How to get your Writtens done early!

    If you're new to this pilot thing, one of the first things to know is that everything is split into two sections; Flying, and Ground. The more ground stuff you do on your own, the cheaper the flying becomes. That's why online ground school is so valuable, it allows you to learn all the ground stuff at your own pace and you can rewatch all the videos as much as you like.    

    Another part of the ground section is called your "written", even though they are all multiple choice. Each pilot certificate comes with its own written exam that you must pass with at least 70% or greater. Don't get hung up on trying to get 100%, it's like your SAT score from high school; nobody cares! Just get over the 70% and move on with your life. Now, I must say that getting all your writtens done before starting flight training will make your life a lot easier and reduce a lot less stress, but can you start flight training without finishing your writtens? Yes. Do I recommend you go ahead and finish all your writtens before starting training, Yes. Did I finish all my writtens before I started training? No. 

Okay so let's get to the meat and see how you are going to have 3,600 questions memorized (not all at one time thank God). 

*Tip - order to take writtens in: 

1. Private (PAR) 

2. Commercial (CAX) 

3. Instrument (IRA) 

4. Flight Instructor Instrument (FII) optional 

5. Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI) optional 

6. Flight Instructor Airplane (FIA) optional 

7. Fundamentals of Instruction (FOI) optional

*All optional writtens are for if you plan on being a flight instructor 
    *Note: if an Endorsement is Required, this simply means you will need to make over a 90 on the practice tests before an instructor or the home-based program, will give you a permission slip to go take the written. 

1. Private Pilot (PAR) - Endorsement Required 

This one took the longest for me to prepare. I used King School Private Pilot Course to learn all the material and practice for the test. After being through everything, I would now recommend the Gold Seal Ground School found Here. 

The Method

1.1  Gold Seal or King School. Just do it. Period. This is going to be the foundation of your learning so do just find the cheapest thing out there. You are going to want entertaining and highly interactive programs that you are able to go back over again and again and again.

1.2  Gleim Private Pilot FAA Knowledge Test Prep book. After you finish the whole Gold Seal course, buy this book, and don't worry about the materials in it because you just learned all of it visually with Gold Seal. What you want to focus on are the questions at the end of every chapter. Starting with the first question, just read each question and the CORRECT ANSWER only. Remember the goal here is to just memorize the correct answers for the written. Don't worry you will still retain this knowledge when it comes to flying later. I really vouch for this book because there are some questions in there that I did not see in Kings or Gold Seal, but there were in the written. Kings/Gold Seal will teach you 80% of the questions and Gleim will teach you the other 20%. Endorsement is given at the end of the online ground school after scoring about 90% on 3 tests.

Question Bank: 700

2. Commercial Pilot (CAX) - Endorsement Required

It does tend to get a tiny bit easier. But there are a lot of questions here that can confuse you, especially when it comes to numbers. Just study, study, study. 

    How are you going to study? Let me introduce you to your new bestie Sheppard Air. this is how you are going to memorize every single written from here on out. So let me say this clearly: FOLLOW THE SHEPPARD STUDY STRATEGY TO THE T. WARNING: IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW IT TO THE T, DO NOT CRY IF YOU FAIL. FOLLOW IT, IT WORKS. I'll be nice and include the link to Sheppard Air. Sheppard Air is super old school so you will need to call the number on their site to get access to the course. I recommend getting on an iPad just so it's more mobile. Also don't complain about it being old school, that's how they keep it so cheap. Endorsement is given by Sheppard Air as a courtesy after scoring 90+ one time in their practice test. Or you can get it from your flight instructor. 

The Method

2.1  Sheppard Air

Question Bank: 950+ 

3. Instrument (IRA) - Endoresment Requied

    From Here on out you will just need to use Sheppard Air. That's all, nothing else... But I would HIGHLY recommend you get another at-home ground school. Gold Seal/ Kings has an instrument course as well. But you can also watch Flight Insights on YouTube for free. His videos are the exact same in the course. I did end up buying his course just cause they are that good.  

    This is the most brutal exam I've studied for. You really have to be full of motivation to get through this. It's about 1200+ questions to memorize. there are 400+ question section to study which was just brutal. You need to take a mental break every 50 questions or so for like 30 minutes, and I would recommend doing no more than 200 questions per day max. Don't think you can blow through this in one day unless you're Superman. It took me 8 days of studying 4-5 hours each day. Endorsement is given by Sheppard Air as a courtesy after scoring 90+ one time in their practice test. Or you can get it from your flight instructor.

The Method

3.1 Sheppard Air. The End. Heed my warning above, Follow the Sheppard Air strategy to the T, it is VERY important you do not mess this up or you will fill your brain with all the wrong answers and memorize the wrong answers instead of the correct ones. 

Question Bank: 1,200+

4. Flight Instructor Instrument (FII) - No Endorsement Required

You just studied for this! It is the SAME exact question back as the IRA. Despite what Sheppard says (buy our other course, because the IRA Sheppard course will not prepare you for any other exam). The only reason they have another course for this is because they narrowed it down from 1200 potential question bank to like 700 potential question bank. But that doesn't make sense because you should know every single question and answer already in the whole bank from IRA.

Question Bank: 1,200 + (Same exact questions and answers as IRA) 

5. Flight Instructor Airplane (FIA) - No Endorsement Required

Say it with me, EASYYYY. It's just a bunch of vocabulary questions. 

The Method

5.1 Sheppard Air 

Question Bank: 450 +

6. Fundamentals of Instruction (FOI) - No Endorsement Required

Say it with me, EASIERRRRRR. The easiest of all exams. I studied everything with Sheppard in one day and took the exam the next. 

The Method

6.1 Sheppard Air

Question Bank: 298 

7. Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI) - No Endorsement Required

If you want to be a gold seal CFI (just another fancy thing to put on your resume, and a fancy sticker to add to your license), you need to complete this exam. 

The Method

7.1 Sheppard Air. You studied for this. It is the SAME exact question bank as the IRA. Despite what Sheppard says. 

Question Bank: 1,200 +

In conclusion: 

1. Use Gold Seal / King School ground course = Gleim book for PAR

2. Use Sheppard Air for every exam after that

3. The IGI, IRA, and FII all have the same exact questions and answers. Take them all in one day if possible so the answers don't fade from your brain. 

4. Follow Sheppard to the T! I cannot stress this enough

5. the FIA & FOI are the easiest of the bunch

6. Good Luck!!!

If you have any questions please leave a comment below!