knowledge all that well that I read. I do much better with visual forms of learning (King Videos, etc). Some people are the opposite and learn best by reading. I'm glad I read through the books and I certainly learned a lot, but I would not have felt comfortable with just reading the FAA Handbooks and taking the written...simply because I don't retain the knowledge as well as other forms of learning. But you fellas are much older and wiser and smarter than me so I digress :)
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We all have to knew how we learn. For me, kind of like you, I like to visualize. But also I find rereading the books, it goes in steps. So much knowledge, first time through you try your best, second time through you see things (often knowledge is repeated. I can't count how many times I read the ISA definition, in weather, instruments, etc. to the point I had to make sure there was nothing more the because my eyes glossed over the tenth time I had to read the same description) that you already have gotten in, and then new things you missed or forgot. Repetition, but with thought and trying to figure out hoe to visualize it.

What helped me, I bought a fairly large book, a journal, used a pencil (that too getting used to again, but paid off in that when I made a mistake or bad drawing I could fix it) and rewrote much of my course books in there.
I indexed it and wrote a table of contents, often repeating definitions, Vspeeds, etc in the back numbered in the front by index...I actually learned a LOT more about clouds and naming them, and weather systems by trying to reproduce drawings from the book. When's draw I get into it and notice things that o naturally would have glossed over. That book I think was the biggest help. I studied it just before going into the exam.

I also noticed a lot of other students like me with similar books.

And YouTube. I found a lot of good help there as well as internet write ups. Like I mentioned, I like rereading the books now that I have passed the exam.
 
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