those who have recently taken the PPL written test:

AlpineAce

AlpineAce

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Michael
Hi, Im preparing to take the written test, and would like to get feeback from anyone who has recently taken it (since the implementation of the ACS) .
Can anyone tell me if there were any questions you felt unprepared for?
what questions did you miss?
what study materials did you use? (I have the jeppesen private manual, which is OK, but not the best)
im sure ill pass, but id like to do extremely well (its a personal challenge)

also can you tell me which "practice" test online is most like the real thing?

its not the questions where I have to figure something out, im worried about, its the ones, where, you either know or don't know the answer.

Lastly, the whole (on the practice tests) "these aren't the real questions": but some of them must be, after all, how many ways can you ask a simple question with only one answer??

Oh and I do have a copy of the current test supplement. FAA-CT-8080-2G

thanks guys
 
Sheppard is very good. Follow their prep instructions to the letter.

Sheppard’s method is a test taking tactic, not a material learning tactic. It works quite well.
 
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Used Gold Seal - the practice test questions were spot on. The FAR's were some of the things I got tripped up on - Who do you report a DUI to? Airplane that underwent significant structural alterations must be approved b4? My other misses were not trusting my initial instinct. Best advice is RTFQ.
 
Good to hear on Gold Seal. I'm almost done with the practical lessons (WB, flight planning, etc) and then on to the practice questions.
 
Clark1961 said:
Sheppard is very good. Follow their prep instructions to the letter.

Sheppard’s method is a test taking tactic, not a material learning tactic. It works quite well.
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When I google for Sheppard's method, they just refer you to join the AOPA as a student, and then to Sporty's private pilot practice test.
 
wdewg88 said:
When I google for Sheppard's method, they just refer you to join the AOPA as a student, and then to Sporty's private pilot practice test.
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Sheppardair.com
 
I suppose that in fairness Dauntless should be mentioned along with ASA. Somebody else mentioned gold seal.

I’ve used ASA for private, instrument, and commercial. I used Sheppard on commercial retake after the original pass had been expired for several years. Sheppard was much faster in terms of study. ASA is more about learning the material. Since you already have the Jeppesen book you’ve got the material learning side covered along with a hefty cure for insomnia.
 
If you are the type who wants to "score well"....I believe all of the major online versions have exact Knowledge Exam testbank questions. I used King. The questions, answers and even the actual sectional problems are identical to the actual Knowledge Exam. They currently have around 900 questions in their online ground school. Heck, even the PTS/ACS areas & specifica question tags are identical to the knowledge exam. Actually, they are so identical that I believe all the sectional, flight planning, W&B questions are so identical that you wouldn't even need to work it out - you may have just memorizes that that specific W&B question's answer is 'C'

I believe many people just take several practice tests which basically expose you to all of the questions. In effect, you are memorizing them. If you truly want to "score well" just buy one of these and review all the questions. You should get a 100% or maybe just miss one question at most - if you are that type. This doesn't mean you will understand it well...but that is what all the included videos are for :)
 
I took my Sport Pilot written 2 1/2 months ago. I don’t know if a SP feedback is worthy enough for a PPL written, but I remember the entire test and all what was asked of me.
 
I used gleim to learn the material but really got comfortable by taking the Sheppard practice tests. Take enough of those to consistently score above 90 and you’ll do fine.
 
Purchased Gleim ground school and did all their tests, then I did a ton of King tests, and watched the King vids on YT.
I was (am) a perfectionists and missed only one little Vx / Vy question (I got it right first and during the review phase I changed the correct answer to the incorrect); 98% :D
Do as much practice tests online as you can, write down the ones you miss and study that until you understand the concept. Don't memorize, learn it ;)
 
Lots of good information here. I just came across this page by searching gleim vs sportys in google and decided to join this forum.

About a year ago I passed the part 107 remote pilot knowledge test and that got me hooked into increasing my knowledge in aviation, perhaps one day I can finally become a private pilot.

Thank you for all your inputs.

Blue skies!
 
Hippike said:
Purchased Gleim ground school and did all their tests, then I did a ton of King tests, and watched the King vids on YT.
I was (am) a perfectionists and missed only one little Vx / Vy question (I got it right first and during the review phase I changed the correct answer to the incorrect); 98% :D
Do as much practice tests online as you can, write down the ones you miss and study that until you understand the concept. Don't memorize, learn it ;)
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Same here; that is essentially what I have done, I have been doing it for the past year, I work nights and often have hours of down time, so I just repeatedly take the practice tests, and go and learn the stuff I miss.

However I have read instances of people taking the test, and "I never saw that questions/learned about that!"

maybe I should wait until I get my CFI to take it?
 
Sinistar said:
I believe all of the major online versions have exact Knowledge Exam testbank questions.
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They’re not supposed to. FAA stopped publishing the questions in the pool a long long time ago.

Whether people are memorizing questions and helping them all update their pools is between them and those people... and FAA.

FAA says it’s grounds for disqualification if caught. And yet many of these companies actively request their customers do it.

So... in the end, your mileage may vary. FAA appears to essentially be looking the other way.

I have no problem using these pools or companies for study, but personally I won’t help them update their pools.

Plus frankly I don’t memorize test questions well enough to help them anyway. Question is in front of my face, I answer it, and then I move on to the next one.

Everyone can draw their own lines in the sand on how much they’ll participate in these things wherever they like. We all know what the rule book says.
 
AlpineAce said:
as far as I can find, sheppard DOES NOT offer PPL tests/training.
can you provide a direct link??
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Nope sure can’t. Looks like Sheppard is referring folks to Sporty’s. Good luck with that.
 
Clark1961 said:
Nope sure can’t. Looks like Sheppard is referring folks to Sporty’s. Good luck with that.
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Whew- glad I'm not crazy. I was seeing that as well. Guess I will do the practice tests that come with Gold Seal, and then do the Sporty's free one a few times and then let'er rip!
 
wdewg88 said:
Whew- glad I'm not crazy. I was seeing that as well. Guess I will do the practice tests that come with Gold Seal, and then do the Sporty's free one a few times and then let'er rip!
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would you mind telling us how they compare?

and, again, I more interested in the unexpected questions. I know the material pretty well, but with my luck, they will throw me a curveball.
 
Javier Lozada said:
Lots of good information here. I just came across this page by searching gleim vs sportys in google and decided to join this forum.

About a year ago I passed the part 107 remote pilot knowledge test and that got me hooked into increasing my knowledge in aviation, perhaps one day I can finally become a private pilot.

Thank you for all your inputs.

Blue skies!
Click to expand...


Welcome! Visit a flight school and take a discovery flight. See how you like it.
 
wdewg88 said:
Whew- glad I'm not crazy. I was seeing that as well. Guess I will do the practice tests that come with Gold Seal, and then do the Sporty's free one a few times and then let'er rip!
Click to expand...

I just looked at the Sheppard website. The Sporty’s website that it takes you to looks like the same thing the Sheppard site was when I did it a few months back. Almost all of the questions I had on my exam were also on those practice tests.
 
AlpineAce said:
would you mind telling us how they compare?

and, again, I more interested in the unexpected questions. I know the material pretty well, but with my luck, they will throw me a curveball.
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Sure. Will do


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
AJN said:
I just looked at the Sheppard website. The Sporty’s website that it takes you to looks like the same thing the Sheppard site was when I did it a few months back. Almost all of the questions I had on my exam were also on those practice tests.
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Sweet. Thanks for checking in that. I appreciate it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
can anyone confirm if the test center (or the test software) provides a cx-2 calculator? i'm missing questions because of the tiny lines on the density altitude chart and the e6b is not accurate enough. Being off by 100' (i.e., answering 1000' instead of 1100') is a wrong answer on the test but the chart graphics make it very difficult to be so precise.
Example:
What is the change in density altitude between 25°F and 50°F with pressure altitude staying the same at 5000'?
 
Mine didn't only had my E6B. Do you have the test supplement or are you trying to figure out on a computer screen? I had no problems having the actual book and using a ruler.

upload_2018-4-21_13-55-51.png
 
NHWannabe said:
Mine didn't only had my E6B. Do you have the test supplement or are you trying to figure out on a computer screen? I had no problems having the actual book and using a ruler.

View attachment 62152
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thanks, i'm working from the screen, guess I'll print the supplement and practice that way...
 
I struggled getting the right answers when using the computer screen too, but on the test you get everything you need printed out and it’s much easier
 
pico said:
thanks, i'm working from the screen, guess I'll print the supplement and practice that way...
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I would recommend buying a copy of the actual test supplement, which you can get for about $8.50 at various places such as http://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/computer-testing-supplement-for-private-recreational-and-sport.html

It makes it more realistic to take practice tests where you need to measure distances or follow charts like the one above. It also gets you familiar with flipping around to the various figures n the book so that it's second nature during the actual test, and it's less annoying than switching browser windows to refer between the question and the figures.

There are a lot of pages in the book so printing the whole thing might cost more than buying a copy, and it can be annoying to work with so many loose pages if you don't bind them. You could also try to identify all the figures you actually need for the practice questions, but that's kind of a slow tedious process. If you've got the $8.50 and can spare a couple of days waiting for the book to arrive I'd definitely recommend that. I went through all of the above approaches :)
 
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King's test prep was almost identical to the test. Really boring, but good program
 
While test prep courses can help, what is best is to actually learn the material by reading and studying the FAR, AIM, PHAK, AFH, etc. Not only will you pass the exam but you will have a more thorough understanding of the material.
 
denverpilot said:
They’re not supposed to. FAA stopped publishing the questions in the pool a long long time ago.

Whether people are memorizing questions and helping them all update their pools is between them and those people... and FAA.

FAA says it’s grounds for disqualification if caught. And yet many of these companies actively request their customers do it.

So... in the end, your mileage may vary. FAA appears to essentially be looking the other way.

I have no problem using these pools or companies for study, but personally I won’t help them update their pools.

Plus frankly I don’t memorize test questions well enough to help them anyway. Question is in front of my face, I answer it, and then I move on to the next one.

Everyone can draw their own lines in the sand on how much they’ll participate in these things wherever they like. We all know what the rule book says.
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I hope in each of my responses to the thread I also added that you should really understand this stuff.

I took the test in the Aug/Sept 2017 timeframe and it was ACS.

Regarding King Schools: I recall the King sample questions being identical. Actually after you take 3 sample exams it offers the sign off (I didn't use it). Also, at the end of their content John is on their asking you if you've received a new question that wasn't in their bank to let them know (I don't recall the mechanism). I know the sectionals used were identical. My grandparents lived in Cooperstown, ND. So as I did the videos and that area of the sectional showed up I thought "Cool". And it also showed up on my test and I believe the questions pertaining to that sectional area were identical.

Actually. I thought even today you can go to a testing center and take the exam but not for credit. I figure once they hear of new questions, they have someone go and do this and re-synch everthing. Not sure if this right but I heard it somewhere???
 
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