Private Pilot Written Exam

[vladi34]

Ok so I got my materials from ATP about 3 weeks ago and started to study for my PP written. The way I understand it is that I will have to take this the day before I start at ATP. Now I've been studying as much as I can, but with two kids and still a job that I am finishing up I have not gotten as far as I have hoped (that is another reason I am going to ATP vs a local FBO, full school emersion and isolation from distractions). I am a little over half way through the big book, but I now have less then a week left . Any suggestions? What if I do not pass the writtens next Sunday? Will that be considered a bust? Thanks for the help.

[Flight81]

Start taking 4-5 practice tests a day at sportys.com. That will help a lot. Do that everyday from here on out and you will pass. I know how it is... I have two kids and one is 3 months old. You can do it though, I just spent two weeks studing for the IRA, FII and IGI and passed them all in one day. I read the material, but I also took lots of practice tests.

[jac]

Originally Posted by Flight81

Start taking 4-5 practice tests a day at sportys.com. That will help a lot. Do that everyday from here on out and you will pass. I know how it is... I have two kids and one is 3 months old. You can do it though, I just spent two weeks studing for the IRA, FII and IGI and passed them all in one day. I read the material, but I also took lots of practice tests.

I agree - this is effective to pass the PPL written. Also check out www.exams4pilots.org - another test prep website. I'd recommend not taking the test until you feel like you know and understand the material - this will help in the long-term. I also went through with small kids - it can be done! Go get it!

[yoman793]

Originally Posted by jac

I agree - this is effective to pass the PPL written. Also check out www.exams4pilots.org - another test prep website. I'd recommend not taking the test until you feel like you know and understand the material - this will help in the long-term. I also went through with small kids - it can be done! Go get it!

roger that. exams4pilots.org will get you through the written just fine. i spent alot of time going over the practice questions in the airmen knowledge test guide from the jepp kit too. that helped immensely.

[vladi34]

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement, been taking practice tests. What is the percentage of correct answers you must have in order to pass? Also does anyone from ATP know what happens IF I don't pass this exam on the first day that I am there, am I then not allowed to fly until I do? Is it a bad mark on my flying record?

[BillH]

I'd suggest NOT to take practice tests, all you are doing is filling your brain with the wrong answers.
You always want to do your best, a 70% is passing. This is a competitive business, with that said, in the end, it's who you know and who knows you that will land you the good job. If you don't have those connections, well you need to do your best. I mean, your attitude should be that you want to strive for 100%, if it's not, well those who do will do better and go further. No different anywhere else.
I mean honestly, if you just want to get by, you will be eating crap the rest of your career, you need to be pro active, be ahead of everyone else, always learning more and more advanced stuff without forgetting the basics you already learned. Everyone else is in this rat race with you, no one will give you sympathy, they will just think your an idiot if you get washed out. The ball is in your court. Just a taste of reality for you.

[Snuggles]

I'm starting PPL at ATP Arlington on July 7th, and I've been studying like crazy as well. I had been reading the main Jepp text all at once and taking a ton of practice tests, but I kinda plateaued at around 70% correct answers and decided I needed a different plan. I switched to really absorbing the hell out of one Jepp text chapter per day, and taking the corresponding tests from the separate Jepp Test Guide. I now only take an occasional practice test to monitor my progress, and this seems to be working much better.

Two cents and a grain of salt from someone who also has yet to take the written. Good luck to us both!

[vladi34]

Originally Posted by BillH

I'd suggest NOT to take practice tests, all you are doing is filling your brain with the wrong answers.
You always want to do your best, a 70% is passing. This is a competitive business, with that said, in the end, it's who you know and who knows you that will land you the good job. If you don't have those connections, well you need to do your best. I mean, your attitude should be that you want to strive for 100%, if it's not, well those who do will do better and go further. No different anywhere else.
I mean honestly, if you just want to get by, you will be eating crap the rest of your career, you need to be pro active, be ahead of everyone else, always learning more and more advanced stuff without forgetting the basics you already learned. Everyone else is in this rat race with you, no one will give you sympathy, they will just think your an idiot if you get washed out. The ball is in your court. Just a taste of reality for you.

Bill you only answered one of my questions, the fact that pass rate is 70%, Everything else you typed here makes absolutely no sense, I know that you are always supposed to strive for a 100% that is the fact in anything you do, and who you know is true in any field. I am not an idiot who is going to be washed out, I am structural engineer and speak 4 languages, I know I can get a hang of this flying thing But life has taught me to plan from every angle, thus I was simply asking do you have to take the written on your first day before you are allowed to fly and what happens if for some reason you do not pass how does that affect you further down the road. Regardless I appreciate your opinion and I know quite well where the ball lies.

[BillH]

Originally Posted by vladi34

Bill you only answered one of my questions, the fact that pass rate is 70%, Everything else you typed here makes absolutely no sense, I know that you are always supposed to strive for a 100% that is the fact in anything you do, and who you know is true in any field. I am not an idiot who is going to be washed out, I am structural engineer and speak 4 languages, I know I can get a hang of this flying thing But life has taught me to plan from every angle, thus I was simply asking do you have to take the written on your first day before you are allowed to fly and what happens if for some reason you do not pass how does that affect you further down the road. Regardless I appreciate your opinion and I know quite well where the ball lies.

I'm sorry to hear that you didn't like my opinion, let me refund you the money that you paid for it. Here, I'll throw in some extra to make up for that dent in your ego.

[vladi34]

Originally Posted by BillH

I'm sorry to hear that you didn't like my opinion, let me refund you the money that you paid for it. Here, I'll throw in some extra to make up for that dent in your ego.

WOW, I was not suggesting that I did not like your opinion, I was merely saying that it did not make sense to me since to me since I never said anything about not striving for a 100%. All I was trying to find out is the "what if" scenario, which I still have no answer for. And since my ego was in no way dented I will go ahead and take that extra money you threw my way and use it towards a case of red bull that I have a feeling I am going to need over the next couple of days...

[DL31082]

Hello I just recently went through ATP's program in ATL. Admin tells everyone that they have to have the Private Pilot written done before they show up for the first day. The truth is that you don't. You wont fly until you have it done but your probably not going to fly until the second week anyways. Just study the best that you can and take it when you are ready.

[anavalairman2]

Originally Posted by DL31082

Hello I just recently went through ATP's program in ATL. Admin tells everyone that they have to have the Private Pilot written done before they show up for the first day. The truth is that you don't. You wont fly until you have it done but your probably not going to fly until the second week anyways. Just study the best that you can and take it when you are ready.

Hey, so what will their reaction be if one has gotten all the material in the mail...studyed as hard as one could and still didn't grasp the concept, got to ATP and took the written a week or so later after you arrived? Will your instructor be mad or will it interfear with the proposed flight schedule?

I was told by a certain VIP at ATP that you can take the writen before you arrive but if you do you will have to get your log book endorsed by some joe shmoe instructor at your FBO and pay the fee after which ATP will re-emburse you for the cost. He also said the best thing to do is to just study and take the test when you get to ATP. That's what I'm doing when I go in Aug.

[anavalairman2]

vladi34-

I am reading the private pilot airmen knowledge test question bank and in the preface, it states that the applicant shall surrender the previous test report to the test proctor prior to retesting. The original test report shall be destroyed by the test proctor after adminstering the retest. The latest test taken will reflect the official score.

As stated in 14 CFR section 61.49, an applicant may apply for retesting after receiving additional training and an endorsement from an authorized instructor who has determined the applicant has been found competent to pass the test.

I think a little confusion is coming from "busting" a checkride. I can not say that it won't reflect on you as an applicant for an airline later on down the road because you never know who will ask the million dollar "HAVE YOU EVER IN YOUR LIFE"... question. I think you will be fine. Good luck and god speed.

[popaviator]

The test is EASY, you'll all do fine!

[DL31082]

The instructors won't get mad if you haven't taken the test by the time you get there. It will not missed up the flight schedule unless you wait 2 weeks or more to take the test. New PPL's dont usually fly until the second week anyways. When I tried to take it the day before I started the PPL instructor was the one who told me not to worry about it. They well nag you constantly about getting it done, but they wont do anything. There were 3 guys that started my PPL class, one took the test before the first day and the other 2 didn't. The one that took it early got a 72 the other 2 scored in the 90's. Now from my experience DPE's dont seem to care about your test scores. Anyways, good luck and have fun.

[vladi34]

Thanks for all the info guys, my last few practice tests have been in the 70's so I am on track. Still not a 100% but getting there, with a few more days I should be fine. I'm packing now and will be heading for Georgia bright and early tomorrow morning. Will keep everyone updated on how it's going.

[anavalairman2]

Originally Posted by DL31082

Hello I just recently went through ATP's program in ATL. Admin tells everyone that they have to have the Private Pilot written done before they show up for the first day. The truth is that you don't. You wont fly until you have it done but your probably not going to fly until the second week anyways. Just study the best that you can and take it when you are ready.

Why won't we as new PPL's fly until the 2nd week? Do the instructors go over any of the ground study before we fly? I mean, what's the point of the PPL program if the ground instruction isn't taught by an instructor? Maybe I have a poor point of view due to lack of information but certainly it seems like they just throw you a stack of books and expect you to study with NO instruction from an instructor. I've been studying my bum off but to be interactive with an INSTRUCTOR would be so beneficial.

[DL31082]

They generally have two PPL classes running at the same time. One class that just started and then the class that is in their second month. When I was in the program they only had 3 instructors for the PPL due to the regionals hiring so many of them. 2 of the instructors are generally flying the class that is in the second month as much as they can to get them ready for the checkride. The third instructor is usually giving ground to either the new class or the second month class. You will get some ground school, but this is not a 141 program!! I can not stress that enough and you are going to hear that a lot. You have to study on your own and you have to study a lot. The instructors are going to help with a lot of it but they are going to expect you to have questions. They do not have a schedule of when to teach certain things at certain times. They will make sure you are ready for your checkride, but be prepared to do a lot of self study.

[anavalairman2]

DL31082,

Thank you for clerifying that. As I thought of it more, I did come to a realization that it was not a 141 operation and that is the difference.

[vladi34]

Originally Posted by anavalairman2

Why won't we as new PPL's fly until the 2nd week? Do the instructors go over any of the ground study before we fly? I mean, what's the point of the PPL program if the ground instruction isn't taught by an instructor? Maybe I have a poor point of view due to lack of information but certainly it seems like they just throw you a stack of books and expect you to study with NO instruction from an instructor. I've been studying my bum off but to be interactive with an INSTRUCTOR would be so beneficial.

Yeah I just had my first day of PPL today and we had a FULL day of ground school and it will continue like that for a while. We did a lot of group discussion (there are 6 guys including myself in my class) and people who are weak in certain areas got help from the rest of the guys and the instructor. Out of the 6 only one has already passed his written and the rest of us are planning on it by the end of the week. We have already formed a study group and are going hard at it with the guy that already passed helping us out as well. It's going great so far. Our instructor said that he wanted us to concentrate this week and really study for the written.

[anavalairman2]

vladi34-

Were you able to complete any of the PPL stage exams before you made it to ATP?

[vladi34]

Originally Posted by anavalairman2

vladi34-

Were you able to complete any of the PPL stage exams before you made it to ATP?

No I'm planning on taking the written this friday. I'm hitting mid 80's on my practice tests right now.

[DL31082]

Good luck on the test. At which location did you start?

[anavalairman2]

Originally Posted by vladi34

No I'm planning on taking the written this friday. I'm hitting mid 80's on my practice tests right now.

Outstanding! Keep it up for their is more to come!

[anavalairman2]

Originally Posted by vladi34

No I'm planning on taking the written this friday. I'm hitting mid 80's on my practice tests right now.

Did you take the written today? If so, how did you do? DETAILS DETAILS!!