Whose Test Prep is Better: ASA, Gleim, or Jeppesen?

Uranus

Uranus

Filing Flight Plan
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Oct 27, 2013
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Juneau, AK
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Dr.NoPe
Feedback, comment, advice, critic, all welcome!

I am not talkin' about if it's part 61 or 141 approved, but from their content, relevance to actural test, or any distiction that outwits each to others.
 
I liked the Gleim books (last time I studied for a written it was all still paper lol) because they put the answer on the page along with why the incorrect answers were incorrect so you actually learned something beside what the right answer was.
 
Henning said:
I liked the Gleim books (last time I studied for a written it was all still paper lol) because they put the answer on the page along with why the incorrect answers were incorrect so you actually learned something beside what the right answer was.
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+1 to this for the PPL. And that fits my personality better. I want to know not just the correct answer, but the information behind the correct answer and what about the incorrect answers make them incorrect.

FYI; for the IFR study, the Jepp products don't get much mention here, but are worth a look. I've been through the King product and found it met the typical expectations, but I wanted a bit more. So I took advantage of the 20% off AOPA show special Jepp had and have been enjoying the design and style of their written book and online product. Add my reading of the Gardner and Dogan books, and I think I'll be pretty well prepared once I take the test and get started with a CFI-I.
 
I used good ol John and Martha plus the $9 Sportys Study Buddy app and got a 98% on the PPL written last week. Now, I know that's not the question you asked but in the process of going through the King videos I really found a whole new appreciation for their stuff (which I had always written off previously). Just an alternate viewpoint I suppose. :)
 
I like the gliem ,used it from ppl to ATP ,it's all what you get used to.also used the disc on my laptop . Liked the paper ,can copy the questions and explanations with you to study when you have a few minutes.
 
V1-Vr-V2 said:
I used good ol John and Martha plus the $9 Sportys Study Buddy app and got a 98% on the PPL written last week. Now, I know that's not the question you asked but in the process of going through the King videos I really found a whole new appreciation for their stuff (which I had always written off previously). Just an alternate viewpoint I suppose. :)
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Yeah, I also found King's online course of great help, detailed explanation and illustration, along with vids and interactive quizZes! It's recommended by my FI.
 
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frfly172 said:
I like the gliem ,used it from ppl to ATP ,it's all what you get used to.also used the disc on my laptop . Liked the paper ,can copy the questions and explanations with you to study when you have a few minutes.
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Cool, my FI also advised having Private Pilot FAA Knowledge Test
and I looked at their website and found there is a bundle that includes this book and FAA Test Prep Online, have you ever used the online source? If so, do you think it's worth buying? Thanks.
 
I've always been partial to Gleim. Jepp sucks. ASA had some flakiness in their prepare years ago, which I have to believe they must have fixed.
 
nddons said:
Make that another supporter of John and Martha. I used them for both Private and IR.
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I especially like their snickering tones at almost every end of their sentences! Sounds like they are teaching kindergarten kids how to count 1,2,3! Huh! :D
 
Pilots of America said:
I especially like their snickering tones at almost every end of their sentences! Sounds like they are teaching kindergarten kids how to count 1,2,3! Huh! :D
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Having met several PoA folks, I would say treating us like kindergarten kids would be a promotion. :rofl:
 
Also using John & Martha stuff during lunch breaks. Used King school as part of my PPL and scored in the mid 90s. Did not use Sheppard for the PPL.
 
For PPL there's no need to spend more than $10. Use Sporty's Study Buddy and http://www.exams4pilots.org/faatest.cgi.

Once I knew the material and was ready to crank through questions - that's all I used and made a 94 on the exam and was finished in less than 30 minutes. If I wouldn't have gone back during review and changed two answers from right to wrong, I would have even done better.

I passed my exam about a month ago.
 
I am a very visual leaner and always had trouble retaining info just by reading.

With that, for my PPL I received the Gleim System as part of my flight training package. I hated the Gleim system with a passion and loved the King Schools. I though the context of how the Gleim info was presented was awful. I even paid for King materials that I already had in Gleim.
 
I used the ASA test prep book, followed by the Gleim online practice exams. Passed with a 94%.

My strategy: went through the ASA book twice. The first time through, read all sections, and try all practice exam questions. For those questions you get wrong, read back in the section and understand why you got it wrong and why a different answer is the correct one. On the second time through, do only the practice questions, again looking up the ones you get wrong.

Then start taking Gleim practice exams of the format you'll be taking the written in. When you regularly score 90%+, go take the exam and pass with flying colors.
 
Gleim. I will stop short of saying Jeppesen sucks, but their FAA prep book had several glaring errors with some of the questions and some of the calculations on the supplied performance charts were wrong, leading to me picking the wrong answer.

I went through the Gleim test prep book twice as well as used exams4pilots.org and got a 97% on my written, which I considered accepatble:D
 
Which girl is prettier, the blonde, the brunette, or the redhead?

Your mileage may vary.
 
For just passing the test, the Gleim CD. For really understanding the material, use the FAA handbooks and materials.
 
ASA has an online ground school for $179.95, test prep (FAA question-their answer-their explanation....no one has the FAA's answers) book (or ebook) for $16.95, test prep software on CD-ROM for $49.95, and virtual test prep on DVD for $149.95 with cameo appearance by yours truly and a bunch of other aviation writers. You pays your money and you takes your choice. Free sample tests either included or available, depending on the product you choose.

Because I am a geezer, I never used ASA products (or anyone else's) so I have no basis for comparison. However, I have been associated with ASA for about 30 years now and recommend their products.

Bob Gardner
 
Lance F said:
If the goal is just to pass the test...
www.sheppardair.com
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Yep. Just used them for my CFII and scored a 94 after studying for 4 hours spread over a week. Fwiw, I used John and Martha for my Private, IR, Comm, and CFI-A (used Sheppard for the FOI) and found them to be pretty good. That is if you can handle hours on end of Martha's "sexyness" :rolleyes:
 
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Not really a test prep, but I've done my CFI online renewal with Gleim for years – very smooth and almost painless.
 
For pilot stuff, I've used GLEIM with great success. For A&P mechanic stuff ive used jeppesen with great success.
 
Finally decided to go with Gleim...Thank you all for good info!! Happy flying!
 
Shawn said:
I am a very visual leaner and always had trouble retaining info just by reading.

With that, for my PPL I received the Gleim System as part of my flight training package. I hated the Gleim system with a passion and loved the King Schools. I though the context of how the Gleim info was presented was awful. I even paid for King materials that I already had in Gleim.
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This is excellent feedback. Just started getting into flying, and wanted info on what material would work Best for ME. I am highly visual, was looking for feed back on what is best for visual learners, and this decided it for me. King it is. (Your post also prompted me to sign-up with this Pilots of America)
 
I've been using the ASA online course. It comes with "comprehensive text book" (all the information written out), "test prep" (smaller chapters, basically meant as cliff notes for pretest review), and the video segments (1-2 hours long for each of the 7 or 8 full chapters). Personally, I'm a reader, so I haven't given the videos as much attention as the comprehensive. BUT, I've found the comprehensive to be really good, and the segments that I have watched have been pretty good!!

As a further plus for ASA, I thought I identified an error in the text and wrote them a quick note. I got a really knowledgable and polite response, in short order.

I talked to a CFI, and he said that ASA recently revamped their course and he felt it was now the best one out there. I can't comment on the other ones, but I can highly recommend the ASA Online Course! As a further plus, I believe that our own Bob Gardner contributed some of the writing and makes some appearances in the videos....
 
I'm a fan of The Dauntless series of software and apps. It's ironic now, as I may be starting to author some of their content soon.
 
I'm about 30-40% through the Dauntless Commercial written app. Seem to like it so far and it's been pretty easy to commit the questions/answers to muscle memory with no issues.
 
I just bought the Dauntless android IFR app based on this thread, and I have to say my 48 hours with the app is very different than reported.

The app has an easy to reproduce bug. The bug occurs often enough to be annoying, but the app -is- usable. The problem really started when I tried to report it. The web site has a "speed bump" that basically says "oh, it's android... are you SURE you tried all these suggestions before bothering us?". Only I can't get past that page. Then I tried to file a bug report about their web app, and that didn't work either.

I'm stuck with a mediocre android app and apparently zero support and I'm out $45.
 
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