What is the best way to study for the Instrument Written Test?

Well, completed my online endorsement for the written with Sporty's. We'll see soon enough how well prepared that makes me for the real thing...
 
Can't say Sporty's is impressing me. I can score consistently between 70 and 80% on their mock tests but large chunks of the curriculum aren't covered in their lengthy videos or chapter quizzes. Quite frustrating. I started Sheppard today and I'm very impressed. The amount of material is daunting but it's proving quite effective so far.

Remembering from my PPL that whatever isn't correct on the written gets you grilled on the oral - I'd just as soon get as close to 100% as possible this time.
 
I have used Gleim for my PPL and using it for my IR. Got 95% on my PPL so I expected good things for the IR one as well
 
JScarry said:
If you memorize everything on this page, and know how to do the stupid VOR questions, you’ll pass the knowledge test and the oral.
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Just working through that section now of the Rod Machado instrument ground course. Those VOR / CDI / HSI questions seem like real brain teasers. Does that apply at all in real instrument flight (whilst using VORs, that is)?
 
40YearDream said:
Just working through that section now of the Rod Machado instrument ground course. Those VOR / CDI / HSI questions seem like real brain teasers. Does that apply at all in real instrument flight (whilst using VORs, that is)?
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I used this video for HSI, explained it perfectly
 
40YearDream said:
Does that apply at all in real instrument flight (whilst using VORs, that is)?
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When I was a DPE I had to fail a private pilot applicant (who was a nuclear engineer, IIRC) for not being able to use the VOR correctly. He tried to track a Victor airway and just kept turning in a circle trying to center the needle. The questions are testing for correct understanding of how the system works, it's as simple as that.
 
Pilot Checkride Prep offers mock orals which are great for knowledge testing. I've also seen Part Time Pilot offer a great guide for free.
 
Shepherd air. If you use their study method and do it for a min of your one hour a day for two weeks you should be scoring in the 90s easily. I agree you need to know more than just the rote information for the DPE but for the written use this method, get a good score aka well over 90% and your oral will be that much easier. The other methods are ok but they do not cover all the questions you will see on the written, I know I was forced to use some of them. Shepherd air never failed me on any of my written exams and my orals were short except CFI, I don’t think it is ever short for anyone!
 
Sheppard Air +1. Yep, its is a good idea to buy some books as well, DVD courses, etc. If you like aviation, a little investment for your safety and knowledge will always be a rewarding attitude... Seppard method is great! Going in deep is.....fun!

Want to really ace your training? Enroll Virtual Aviation like IVAO. The best investment for any student pilot.
 
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We recommend Shephard for knowledge exam and for the oral prep the free IFR Pilot Cafe summary. Along with our accelerated IFR Guide in parallel with your flight training. www.accelerated-ifr.com
 
I used sportys. I really like their videos. Not so much on their online testing seemed like alot of repetitive questions. I think using something like sportys and utilizing another testing source like shepherded air are best.
 
murphey said:
Get the FAA Instrument Procedures book - download for free
https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/instrument_procedures_handbook/

And the Instrument Handbook.
https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/media/FAA-H-8083-15B.pdf

Read, learn. Then any Q&A software will identify where you need more study.

Drill & Kill doesn't help if you don't know the material, because the DPE will ask questions, and you better know the answers.
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I had to use the FAA handbooks for PPL and AMT and the one thing i can say is they are bloated trash.

No one ever needs to know, for ppl 2/3rds of whats in the AIM or AMT handbooks to pass the tests.

Passing the writtens is all about regurgitation. Plane and simple lol
 
Michael Caliz said:
When I took the written for my PPL I used an online data base and some other things (wiz wheel etc.)

Any advice on how to study for the IFR Written Test please?

Thanks.
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The more hypothetical trips you can plan, with complex SUA and approaches, the more you will get into the application of all that knowledge. Best of luck.
 
Hi all. I had posted this in another thread and thought it might be worthwhile here for someone looking for a review of the Machado IFR Ground video course. Overall I feel like they did a good job of introducing and teaching the material and instrument flying as a whole to someone coming into it with little to no IFR knowledge. In fact, more than once I told myself there's no way the average CFI could come close to teaching me as effectively in one-on-one ground instruction as the perfected presentation and syllabus followed in the videos or another like it. King or Sportys or another could have a similar benefit - I just don't have experience with them to compare. It's worth noting that the style of these videos I've got to think is more than a little polarizing - they are nearly all cartoon-ish animation usually over illustrated or photo content narrated by a collection of accents with overly used puns and "jokes" and dancing cartoon figures. Machado's style I think works well for his books to keep interest and I respect his willingness to be silly for my benefit, however I can't imagine anyone thinking it hasn't been overdone about 1/4 of the way through. Maybe somewhat less so if I had taken it in smaller chunks. I went pretty hard at it more than a few hours per day (I went start to finish in two weeks). I thought I had read somewhere that it was 50 hours of content. Seems like more especially with taking and retaking a few of the quizzes. Overall it does feel a bit unfinished for the price. Not sure any of the others are better in this regard but there are definitely some broken links, clumsy navigation, and patched up content that raise an eyebrow.

In regards to this course being successful prep for the written that's taken at a designated testing center- the actual test is just... weird. I did pass, at 78%. But I ended up turning it in with very little confidence and feeling quite frustrated with myself. If I hadn't had some recency with taking Part 107 (drone) written tests I would have been even further blindsided. I will gladly jump on the bandwagon saying those the FAA test-writers are definitely out to get ya. In hindsight I wish I had taken the time to do some Sheppard Air or similar practice tests and prep before going into the hot seat. When I got into the room with the test booklet and a ****ty computer I felt like I had barely prepared at all for the questions in front of me - even though I had scored about 90% on all of the practice quizzes and the three practice tests that are part of the Machado course. 30 years ago before my PP written I had done a weekend course in a hotel ballroom. I think there are still some of those around and maybe that could have been a good post-video course, pre-test tactic here too.

Anyway, overall summary for the Machado Instrument eGround School: good for learning the content, especially if you'll welcome his unique comedian-educator style. However I'd add on to it something with better example questions and test prep.
 
The IFR Written doesn't add a lot of practical value to the actual IFR training. A lot of outdated material, especially if you are flying a glass panel airplane. I tell all my customers, get the written done before we start IFR training and I will teach you everything you need to know about Instrument flying during the course.

Best way to get it knocked out is do a weekend ground school, take the test immediately after, then be on with your training. Streamline Aviation in Austin does a weekend ground school every other month: https://streamlineaviation.com. I know American Flyers does a monthly IFR ground school at their different bases around the country, but the quality of those depends on who the instructor is, which can be a crap shoot. Aviation Seminars, the traveling ground school, does a very good one if you can catch it while it's close to you.


"Pilots hate that feeling of not knowing what button to push on their glass panel. The Aviator's Academy teaches pilots to gain proficiency and understanding with their glass panels so that they will operate their glass panels with confidence in any airspace. Visit us at www.aviatorsacademy.com"
 
Hi, what is going on here? Is it still actual?
 
Michael Caliz said:
When I took the written for my PPL I used an online data base and some other things (wiz wheel etc.)

Any advice on how to study for the IFR Written Test please?

Thanks
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Read the instrument flying handbook and reference with the FAR/AIM as much as possible. Flip through the AIM page by page and tab out anything that relates to instrument procedures (approach and departure), ILS, RNAV, VOR, DME, RNP, PBN, lost comms, DA/MDA, WAAS, RAIM, GPS, etc, etc, etc…. The list goes on. Dig your head into the books (instrument flying handbook, PHAK, FAR/AIM and online study programs) and read while cross referencing info from your online practice testing sources. I can’t stress tabbing out your books enough. Your FAR/AIM should look like it has Samsung 8K texture hairs coming out of it.
 
The IF Handbook, Gold Seal ground school, and Sheppard Air will get you a good score. I missed two questions using these resources.
 
Michael Caliz said:
When I took the written for my PPL I used an online data base and some other things (wiz wheel etc.)

Any advice on how to study for the IFR Written Test please?

Thanks.
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I’m planning long IFRs cross countries and making sure I know what every little symbol is and how to brief departure procedures approach plates. Practical applications make it stick better for me.
 
zx12 rfl@outlook.com said:
Shepherd air. If you use their study method and do it for a min of your one hour a day for two weeks you should be scoring in the 90s easily. I agree you need to know more than just the rote information for the DPE but for the written use this method, get a good score aka well over 90% and your oral will be that much easier. The other methods are ok but they do not cover all the questions you will see on the written, I know I was forced to use some of them. Shepherd air never failed me on any of my written exams and my orals were short except CFI, I don’t think it is ever short for anyone!
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Just note that Shepard recommends that you take an instrument ground school before you begin working with their program.

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zx12 rfl@outlook.com said:
Shepherd air. If you use their study method and do it for a min of your one hour a day for two weeks you should be scoring in the 90s easily. I agree you need to know more than just the rote information for the DPE but for the written use this method, get a good score aka well over 90% and your oral will be that much easier. The other methods are ok but they do not cover all the questions you will see on the written, I know I was forced to use some of them. Shepherd air never failed me on any of my written exams and my orals were short except CFI, I don’t think it is ever short for anyone!
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i am in Sheppard air now. i basically do a practice test. then the answers i got wrong i study the wrong answers. rinse and repeat. i spend about 2 hrs in the morning and 2 hours in the evening studying. after i past my PPL written my instructor said now you should do good on t he instrument because a lot of what you studied for on the PPL will be on the Instrument. he was spot on. i took a practice test within 5 min of siging up for Sheppard air and got a 70%. plus sheppard air is really affordable which is always good.

my method is to use rote memory to pass the written tets then when i sign the student loan and go to school full time i will actually learn the info. the son of a teacher and that is how i have always done tests and it has not failed me yet. get the hard part out of the way first then you can relax and the brain will absorb the info better. so by the time it comes to talk to the DPE i will actually KNOW the information and will not be so nervous. That is my plan anyway.
 
I used King videos 40+ years ago. Learn The Finer Points from Jason Miller is adding instrument rating to their iPad Ground school any day. It is in the final stage of testing. I love their Ground School and approach. It is learnthefinerpoints
 
The hardest problems are the "where are you now" based on a representation of an out-of-center HSI, VOR, ADF, whatever. In real life you don't randomly look at an indictor and try to back out where you are - you center it based on known info (a pair of VORs for example) and there you are.

Also, flights progress linearly, so again, having needle(s) way off center and unknown is not that realistic. But it makes for great questions on the written, so...

Once in the air IFR, remember to never let the aircraft take you to somewhere your brain didn't already arrive at five minutes earlier.
 
Taking mine on Friday and using Sportys. Anyone else hate the below like me? I think this is the dumbest graphic depiction to ask a holding pattern entry.
 

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jaxcessnadriver said:
Taking mine on Friday and using Sportys. Anyone else hate the below like me? I think this is the dumbest graphic depiction to ask a holding pattern entry.
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Except for the radial and distance, it's exactly the same question I got on my double I flight test with the FAA. If you can't answer it on the ground, why would you be able to while juggling an airplane in the clouds?
 
dtuuri said:
Except for the radial and distance, it's exactly the same question I got on my double I flight test with the FAA. If you can't answer it on the ground, why would you be able to while juggling an airplane in the clouds?
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Arm chair flying and being in the air are different I guess. I have no issues VOR holds in air.
 
Im currently working through the Shepard Air grind. I dont know how I'm going to pass this test with this method... I've never been one to memorize well; I need to know the how and why, and rhen I can think through about anything. I took a ground school course, too, and thought I understood the how/why, but now about halfway through Step 1 and 2 of Shep...

We'll just say, this is painful. And If I miss another freaking HSI question, I'm going to lose my ****.
 
JVerb said:
Im currently working through the Shepard Air grind. I dont know how I'm going to pass this test with this method... I've never been one to memorize well; I need to know the how and why, and rhen I can think through about anything. I took a ground school course, too, and thought I understood the how/why, but now about halfway through Step 1 and 2 of Shep...

We'll just say, this is painful. And If I miss another freaking HSI question, I'm going to lose my ****.
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If it's that painful, you're doing it right.

Try to make some peace with the stupid HSI questions - eventually you get the pattern of what they are trying to ask.

You'll get there, but it's a horrible grind.
 
JVerb said:
Im currently working through the Shepard Air grind. I dont know how I'm going to pass this test with this method... I've never been one to memorize well; I need to know the how and why, and rhen I can think through about anything. I took a ground school course, too, and thought I understood the how/why, but now about halfway through Step 1 and 2 of Shep...

We'll just say, this is painful. And If I miss another freaking HSI question, I'm going to lose my ****.
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Well, it's not for everyone, but I will say, it's incredibly effective if you follow their study guide and when it comes time for the test, you'll skim through it fast!
 
Yeah - I also hate memorization, much better when the theory / the “why” is driving things. But IFR is a bit like that I’m afraid.

Keep grinding on - it will all be worth it.
 
JVerb said:
…I need to know the how and why, and rhen I can think through about anything...
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The FAA question writers make this challenging, but…

JVerb said:
…If I miss another freaking HSI question, I'm going to lose my ****.
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This is where it can be beneficial to do a few flights. Once you do a few legs tracking a ground signal with HSI and CDI, the theory makes a lot more practical sense. Some people can ‘get it’ frome watching videos like the one below, but doing it for real does tremendously help cement the concept.

 
I've watched the vids; I'm getting better at it, but not great. I do a lot better in the cockpit for VOR tracking. At least I've figured out the hold entries, for the most part.
 
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