Just passed my instrument written. 92%

AndrewX

AndrewX

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Nov 14, 2017
Messages
101
Display Name
Display name:
Andrew
My first post on POA. I wanted to share my process/observations:

1. I went through the King Course except for the mechanical E6B stuff
2. I followed Sheppard Air, by the "book"
3. When in doubt, answer the worst outcome. e.g. FAA questions always require an alternate, the chart depicts IFR or MVFR weather, you're lower than you think, the VOR is pointed at the back course, etc. I picked up on this while studying. The correct answer is almost always the most negative.
Andrew
 
Congrats and welcome.
 
Congrats and welcome to POA

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
AndrewX said:
My first post on POA. I wanted to share my process/observations:

1. I went through the King Course except for the mechanical E6B stuff
2. I followed Sheppard Air, by the "book"
3. When in doubt, answer the worst outcome. e.g. FAA questions always require an alternate, the chart depicts IFR or MVFR weather, you're lower than you think, the VOR is pointed at the back course, etc. I picked up on this while studying. The correct answer is almost always the most negative.
Andrew
Click to expand...
Welcome to the joint. Interesting find on the 'worst outcome' answer. It makes sense.
 
Nice job Andrew, any estimate on how many hours of work before you took the test? I'm probably headed down this road in a month or two.
 
PaulS said:
Nice job Andrew, any estimate on how many hours of work before you took the test? I'm probably headed down this road in a month or two.
Click to expand...

I'd say a good 25-30 hours of study. I was interested in actually learning the material so I would do further research on topics that were confusing and/ or interesting. I enjoyed the process. I like doing the math problems.
 
Thanks for the kind words and the advice. I'm now in search of a CFII.
 
Congratulations. I just passed my IR written this morning. 83%. I did the King Course in conjunction with the Gold Method.

I was very surprised at the questions I pulled (I realize that the 60 questions are random). I had one question in regard to a fix or VOR radial position, zero questions concerning pattern entry, and maybe one on MDA on an approach. The vast majority of mine were concerning icing, FAA Part 91 flight rules, and general weather. In other words, alot of questions that had to do with memorizing regulations and weather. Important stuff to be sure, but not the kind of topics that an answer can be calculated to get the correct answer. I did not even need an E6B calculator, a normal calculator, or even a scratch sheet of paper.

I wonder if this is "normal" - of course I realize that randomly pulling 60 questions means that you COULD get 60 questions about icing, but still surprising to me on the mix of questions.

It took me 30 minutes.

I am 54 years old and there was quite a gap between my IR written and my PPL written. 1980 for the PPL written. I was one of those "lapsed" pilots who got my PPL at 17 years old and then quit when I was in my late 20's after kids and marriage.

Knowing what I know now, there should be a law outlawing 17 year old kids getting their PPL or automobile driver's license for that matter. I am alot different pilot at 54 than I was at 17.

Anyway, on to the instruction with my CFI and hopefully soon a checkride. Congratulations on your test and good luck.
 
Last edited:
Great thread for those of us who haven't taken it yet. Good stuff and congratulations to both of ya.
 
Congrats Stephen! I have a very similar story, PPl in 1986 and now getting my IR in 2017, 31 years later. I found a CFII who wasn't even born when I became a pilot. :)
I told him that when I started flying a NAV Comm was a luxury, and the 152s we flew certainly didn't have DMEs. He looked at me like I came from Mars. The CFII was impressed (relieved) I passed my written before I started training.
I have my first instrument lesson today.

One more thing, it's a part 141 school but I've elected to do part 61. There are several reasons; the first being I refused to buy a $350 Cessna IFR "kit."
 
Congratulations Andrew and Stephen! Way to go!
 
Rather than start a new thread, maybe I can piggyback on this one without hijacking.

First of all Andrew congratulations! Now go fly your butt off until you finish the check ride.

I personally am at a point where I need some encouragement. I got my private in 2011 And have flown a good bit of tailwheel and retractable time. I can handfly heading and altitude with the best of them and do great under the hood. I can fly approaches reasonably well with the 430 for fun and communicate with ATC no problem. I think I will be able to do the instrument flying, but I have to get a reasonable written score first. A few years ago I was on the verge of retiring and about to take the written, making 85 and 90 on the practice tests. I was going to knock out the written then fly until done as soon as I retired. Three days before retirement my wife of 42 died unexpectedly. I didn’t fly a lot for awhile and didn’t bother taking the written. At the time I was studying King.

Fast forward a few years and I now have my life on the ground back in order, have added a Mooney to the fleet to supplement my sweet taildragger Cessna 140. I got married a few weeks ago and my new Step Son in Law is a pilot. We were working on our writtens together and he was using Shepherd. I got it and am using both, but continually get side tracked. He passed his written with an 85 and flew his butt off until the checkride. I am real proud of him, but I am not making progress. He has a thriving and growing company that requires him to fly a lot and gets lots of stick time. He also is in his mid thirties while I am 68. I am beginning to think I am just over the hill since I am scoring 72 or so on practice tests no matter what I do.

If I could just get past the stinking written, I have the plane, resources and time to do the rest of it. I don’t want to settle for a 70 for fear of the Oral that I would have to deal with.

Any late in life instrument pilots out there with some advice?
 
MBDiagMan said:
We were working on our writtens together and he was using Shepherd. I got it and am using both, but continually get side tracked.
Click to expand...

Been many years since I took a written and just did my commercial written (for at least the 2nd time) last year. I used Shepard this time around and liked it. Got my instrument back in 2002. There's no secrets that I know of. You just can't get side tracked. You just have to study every day until you get through it and then go take the test as soon as you can once you do the practice tests in Shepard and pass in the 90s. I just had to make myself do it.
 
Hey mbdiagman, I just passed my IR written with a 95 today. I used sportys videos and they were good but what really tied it together for me were the faa iph and aim. I took the test figured out where I needed work and worked on those areas. There were no shortcuts for me, I just ground it out until I was consistently above 90 on the practice questions. Just make sure you work smart, reading the iph really helped me reinforce the videos. Hang in there and git er done. About to start training, if these damn storms will stop. Oh I'm not quite up to you, 55 here you should be fine.
 
I think the Instrument written requires more understanding and knowledge than the PPC and CPC writtens. Just my opinion. Know and understand the material, a lot it too, and you'll pass the written. But, use what works for you as everyone studies and learns differently. Good luck, keep at it.
 
AndrewX said:
My first post on POA. I wanted to share my process/observations:

1. I went through the King Course except for the mechanical E6B stuff
2. I followed Sheppard Air, by the "book"
3. When in doubt, answer the worst outcome. e.g. FAA questions always require an alternate, the chart depicts IFR or MVFR weather, you're lower than you think, the VOR is pointed at the back course, etc. I picked up on this while studying. The correct answer is almost always the most negative.
Andrew
Click to expand...
Congrats !!!
 
AndrewX said:
I'd say a good 25-30 hours of study. I was interested in actually learning the material so I would do further research on topics that were confusing and/ or interesting. I enjoyed the process. I like doing the math problems.
Click to expand...

That seems quick, just started and think I might be spending a good deal more than that.
 
Cas Hoefman said:
That seems quick, just started and think I might be spending a good deal more than that.
Click to expand...
The instrument prep work isn't too bad. I had trouble finding a text that seemed worthwhile. After settling on a Machado book that was meant as a refresher for instrument pilots, I used the ASA for test prep. The 25 to 30 hour estimate probably isn't far off on actual time dedicated to the task. Now that the ADF questions are gone and other questions re-written to conform to ACS I trust that the knowledge test is a better assessment of learning.

The commercial knowledge test is better post ACS than pre. Some obscure minutiae has been added for ATC/weather/regs. I guess the Feds have to be Feds no matter what they do when rolling out the next generation of standards.
 
It took me 25 to 30 hours to get through the sporty's videos, I took the first practice test with the course and got an 83. So I read and studied, I would estimate at least 150hour total..... I must be a slow learner...
 
I'm only 52 (in 3 days) but I understand your situation.

I passed the written and went on to the training but life got in the ways and my written expired.

I've got some time this month so I'll be using Sheppard to pass the test again and finish this thing.

If you have the time and resources, a weekend course like American Flyers could be the kick you need to get over the written.
 
MBDiagMan said:
Rather than start a new thread, maybe I can piggyback on this one without hijacking.

First of all Andrew congratulations! Now go fly your butt off until you finish the check ride.

I personally am at a point where I need some encouragement. I got my private in 2011 And have flown a good bit of tailwheel and retractable time. I can handfly heading and altitude with the best of them and do great under the hood. I can fly approaches reasonably well with the 430 for fun and communicate with ATC no problem. I think I will be able to do the instrument flying, but I have to get a reasonable written score first. A few years ago I was on the verge of retiring and about to take the written, making 85 and 90 on the practice tests. I was going to knock out the written then fly until done as soon as I retired. Three days before retirement my wife of 42 died unexpectedly. I didn’t fly a lot for awhile and didn’t bother taking the written. At the time I was studying King.

Fast forward a few years and I now have my life on the ground back in order, have added a Mooney to the fleet to supplement my sweet taildragger Cessna 140. I got married a few weeks ago and my new Step Son in Law is a pilot. We were working on our writtens together and he was using Shepherd. I got it and am using both, but continually get side tracked. He passed his written with an 85 and flew his butt off until the checkride. I am real proud of him, but I am not making progress. He has a thriving and growing company that requires him to fly a lot and gets lots of stick time. He also is in his mid thirties while I am 68. I am beginning to think I am just over the hill since I am scoring 72 or so on practice tests no matter what I do.

If I could just get past the stinking written, I have the plane, resources and time to do the rest of it. I don’t want to settle for a 70 for fear of the Oral that I would have to deal with.

Any late in life instrument pilots out there with some advice?
Click to expand...

I went through multiple years of that frustration and finally took a 2 day intensive class focused on passing the class. And passed.

Just a thought. I'll also add that the flight instructor I was using was diagnosed with cancer, subsequently died and so my club dissolved. By the time I got plugged in again and got going a collection of weather and airplane delays means I'll have to take the written again. So I'm using a combination of Dauntless software and Gold Method to study for that, but I'm seeing the same trend.

John
 
I passed my IFR about 9 months ago with a 93%. I self studied using Kings and the Instrament Flight textbook.

In theory, the computer is supposed to draw x number of questions from something like 10 broad categories. This is ment to make sure that each major area gets at least a minimum number of questions, and areas with more info or of greater importance are supposed to get more.

With that said, I got like 2 questions on flight planning, once needed a calculator, and did not use my E6B. Most of the questions were weather, or regulations, and 5 or 6 delt with reading approach plates or IFR maps. I even got 2 questions that were specific regulations for turboprops or jets. I am sure those accounted for 2 of the 3 questions I got wrong. As a matter of fact my PPL test was very similar.

So the questions that took the vast bulk of time to work through while studying and required actual thought and calculation were greatly outnumber by answers that were pure memorization.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
Where else can I get some practice tests? I have been taking the king course and am getting good at those questions but part of it is bencoming question familiarity I think. I know they don’t publish the question bank and am sure the king questions are a bit dated. Thoughts? I plan on sitting for test in next week or two.
 
Phil Benyo said:
Where else can I get some practice tests? I have been taking the king course and am getting good at those questions but part of it is bencoming question familiarity I think. I know they don’t publish the question bank and am sure the king questions are a bit dated. Thoughts? I plan on sitting for test in next week or two.
Click to expand...
Take a good look at www.SheppardAir.com

The memory aid sheet they provide for the IFR exam, as well as the method they use to teach the test, makes the $45 for their product an excellent value.

And did we mention their money back guarantee?
 
Congrats, you studied 22% too hard.

Just kidding, nice score. Now get out there with an II and get flying!
 
Phil Benyo said:
Where else can I get some practice tests? I have been taking the king course and am getting good at those questions but part of it is bencoming question familiarity I think. I know they don’t publish the question bank and am sure the king questions are a bit dated. Thoughts? I plan on sitting for test in next week or two.
Click to expand...
I forget how many questions are in the new pool, it is somewhere around 1500, but i may be way off on thst number. Thr test was revamped heavily about 1 year ago. The NDB stuff was removed, and more questions dealing with GPS and "situational" problem solving were added. The pool of questions that all the teaching courses use is from a pool of around 750, plus any questions people remember and pass on to those course publishers.

That is whyy in many ways it does not matter who you learn from. They are teaching the same material, and using the same "released" questions.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
jsstevens said:
I went through multiple years of that frustration and finally took a 2 day intensive class focused on passing the class. And passed.

Just a thought. I'll also add that the flight instructor I was using was diagnosed with cancer, subsequently died and so my club dissolved. By the time I got plugged in again and got going a collection of weather and airplane delays means I'll have to take the written again. So I'm using a combination of Dauntless software and Gold Method to study for that, but I'm seeing the same trend.

John
Click to expand...

I used a technique that I learned studying for a different subject. Every morning leading up to the test, I sat down an wrote out a "cheat sheet." VFR Cloud clearances, the 1-2-3 rule, IFR cruising altitudes, holding pattern speed limits, oxygen requirements, etc. When I got to the test, the first thing I did was take the scratch paper and write this all out. When the topic came up, I simply looked at my paper for the answer. Not only did this make the test easier, it took any anxiety away.
 
AndrewX said:
I used a technique that I learned studying for a different subject. Every morning leading up to the test, I sat down an wrote out a "cheat sheet." VFR Cloud clearances, the 1-2-3 rule, IFR cruising altitudes, holding pattern speed limits, oxygen requirements, etc. When I got to the test, the first thing I did was take the scratch paper and write this all out. When the topic came up, I simply looked at my paper for the answer. Not only did this make the test easier, it took any anxiety away.
Click to expand...
Good technique. I’ve used it for Calcalus when I was in college.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top