School for Inspection Authorization

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overtorqued

Filing Flight Plan
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Ed
Not sure if this is the right place, but got a question for someone with first hand experience. I have been an A&P for 7 years and meet the requirements. What is the best course of action for adding the IA? I have looked around a bit and see many schools that offer courses, any that stand out? Any advice?

Thanks in advance.
 
Yep. If you are an experienced A&P, just studying should allow you to pass. Spending extra money on a course is a waste.
 
Although I'm not an IA, I am familiar with the requirements and agree with the others. I'd just do the studying on your own.

If you're intent on going somewhere to study for and obtain your IA however, I do know that Federal Exams in OKC has a course for it.
 
I'm not for sure where you are in the country but I sent a few employees down to OKC for their IA. I think it was Kings. I used a study guide when I did mine but thats been about 35 years ago. If you can buckle down a home study course works well.
 
Thanks for the reply fellas, I have heard good things about Baker as well. I could get the books and home study, but I have 2 toddlers at home so going away for a week to concentrate in quietness looks appealing.

Thanks again!
 
Gleim online.....did it for me.

I practiced the questions for a few months....till my practice tests were +95% or better.

Once I learned the test....I was signed off and achieved something like an 89%. 10-15% of the questions are new and there is no way to study for those.
 
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I went to Bakers this past January. I can almost guarantee that you will fail the first time around if you try to study on your own especially when you have the kids at home. I lot harder that it seems.
 
Make sure you know what you are getting into. If you plan on making a living as a IA in GA, going the way of the dinosaur. As a A&P you were responsible for what you did, as a IA now you are on the hook for all the A&P that signed off work on 50 plus year old airplanes. When you sign off a annual you buy all the sins of those before you and your the one the FAA will come after.
 
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When I decided to get my IA I was having trouble settling down to serious study. I attended a course at Riverside Calif. They handed me the same study materials I had at home and pointed me to an empty class room to study. All in all I wasted a whole bunch of bucks.

Paul
Salome, AZ
 
brien23 said:
Make sure you know what you are getting into. If you plan on making a living as a IA in GA, going the way of the dinosaur. As a A&P you were responsible for what you did, as a IA now you are on the hook for all the A&P that signed off work on 50 plus year old airplanes. When you sign off a annual you buy all the sins of those before you and your the one the FAA will come after.
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Better than knowing what you are getting into is,, knowing your customers. Never sign a 337 return to service with out doing your job.
 
Unlike the A&P exams you cannot get copies of the actual test questions nor can any prep school. The IA exam is somewhat different in that most of it concerns deciphering and applying AD's to example scenarios. There's also some content on W&B and of course regulations. It is however an open book test so everything you need for the answer is right in front of you.
 
Silvaire said:
Unlike the A&P exams you cannot get copies of the actual test questions nor can any prep school. The IA exam is somewhat different in that most of it concerns deciphering and applying AD's to example scenarios. There's also some content on W&B and of course regulations. It is however an open book test so everything you need for the answer is right in front of you.
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It's 50 questions from a 2500 question data base, answers "A" _"D" just like any other test now given on the computer.
Read the question, use the three ring binder of guidance given to figure out the answer. About 1/3rd of the questions are does this AD apply to the make model and serial. half of those are on the PA-28 series.
Flunk it and wait 90 days for a re-take with a new sign off for the test.
 
I went to Baker's. An easy choice, since my boss paid for me to go. :D It's definitely designed to get you to pass the test. More of memorizing the correct answers than focusing on learning the material, but if you meet the requirements for your IA, then you should already have a good understanding of the material. After going there, and passing the test with a 96%, I think you could pass on your own with just studying. Schools like Bakers just have the benefit of almost guaranteeing you'll pass, unless you spend the evenings after class bar hopping in Nashville instead of reviewing the practice tests.
 
edessa said:
I went to Bakers this past January. I can almost guarantee that you will fail the first time around if you try to study on your own especially when you have the kids at home. I lot harder that it seems.
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Respectfully disagree. Was an A&P for twenty years and took the IA cold. Missed one question -- about the stupid rules of what Canadian "engineers" mean . Books will tell you that.

Jim
 
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