IFR Weekend Ground School

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JB1842

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Josh
I've been looking at Aviation Seminars and America Flyers IFR weekend ground school. Does anybody have any experience with them or other schools? I don't want to learn just the answers to the test, but is a 2-3 day class enough time to learn the information so I can retain it?
 
Absolutely not. There’s no possible way. Knowing aircraft systems, weather, reading SIDs, STARs, ODPs, using charts to calculate required climb performance to follow an ODP. Approach plates and symbology, regs relating to alternates, fuel. IFR equipment, when is a procedure turn not required, when must a report be made to ATC, etc.

2-3 full days of talking I might be able to cover all the material and the mnemonic devices to study, but the student would be braindead at the end of each day, retain nothing, and probably wouldn’t be learning a whole lot and just staring at me as I jabbered really fast. More importantly, I would have zero confidence in the student’s ability to actually apply any of the information in the airplane.

Just my 2 cents. If it’s just to pass the written test, you can just drill the question bank over a weekend and get close to 100 with no problems.
 
Sounds like a lot to take in in a weekend. How much they asking? There are video series that will tell you this stuff that you can watch at your own pace, or books you can read if you prefer that.
 
I use Aviation Seminars specifically to pass the written on a retake as my first one expired. It was fine for that purpose, but like others, I don’t recommend it as your only ground school.
 
$500 and you get access to the material and practice tests before you come for the class. I could easily study at home, but this gives me an excuse to escape the cold Wisconsin winter in the coming months.
 
Those quickie courses are designed for just one purpose...to pass the written. Do not expect more of them. I taught a bunch of them in a past life and I never let the students think that they were being prepared to be instrument pilots.

Bob Gardner
 
JB1842 said:
$500 and you get access to the material and practice tests before you come for the class. I could easily study at home, but this gives me an excuse to escape the cold Wisconsin winter in the coming months.
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You could get the King course or the Sporty's DVDs for about half that and do them at your own pace.
 
steingar said:
You could get the King course or the Sporty's DVDs for about half that and do them at your own pace.
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That's probably what I will end up doing, but am looking at all options. I was planning on picking something up at Oshkosh this year, but was unable to make it.
 
How bout downloading the free FAA books and studying them?
 
I spent a few months doing the king course and really learning the info. I didn’t want to pass the test. I wanted to understand everything. Some parts had to really review over and over.
 
bobmrg said:
Those quickie courses are designed for just one purpose...to pass the written. Do not expect more of them.
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murphey said:
How bout downloading the free FAA books and studying them?
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:yeahthat: x 2

As Bob said, the quickie course provides the "classroom version" of information to pass the written exam. And in the American Flyer's weekend crams I've done, the quality of the cram really depends on the quality of the instructor. For one of the sessions, the guy was engaged, experienced, and knew how to teach the subjects so those of us in the class understood and could apply the information. For the other sessions, it was a mix of "I really don't want to be here" and "I've never taught before and am as lost as you guys".

Hindsight, I wish I had had saved my money. Written prep using Sheppard Air accomplished the same goal at 1/10th the price.

For knuckling down and pushing the required information into your noggin to pass the written exam, SheppardAir is one of the value winners. The other is Gold Seal's. Also worth a mention is https://avclicks.com
 
I did Aviation Seminars after I did the sporty's course. It really helped clearing up some of the troubled areas I was having. If you are doing it as a stand alone course, forget it. there is to much to take in and to much to know.
 
Jamie696 said:
I did Aviation Seminars after I did the sporty's course. It really helped clearing up some of the troubled areas I was having. If you are doing it as a stand alone course, forget it. there is to much to take in and to much to know.
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This is what I did for my PPL. Learned the material on my own and then used the weekend course to condense and put it all together for the test. I intend to do the same for Instrument, but using SheppardAir instead of Sporty's.
 
JB1842 said:
I've been looking at Aviation Seminars and America Flyers IFR weekend ground school. Does anybody have any experience with them or other schools? I don't want to learn just the answers to the test, but is a 2-3 day class enough time to learn the information so I can retain it?
Click to expand...

Forget Aviation Seminars, they are a test prep.
 
I've used AF to pass both PPL and the IR. Their method works, and test report with the magic word PASS is given at the end of the weekend.

Then you have two years to actually learn the information for your checkride. Two VERY different levels of knowledge.

[Enter all your comments about the tests being crap, who has an operational ADF, etc]
 
The seminars and quickie ground schools are great prep for your written. If you have a good instructor and they have the time you will be amazed at how much you can learn! The woman who taught the instrument course I took eons ago was a former US Army tower controller who was awesome at teaching. The class was small and we realized that the less time spent on useless questions (why does the altimeter read in feet instead of meters type of nonsense) the more she could devote to bringing things together.

Maybe this concept will be useful. As you study seek to understand the how and why. Example, what are the alternate minimums for an airport? Go look them up you may be surprised. 600 and 2 blah blah are standard but for many airports they are much different. Some airports do not have them...some are higher than VFR.

Couple of nudges to help you start:

1-What are the published alternate mins for KFTG?
2-Why are there no straight in approaches at KASE?

Answers coming soon!
 
I'm guessing you fly out of the same airport I do. Want to get together for a discussion and see if there's something I can help with?
 
mjburian said:
I'm guessing you fly out of the same airport I do. Want to get together for a discussion and see if there's something I can help with?
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I’ll offer similar help to anyone operating around the DFW Metromess
 
Do the Sporty’s $39.99/mo Platinum membership. It’s month to month. You get full unlimited access to their PP and IR training amongst other courses. Dedicated some time going through the material over a few weeks. Get the certificate to test and CANCEL. That’s the way to do it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
mjburian said:
I'm guessing you fly out of the same airport I do. Want to get together for a discussion and see if there's something I can help with?
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To whom is your kind offer directed? If you are near Denver, CO let's make it happen, captain!
 
jonvcaples said:
Couple of nudges to help you start:

1-What are the published alternate mins for KFTG?
2-Why are there no straight in approaches at KASE?

Answers coming soon!
Click to expand...

No takers on the questions? Come on somebody take a stab at them so we can discuss.
 
jonvcaples said:
1-What are the published alternate mins for KFTG?
2-Why are there no straight in approaches at KASE?

No takers on the questions? Come on somebody take a stab at them so we can discuss.
Click to expand...

#2 - because Babs' ranch is at the end of Rwy 15 and she gets really PO'd at the traffic.
 
Laughing, thanks Murphey but looking for an IFR oriented answer:rolleyes:
 
Ok here's a hint. The answer IS NOT because the final approach course is more than 30 off of the runway.
 
Rgbeard will do. This is the first board I've joined so still learning the niceties of it all.
 
mjburian said:
I'm guessing you fly out of the same airport I do. Want to get together for a discussion and see if there's something I can help with?
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I fly out of Hartford, but am grounded right now, which is why I'm looking into starting my IFR ground. But getting together sounds good.
 
YooperMooney said:
Do the Sporty’s $39.99/mo Platinum membership. It’s month to month. You get full unlimited access to their PP and IR training amongst other courses. Dedicated some time going through the material over a few weeks. Get the certificate to test and CANCEL. That’s the way to do it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Thanks. That actually looks like a great deal.
 
Hope you will enjoy it. Go to Change to my frequency then new thread Understanding the whole of IFR.
 
I use the American Flyers on line pay once good forever FIRC which has very good content and a steal in terms of price.
 
If you sign up for Aviation Seminars, consider having a plan B. I did the King course to learn the material and then planned to attend an AS course for test prep. They cancelled on me just a few days prior due to low enrollment.

I wound up using Sheppard for the test prep. No regrets, scored a 97% on the written and feel like I have a good understanding of the content from the King course of study.
 
buzzard86 said:
I wound up using Sheppard for the test prep. No regrets, scored a 97% on the written and feel like I have a good understanding of the content from the King course of study.
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This was me. Sheppard Air got the written done, and John, Martha, and my CFII delivered the deeper understanding.
 
I read/studied everything I could get my hands on (and fit in my schedule). Used the Sporty’s course for test prep. Also did the King’s free online practice tests. Worked out very well.
 
I audited the instrument ground school course at my local Community College for free (geezers can audit no charge). It’s part of the aviation department. Includes SIM time as well. The final exam is a FAA Written and if you pass, they’ll endorse your logbook.

I go back every few years for a refresher and use the SIM/PCATD.

CHEERS
 
It's a written test.

Just save yourself a lot of time and money, get Sheppard Air, and pass the stupid thing. Your CFII will teach you all you need to know past that.
 
X3 Skier said:
I audited the instrument ground school course at my local Community College for free (geezers can audit no charge). It’s part of the aviation department. Includes SIM time as well. The final exam is a FAA Written and if you pass, they’ll endorse your logbook.

I go back every few years for a refresher and use the SIM/PCATD.

CHEERS
Click to expand...

I did this for my Private ground school but alas, all the community colleges here have become "State Colleges" and now offer 4 year degrees but none of the community stuff like ground school courses.
 
JB1842 said:
I've been looking at Aviation Seminars and America Flyers IFR weekend ground school. Does anybody have any experience with them or other schools? I don't want to learn just the answers to the test, but is a 2-3 day class enough time to learn the information so I can retain it?
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with taking a course to just pass the test. For all 3 of my ratings I have studied to just pass the test.
 
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