Pilot Exam Worries!

The theory side of the PPL is not very difficult (I did mine only five years ago) so my first advice is stop worrying.

There are two sets of standard text books, look at both and decide which you think suits you best. I preferred the large AFE ones but other people prefer the other set.

Make sure you buy a new and most recent edition of the Air Law one as laws made by humans change all the time. The other subjects are essentially science so were set by the Big Bang and haven’t changed since!

The learning technique is pretty obvious, read the books over and over in digestible chunks. Highlight key bits, do the questions at the end of the chapters (more than once if you struggle first time) and try to use a flight school that has theory sessions when it’s dark or the weather is too bad to fly.

I would advise to buy the question books such as “Exam Secrets” only for Law. Those books essentially teach you to pass the exam not learn the subject properly. Much of the knowledge could easily save your life so skimping on it is foolish.

You are worried about a few pounds for learning materials. If so, do you have either the money or the motivation to fly? Seriously, flying even as a hobby PPL is horribly expensive in time and money.

Good luck and enjoy it. Except for Law, it’s all interesting stuff.

PS try looking at these places:

http://www.leiafee.flyer.co.uk/Flying-HowTo.pdf

http://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=5

Hello Notts,
Most people find HPL to be the easiest exam, its mostly common sense, so don’t worry too much about it.

2 links for online trial Exams below (the first one requires a paid subscription, but is easily the best and most thorough, a worthwhile investment)

http://www.airquiz.com/

http://www.microlightexams.co.uk/index.php/exams
(this one is microlight oriented but relevant for the HPL Exam)

p.s., sorry, just looked again at your post and Airquiz has allready been mentioned, but I wouldnt dismiss it because you have to pay, its a very small cost and really is very thorough, you can do as many Exam trials as you like and the subscription lasts at least a couple of years.

Good luck

I did my exams quite a few years ago now but all I can recommend is study the Trevor Thom books really well and you will be alright. Human Performance isn’t such a bad exam really. Study hard.

There are numerous online ‘PPL confuser’ type sites now. Yes you have to pay but in the overall cost of a PPL it’s a drop in the ocean. I think they are around £25?

Have you done any of the other exams yet?

I can’t really help greatly, Human Performance and Limitations wasn’t even a subject when I was taking my licence some 25 years back.

What exams have you taken so far, and how did you a) prepare for them, b) get on?

I only ever used the tests in the back of the Thom books for my revision, but the flying club did put on evening lectures for us. Do you have any classes that you can attend?

Moggy