I passed my PPL knowledge test, what should I focus on next?

AirplanepilotJJ

AirplanepilotJJ

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Airplanepilot501
Today I passed my private pilot knowledge test with a score of 90%. I've used Gleim's online test prep, I've gotten that subscription trough my flight school. In the weeks after I've gained access to Gleim's test prep, I've been studying a few times a week. For the last two weeks, I've been studying daily in preparation to take the test today. AOPA's scholarship deadline is February 11, and I didn't want to wait too long to apply for it. One of the questions on the scholarship application is if you've passed the knowledge test for the rating your seeking, I wanted to answer yes.

With the knowledge test out of the way, should I solely focus on the ACS/FARs in preparation for my checkride, or could I study for that and my Instrument knowledge test simultaneously? I haven't solo yet, so my checkride isn't coming up too soon. I want to be able to take the IR test as soon as I get my PPL.
 
Focus on one certificate/rating at a time. If you haven’t soloed yet, than you’ve still got a ways to go before you should even start thinking about Instrument. For now, you should be focusing on the requirements to complete the PPL and begin prepping for the oral exam.
 
AirplanepilotJJ said:
Today I passed my private pilot knowledge test with a score of 90%. I've used Gleim's online test prep, I've gotten that subscription trough my flight school. In the weeks after I've gained access to Gleim's test prep, I've been studying a few times a week. For the last two weeks, I've been studying daily in preparation to take the test today. AOPA's scholarship deadline is February 11, and I didn't want to wait too long to apply for it. One of the questions on the scholarship application is if you've passed the knowledge test for the rating your seeking, I wanted to answer yes.

With the knowledge test out of the way, should I solely focus on the ACS/FARs in preparation for my checkride, or could I study for that and my Instrument knowledge test simultaneously? I haven't solo yet, so my checkride isn't coming up too soon. I want to be able to take the IR test as soon as I get my PPL.
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You might research the test codes you missed on the test and read FAA materials on those topics. Your CFI is required to give you additional trading on those topics and the DPE is required to ask you questions on the topics you missed on the practical test.
 
Thanks for all the input.
Clip4 said:
You might research the test codes you missed on the test and read FAA materials on those topics. Your CFI is required to give you additional trading on those topics and the DPE is required to ask you questions on the topics you missed on the practical test.
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I've got all the test codes, I'll look them up.
 
I agree with everyone here, focus on passing your oral and flight before anything else. Talk with your CFI(s) and find out what the DPE has as a primary focus, but I would guess airspace and weather are high on the list especially if you missed those on the written. Review a few videos on YouTube concerning mock oral exams, have a folder with all of your paperwork and make sure your LOGBOOK IS CORRECT. You will waste a lot of time on the log book if it’s not correct, specifically put a sticky note or marker on the significant places, solo, cross country, night flights / landings and sim IFR. The less time the DPE spends doing this they better things will go as you will not be concerned about fixing something. Make sure you Have ALL your proper endorsements, it happens where the instructor will have to sign something during this process. Print out your IACRA also and put it with your medical paperwork.

Relax…. The DPE isn’t there looking to try and fail you!
 
zx12 rfl@outlook.com said:
I agree with everyone here, focus on passing your oral and flight before anything else. Talk with your CFI(s) and find out what the DPE has as a primary focus, but I would guess airspace and weather are high on the list especially if you missed those on the written. Review a few videos on YouTube concerning mock oral exams, have a folder with all of your paperwork and make sure your LOGBOOK IS CORRECT. You will waste a lot of time on the log book if it’s not correct, specifically put a sticky note or marker on the significant places, solo, cross country, night flights / landings and sim IFR. The less time the DPE spends doing this they better things will go as you will not be concerned about fixing something. Make sure you Have ALL your proper endorsements, it happens where the instructor will have to sign something during this process. Print out your IACRA also and put it with your medical paperwork.

Relax…. The DPE isn’t there looking to try and fail you!
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First he has to solo before anything else, he seems like a far ways from worrying about the DPE to me.

I soloed many months before taking my written test for my private certificate.

Then it was suggested to me to fly 200 hrs before thinking about your instrument rating which I did.

Have you really been training for 4 years?
 
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I passed my written test before I soloed. I had ten hours at the time. I would recommend making sure you know your stuff between now and your checkride. I don't know how you studied for the test, but it's really important to actually understand the material you were tested on. Read the FAA books, study sectionals, and dive deep into your POH. I wouldn't recommend starting instrument test stuff yet - preparing for the PPL checkride is a job enough. What you can do that will help is learn everything you can about how the instruments in the plane work and their failure modes and learn to fly very precisely. If you're not a sloppy VFR pilot, it will make flying with only reference to instruments easier.
 
AirplanepilotJJ said:
With the knowledge test out of the way, should I solely focus on the ACS/FARs in preparation for my checkride, or could I study for that and my Instrument knowledge test simultaneously? I haven't solo yet, so my checkride isn't coming up too soon. I want to be able to take the IR test as soon as I get my PPL.
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How old are you?
 
SkyChaser said:
The funny thing is, you asked that on this guy's last thread, too! :) Four years ago, he'd just turned 20, so I suppose he's about 24 now.
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:oops::D

Okay, the only reason I could think of to want to do what he proposed would be if he was under 17. Since age is not a factor, the idea is a bit strange.

Ref. "Building block method"
 
SkyChaser said:
The funny thing is, you asked that on this guy's last thread, too! :) Four years ago, he'd just turned 20, so I suppose he's about 24 now.
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Whew. Just four years ago. If this is still going on two years from now, it's going to be a two hand problem:goofy:
 
luvflyin said:
Whew. Just four years ago. If this is still going on two years from now, it's going to be a two hand problem:goofy:
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LOL! Even if such measures were necessary, at least I should be good for another sixteen years. ;) I wrote it that way because I hadn't checked the date on the last thread, so he could have been only 23 right now. That's pretty funny, though.
 
Rgbeard said:
May I ask, without it coming across poorly, why we're still pre-solo four years after you declared yourself a student pilot?
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When I started flying in 2018, I was only able to fly twice that year, both flights were in January. In 2019 I only flown twice, both years had few a financial challenges and grocery wages wasn't enough to cover that and fund my flight training at the same time. In 2020 I didn't fly at all, you can probably guess why.
I have a much better paying job and that has enabled me to start flight training again, I have 8.1 hours TT, I'm 7 lessons away from soloing.
 
AirplanepilotJJ said:
When I started flying in 2018, I was only able to fly twice that year, both flights were in January. In 2019 I only flown twice, both years had few a financial challenges and grocery wages wasn't enough to cover that and fund my flight training at the same time. In 2020 I didn't fly at all, you can probably guess why.
I have a much better paying job and that has enabled me to start flight training again, I have 8.1 hours TT, I'm 7 lessons away from soloing.
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7 lessons away from soloing? I suppose that could be true if you define a lesson as a skill learned well enough to solo, which might take 5 flights or 50 to accomplish. Otherwise, there’s no way to know how many lessons away you are until the number is zero.
 
Salty said:
7 lessons away from soloing? I suppose that could be true if you define a lesson as a skill learned well enough to solo, which might take 5 flights or 50 to accomplish. Otherwise, there’s no way to know how many lessons away you are until the number is zero.
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My flight school is 141, that's how the lessons are structured. I assume I could solo earlier than that at my instructor's discretion.
 
AirplanepilotJJ said:
When I started flying in 2018, I was only able to fly twice that year, both flights were in January. In 2019 I only flown twice, both years had few a financial challenges and grocery wages wasn't enough to cover that and fund my flight training at the same time. In 2020 I didn't fly at all, you can probably guess why.
I have a much better paying job and that has enabled me to start flight training again, I have 8.1 hours TT, I'm 7 lessons away from soloing.
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You should not study for your instrument rating. You should study what you're supposed to be learning now.
 
AirplanepilotJJ said:
Today I passed my private pilot knowledge test with a score of 90%. I've used Gleim's online test prep, I've gotten that subscription trough my flight school. In the weeks after I've gained access to Gleim's test prep, I've been studying a few times a week. For the last two weeks, I've been studying daily in preparation to take the test today. AOPA's scholarship deadline is February 11, and I didn't want to wait too long to apply for it. One of the questions on the scholarship application is if you've passed the knowledge test for the rating your seeking, I wanted to answer yes.

With the knowledge test out of the way, should I solely focus on the ACS/FARs in preparation for my checkride, or could I study for that and my Instrument knowledge test simultaneously? I haven't solo yet, so my checkride isn't coming up too soon. I want to be able to take the IR test as soon as I get my PPL.
Click to expand...

You still need to solo, so I would focus on that, putting together a cross country plan with waypoints, and really understand weather a bit more. The knowledge test is not as thorough as a checkride in my experience but each DPE will handle it differently. Start taking more lessons too.
 
My direct answer to your question was "focus on making more money for lessons" ... but in reading the thread I see you have taken care of that. :)
 
mandm said:
You still need to solo, so I would focus on that, putting together a cross country plan with waypoints, and really understand weather a bit more. The knowledge test is not as thorough as a checkride in my experience but each DPE will handle it differently. Start taking more lessons too.
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If I'm understanding 61.93 correctly, the solo cross country radius limit is 25 NM, but can be extended to 50 NM at instructor's discursion?
 
AirplanepilotJJ said:
If I'm understanding 61.93 correctly, the solo cross country radius limit is 25 NM, but can be extended to 50 NM at instructor's discursion?
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For it to count as cross country, needs to be at least 50NM straight line distance.
 
These items will probably receive more emphasis as you progress, but start studying and know the following cold:

Airspace – 5 things for A, B, C, D, E, G, and special use airspace.
  • How to identify on sectional
  • Equipment required in the airplane
  • Pilot certification required
  • VFR weather minimums
  • How to get into the airspace (radio calls)

Airplane performance:
Know how to read and interpret performance charts for your airplanes. Specifically understand density altitude, how to calculate it and its impact on performance.

Constantly study weather. Dig into aviationweathercenter.gov. Compare what you see to what was forecast.
 
Not having funds to do it all at once makes perfect sense. Stay the course on the PPL, and you'll be fine. Wait until you have that to work on the IR. Lots of people here worked to put themselves through school to get where they wanted to be. It's maybe not the fastest way, or the easiest, but in the end it can be pretty rewarding.
 
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