Online ground school!!

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manny

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Manny
I would like to know if it would be a good idea to start online ground school? Even I did not start my pilot training, and witch one you recommend?
 
thanks for replying, I'm totally green in the aviation would but I'm very serious about acquiring my ppl, thanks again
 
I'm in Norway, and my ground school is first online, after finishing the course I will have twenty hours of classroom (where I believe we will go through all of the course together th instruction from start to finish) and I'm glad for it.

It one thing to go through a book and answer (if there are any) test or quiz questions, but in my online course we take tests throughout each section. It took me a while to learn to REALLY think through questions, to go over ALL possible answers when multiple choice, and to get aware of the tendency of the questions to be "tricky".

Also I can send in questions when I need to to ask a little deeper about something.

It also forces one to keep pace. Something that can be harder for some or most. The actual exams here are very difficult, and many have failed them even though they know the basics. I think it is a good system.
 
Had no idea you were in Norway @LongRoadBob ... will be interesting to read differences in your experiences as you progress.

@manny a great deal of material is available for free from FAA as @Clip4 has pointed out. There's never any harm in more ground study, really ever... personally I find reading dense material easier on paper than online, but the FAA materials are all available for low cost in printed form, or you can also print them yourself if you desire.

There's no real reason to go to full "test prep, mode until you have a plan for flight training, since there is a time limit once you've passed the written test in which the results can be used for a practical test. But if you've read a lot of material (and even done some of your own research on questions or asked places like here) you'll be ahead of the game when you meet with an instructor and plan the full strategy of getting through the written and all of the other requirements.

Watched a CFI specific site tonight where another CFI posed the question, "Biggest pet peeve as an instructor...?"

People not doing their ground school homework and requested prep study for each flight, was winning... by at least 80%.

So yeah... study! The material is enjoyable and fun. It gets your brain thinking about flying and gives you motivation to get going on the actual flying part.

Have fun!
 
I've used Gleim.com several times...all courses are basically $99. If you want more AV aids, then $149. Sporty's and King have good products...a little more expensive, with King being the most expensive.
 
SbestCFII said:
I've used Gleim.com several times...all courses are basically $99. If you want more AV aids, then $149. Sporty's and King have good products...a little more expensive, with King being the most expensive.
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I have used Gleim for private, instrument, and commercial. No complaints here.
 
www.asa2fly.com #ASA-GS-PVT-X $179.95. ASA provides the endorsement on successful completion. Sells pretty well.

Bob Gardner
 
I started ground before training. I used gleim. And private pilot app. I was going to take the written before training but waited after 10 hours just to see what I learned. Then took the test and passed easily. Just using the app after I did gleim was the main focus. It felt like I knew all the questions and didn't worry to much. Gleim worked for me because it's just basic reading. No pics. In anesthesia school I read a lot so I felt at home with it.
 
exncsurfer said:
You can also get the $12 ASA test prep book to get signed off.
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Apples and oranges. Test prep books, whether they come from ASA, Gleim, Dauintless, et al, are for passing the written. Online ground schools are for teaching you stuff that goes far beyond answering specific questions.

Those who opt for the online ground school get THE COMPLETE PRIVATE PILOT and accompanying Syllabus in digital form, digital FAR/AIM, a CX-2 flight computer, eleven hours of video PLUS test prep material. The videos include discussions with nationally known pilots, instructors, and meteorologists (count me among the instructors).


Bob
 
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Thank you all for the response and getting involved in it. It definitely helped me a lot in making a decision on my next move.
 
bobmrg said:
Apples and oranges. Test prep books, whether they come from ASA, Gleim, Dauintless, et al, are for passing the written. Online ground schools are for teaching you stuff that goes far beyond answering specific questions.

Those who opt for the online ground school get THE COMPLETE PRIVATE PILOT and accompanying Syllabus in digital form, digital FAR/AIM, a CX-2 flight computer, eleven hours of video PLUS test prep material. The videos include discussions with nationally known pilots, instructors, and meteorologists (count me among the instructors).


Bob
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Yea, I was just responding to the question, who will sign you off... With one option
 
manny said:
I would like to know if it would be a good idea to start online ground school? Even I did not start my pilot training, and witch one you recommend?
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Buy the books and do it yourself, that's what I did. When you start your training your CFI will sign you off. I passed my written 100% no wrong answers. Made me happy I did it myself....:)
 
manny said:
Thanks, Any book that you would indicate?
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I used a book titled "Private Pilot FAA Practical Test Prep" by Irvin Gleim. There are may books out there and videos such as the Sporty's collection that I would recommend.

Have fun learning what aviation and piloting is all about..:)
 
While there is nothing wrong with pre-study, it will make a lot more sense if you're doing a bit of flying. Ground school is not a prerequisite to flying lessons in the US. If you're ready to go, go.

Having said that, all the FAA pubs are available free as PDFs. Start with the Airplane Flying Handbook.
 
I did self study (many material and vids, FAA books etc.), bought the ASA test prep BOOK ($24??), used their prepware code to get sign off.
Total cost was the price of the test prep book.
I did this for PAR, IRA, and CAX. There is no reason for anyone to spend 16 weeks in a "ground school" and pay $400 IMO for private.
I also recommend taking the written early, its an easy test as long as you study, get it out the way.

good luck on your test
 
BalooAirService said:
I did self study (many material and vids, FAA books etc.), bought the ASA test prep BOOK ($24??), used their prepware code to get sign off.
Total cost was the price of the test prep book.
I did this for PAR, IRA, and CAX. There is no reason for anyone to spend 16 weeks in a "ground school" and pay $400 IMO for private.
I also recommend taking the written early, its an easy test as long as you study, get it out the way.

good luck on your test
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I admire your self discipline, and suspect you are maybe the exception to the rule.

I think in general, even if some folk genuinely have a burning passion to learn to fly, it can be hard to self-learn without some kind of pressure or tutelage. At least for me, there is a little extra pressure to keep going knowing there is CFI online "waiting" (even though of course, he or she is not actually waiting...you know what I mean) for your next quiz, to grade, correct, and instruct. It helps that you get actual feedback, can ask for more explanation or check with a human online when not sure if one understands thing correctly.

I really didn't have the self learn option, as I'm an American in Norway, no the exam so far at least, is in Norwegian. I've used some ASA books beside my Norwegian course, but still had to clarify a number of terms, etc. and the airspaces are slightly different, as well as regulations. I speak Norwegian fluently now, for a number of years but this is technical Norwegian and "legalease" Norwegian. Lots of new words for me to learn.
Also we here learn online, but also are required to go through twenty hours classroom course to review it all.

Also not sure how the exam, if at all, differ from the US (many Norwegians travel to the US or the UK to take ground and or flight school because it is cheaper, and they say, easier) but there is a LOT to learn.

Anyway, my situation is not the norm for most, but even so, for many folks it just is plain easier, and maybe better to have that online feedback (if not an actual classroom) to get better understanding. For some the math and trig does not come naturally, and here too it helps to have a CFI ready to jump in and point out where one is thinking wrongly, or missing a point.

I don't kno how it works in th US, but here you have a year to get through the course, and if you don't make it in that time, you pay extr to extend it another year. I know, it's a long time, but for myself (keeping in mind the Norwegian difficulties) it is taking a lot of my time to get through.

This forum is enormously helpful to me in a lot of cases, but even here one can get conflicting answers, and I sure need to be able to ask "my online CFI" (as well as my actual flying CFI) about some things.
 
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