Preparation

[Birdstrike]

Need some advice to pass along to my son. I'm neither current nor on active duty anymore and need some more recent/current information than I can offer him from my own dated and limited experience.

If you had to recommend an academics plan of study to a young person just learning to fly, doing it on their own without attending an aviation college, joining the military, or going to FSI--and with their goal being a Part 121 job, what would you recommend? I'm talking about the academics for a good foundation, not flight experience or the interview prep stuff.

Is there a recognized product or study package that "puts it all together" in a particularly good way? The choices seem overwhelming; King courses, Sporties, Gleim, Kershner, Joe FBO's Study Guides, etc.

These products seem to me to concentrate on what you need to know to pass a test to get a rating than on building a professional pilot's academic knowledge base in an orderly, building block fashion from Private through ATP.

Do the aviation colleges like ERU, San Juan, and North Dakota write their own POIs or is there a recognized standard course of instruction out there? Or did you guys do it primarily with the FARS and AIM and your own study? If so, where did you learn, for example, complex airplane systems and meteorology?

Thanks for all insights offered!

 

[p3jacobs]

I go to Gleim for the quick upgrade, answers, and pure gouge. It helped with my ATP, FE, and current Civilian Instructor ratings. Wouldn't recommend them for foundation knowledge. My brother liked the King tapes.

Military sure has offered a bundle of free hours and international flying.

 

[El Cid Av8or]

I like the "Guided Flight Discovery" series by Jeppesen. They go into great detail and have lots of full color photos with explanations by them. You can read more about them on this web page

I am currently using the King Schools IFR CD-ROM course to study for my instrument rating. It seems to have good detail to it as well but I am only about 1/4 done.

I haven't used the Gleim series but I have heard good reports about them for written test prep. I think, but I am not sure, that the Sportys series is along the same lines as the King Schools series.

The military is a great path to follow. I wish they would have lightened up on the vision requirements when I was in college

 

[bobbysamd]

Flight Training Academics

I've always recommended to young people wanting to be pilots that they take all the math, science, including physics and physiology, and English comp they can get. Math and physics are obvious. Physiology, to learn how the human body reacts in flight (flight phys being even better). English, because good writing and speaking skills are so important to pilots. Pilots spend many of their early years working up resumes and cogent cover letters. They have to speak well at interviews and with other people. They have to write articulate reports for many occasions. The long and short of taking as much English as possible is to speak and write like a professional and not come across as a moron. Also, if they can get it, course(s) on labor relations and/or American labor movement.

I got most of my ground school studying at home. I used the Jepp books my instructor provided to me, the ASA books, Aviation Weather and Aviation Weather Services, the Flight Training Handbook, the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, and other FAA pubs. I learned what I needed to learn, but I feel that I would have obtained more knowledge and had a better learning experience if I had gone to a real class(es). I did go to class for a couple of my ratings and my type, and saw the difference. I believe the discipline of preparing for class, taking notes, interacting with the class and the teacher, and studying and taking tests, and acquiring knowledge in building-block fashion fosters learning. Study on your own and you are indeed on your own. In that regard, class is a great way to meet people with the same interest, make contacts and develop comaraderie. Comaraderie and contacts are big parts of being a professional pilot.

You didn't state the age of your son. If he's still in high school, I think he should start preparing as I wrote above. If not, see if you can find him ground school(s) at your local community college or vo-tech. Also, as you know and others have stated, you can't beat the military as a great source of flight training.

Hope this helps.

 

[350DRIVER]

Anyone who has 1800+ posts must know what he is talking about. - I agree completely with Bobbysamd..
Gleim/Jepp materials are good however the more resource material that he can surround himself with the better off and prepared he will be. I see all too often that good material is not used because it doesn't have the Jepp or Gleim name attached to it. The internet is a great place to learn a great deal about aviation also, many great articles and research topics are a only mouse click away. Barry Schiff has written many great informative books that I would strongly suggest for anyone serious about aviation. ASA has quite a collection of books that may be of interest to him as well.


As for the "best" way to be 121 prepared/ready??- Many roads and avenues are available, my advice to him would be just aquire as much knowledge/ wisdom on every level as he can.

C H E E R S

3 5 0

 

[bobbysamd]

Thanks, 350.

 

[Birdstrike]

Thanks, good insights

Good info, much appreciated. I think we'll start with the Jepps materials. Study English? Now that's interesting advice but I have to agree.