The way to love someone
is to lightly run your finger over that person's soul
until you find a crack,
and then gently pour your love into that crack.
~Keith Miller

Private Ground Notes

HOW TO "TAB" THE FAR/AIM

I use the tabs that I can write on with a sharpie ... cause I don't like the potential messiness of those little fold up and insert tabs.  I also use a variety of different colored sharpies.  Different colors represent different "families" of regs ... the colors also make reference quicker for me.  Work out your color coding or just stick with a black sharpie.  Ummmm ... the tabs don't all have to go on the side of the page either.  Believe it or not, some of the tabs can be at the top of the page ... .

At the front of the book there is an indexed list of "the regs" you are most responsible for ... depending on your certificate/rating.  Tab every one of those.  Tab the specified AIM material as well.  As you read the material, high light the go to phrase ... and maybe even note what page in the book to go to for the specific definition of any word you are wondering about ... like Civil aircraft. or night.  Having your current FAR/AIM tabbed is a great way to work through the reading list and it also makes everything more pleasant when you need to find the info.

If you're tabbing as part of your preparation for an Oral, here's an idea that might help.  Make a note of the specific Regs and AIM info that specifically support your best answer for those PTS outlined events.   Make a note right there in your PTS.  The PTS outlines specifically what the FAA needs to know you know ... so read it, know it, and cross reference it with your FAR/AIM ... it'll cut down on the fumbling during the oral which will make everyone a lot more pleasant to fly with.  If I were an inspector, I really wouldn't want to see an applicant stumbling through the book part.






books and other supplies
This is what the Jeppesen Sanderson Private Pilot Textbook looks like ... and the syllabus.  It is copyright protected.  No part of it may be stored or transmitted without prior permission by Jeppesen Sanderson, Inc.  I will not violate their copy right, but may refer to specific pages within the book in these notes.  The "Jepp" material is widely used in training ... .
It is the material that was used in the program when I began my private ground training.  Jepp texts are available for every level of certification and I understand they produce review materials that are widely used in the industry.
The book is easy to use. I've taught  a Pvt. Ground class many times relying on this text as the primary source for fundamental information.  Chapters are broken down into sections and at the end of each section, you'll see a "summary checklist" ... bulleted items of key points. There is also a list of vocabulary words which are listed in that section. And finally, a few questions that you should be able to answer as a review of the section.  I tell students to read these three things first ... the summary, the vocab or terms, and the quiz questions.  That is the information that you are supposed to acquire as you read the material.  Knowing what you are supposed to learn will help a lot with the reading.  One of the things that beginning aviation students figure out pretty fast is there is a ton of  info to absorb.  I have heard this process compared to trying to take a sip of water from a fire hose.  So ... it's important to have some guidelines otherwise it can seem pretty overwhelming. 
This is my opinion: The Jepp Pvt. Pilot material is very polished.  It is perfect for beginning student pilots.  The graphics are clear and the material is ... how do I say it? ... kind of dumbed down.  Major concepts are in bold print and important terms are in red ink.  FAA test questions are even inserted through out the book.  It is a very user friendly presentation. As I said ...it was the material I began with and I don't have any complaints about it after teaching the course with it many times.  I prefer the FAA's approach to the material though ...

Again.my opinion:  Flight schools use the Jepp product because the curriculum is already approved by the FAA for training purposes ... it's a package.  But guess what?  The FAA puts out their own texts ... they are very consistent through out their presentation of the material ... from introduction all the way to both the oral and written test segments. Jepp doesn't want to copy the FAAs wording ... and sometimes something is lost in the  "re-wording".  Let me put it another way.  The PVT pilot knowledge exam is an FAA test. The Oral will most likely be administered by a FAA inspector ... or a person designated by the FAA to administer the oral and the flight portion of the certification process. AND ... The FAA textbooks are available for download in PDF format from http://www.faa.gov/  They are generous about not copy "righting" the material ... government publication ...  and if I make a direct quote here ... it'll be from their material.  I like their matter of fact presentation of the information ... they don't pre-highlight the concepts or terms so ... get a colored pen of some kind.
FAA-H-8083-25A (2008)
                                                                             supersedes FAA-8083-25 (2003)
The PHAK (Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge) provides basic knowledge for pilots.  Except for the REGs, most of the essential knowledge areas are presented in the PHAK. The book is golden.  It's great for beginning pilots as well as those pursuing more advanced degrees.  This handbook is available for download, in PDF format, from  http://www.faa.gov/ 



 you'll also need the
                                                                       FAA-H-8083-3A
The Airplane Flying Handbook is a technical manual designed to introduce basic piloting skills and basic piloting knowledge.  It was developed by the Flight Standards Service with a little help from their friends, and conforms to pilot training and certification concepts established by the FAA.
This manual is available for download from the Flight Standards Service Web site at http://av-info.faa.gov/

The second segment will look at the REGS and the Aeronautical Information Manual.  This book provides the RULES and PROCEDURES for General Aviation, Sport Pilots, and Instructors.
This specific book is published by ASA (Aviation Supplies & Academics, Inc.) and contains current regulations as of  30 July 2010. The AIM portion is current through 26 August, 2010.  They note: visit www.asa2fly.com/farupdate for regulation and AIM changes released after the printing date. Something I didn't know, and really appreciate is, ASA provides a free Update service with email notification when the rules and procedures change.  Nice.  I also really like the iPhone apps for this material ... the search feature totally rocks.  Inside this manual, on page xii, you'll find the Private/Recreational Suggested Study List .  The word suggested always cracks me up when I read it in FAA publications ... You might want to substitute the word minimum or maybe even slacker here.  If a suggestion is being made, I encourage you to interpret that as : Here's the list of regs and information that the FAA sets as your minimum standards ... they suggest you study them ... that's my interpretation.  The FAA says
applicants preparing for the FAA Knowledge Exams should have full understanding of the following applicable regulations and AIM paragraphs: 
then they provide the pertinent suggested study list
A definition for "should" is not given in the REGS Sub chapter A definitions, but I'll say it again ... the FAA writes ... interprets ... administers ... enforces ... . When they say "should", I listen up. Staying current with the info provided in the FAR/AIM is important.

I'm going to go ahead and put this excellent book by Richie Lengel here.  I wish I had had this when I first started looking at the REGs.  It makes a great companion book ... in my opinion.  I like the excruciatingly detailed plain English explanation of everything essential for every pilot aspect of this book!  It's published by Aviation Press and can be found at http://www.amazon.com/ or http://www.aviation-press.com/  I paid 59.95plus tax, at a flight school counter for mine and I gotta say ... it was money well spent.    ... recommended.


And the third segment will be about aviation weather and weather products
These two books supplement weather info provided in the PHAK:
I particularly like the Aviation Weather Services manual (AC 00-45E).It is published jointly by the FAA and the National Weather Service.  It explains weather service in general and the details of interpreting and using coded weather reports, forecasts, and observed and prognostic weather charts.   The AC in front of the number on this publication notifies us that this is an Advisory Circular ... I do not know if it's available as a PDF download or not, but ACs are available at the http://www.faa.gov/   site. I have several three ring binders of ACs that I've printed off ... we'll talk about that a little later.  Uh oh!  A quick look at http://www.amazon.com/ reveals that there is an update ... AC 00-45F.  foxtrot.  I will look in to acquiring the latest and greatest version of this AC before I start the weather notes here on True North.  The other book pictures here, Aviation weather, was revised in 1975 and is still disseminated as generation "A". It is jointly published by the FAA and the NWS and is a weather theory manual  providing basic weather information for pilots.  Part I is titled: What You Should Know About Weather ... they print that in all caps. Notice the word should there.


Let's see, what other books will we need?

Ah hah!  The Practical Test Standards (PTS) for Private Pilot ASEL and ASES.  If you intend to actually become certified, this is a very important book.  And it surprises me that student pilots are largely unaware of just how helpful this little jewel can (should) be as they work towards certification. Every student pilot should at the earliest possible time ... asap ... go through this booklet one page at a time.  Page 3 provides a list of publications that the FAA expects you to be conversant on.  They write,"These practical test standards are based on the following references."  The list includes (other then the Jepp material) what I have listed here for you.  There are several ACs that I will look at individually here ... probably. FAA-H-8083-1 (aircraft weight and balance handbook) and FAA-H-8083-15 (Instrument Flying Handbook) are also on the list ... .
Page 5 has a section on Special Emphasis Areas ... areas considered critical to flight safety. Uh ... I think they will emphasize those areas during the student evaluation process.  An outline for the AREA OF OPERATION begins on page 1-1.  Those areas that the practical test may include are spelled out AND within that list of possibilities, shall evaluate this task and that task is right there in black and white.  Wouldn't it be great if you had a pretty good idea at the beginning of this what standards will be used to evaluate your proficiency level ... knowledge and stick stuff.   Seems like most students who want to fly are physically able to perform ... it's the knowledge portion that is generally lacking ... so I hear.  I recommend that a serious student pilot  figure out how they will answer those questions provided in that outline.  The first question is:  Explain private pilot certification privileges, limitations, and recent flight experience requirements.  I have heard students begin their answer on this very first question with, "What do you mean by limitations?" I promise that isn't what the examiner wants to hear!
No body thinks a private pilot applicant will show up knowing everything ... but showing up prepared is a big should.  The PTS  provides a way for the applicant to know what to expect ... and what is expected.



This is the Question and Answer bank for the Private Pilot Knowledge Test. Yes ... they give you all the questions and all the answers in a multiple choice format.  Uh ... thanks guys ... no one has ever made a test so simple ... all the possible questions and all the correct answers all in one book ... broken down into units of study ... for my ease and enjoyment! Oh ... by the way ... there is an app for this too ... shake for the next question!  There are many different theories on how to "study" for this test.  Your learning style should dictate how you work your way through this material. I can't imagine a good excuse for not doing well on this test if you know to start looking at it early and often. The actual test consists of 60 questions and you are given 2.5 hours to complete it.  There are 11 different study units and I haven't counted the actual number of possible questions in the question bank, but there are about 900 - 950... some of them are duplicates (duplicates become very likely questions to be seen in that test of 60 - right?)  I tell my students to put this book where ever they will see it every morning first thing, and every night last thing.  Put it on top of the swimsuit issue.




I'll talk about the rest of this material pictures here later ...
Yeah ... there are a few other books that I'll recommend later but this is the starting stack.

A look at eligibility:
(a) General. A person who is applying for a private pilot certificate must receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor or complete a home-study course on the aeronautical knowledge areas of paragraph (b) of this section that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought.
(b) Aeronautical knowledge areas. (1) Applicable Federal Aviation Regulations of this chapter that relate to private pilot privileges, limitations, and flight operations;
(2) Accident reporting requirements of the National Transportation Safety Board;
(3) Use of the applicable portions of the “Aeronautical Information Manual” and FAA advisory circulars;
(4) Use of aeronautical charts for VFR navigation using pilotage, dead reckoning, and navigation systems;
(5) Radio communication procedures;
(6) Recognition of critical weather situations from the ground and in flight, wind shear avoidance, and the procurement and use of aeronautical weather reports and forecasts;
(7) Safe and efficient operation of aircraft, including collision avoidance, and recognition and avoidance of wake turbulence;
(8) Effects of density altitude on takeoff and climb performance;
(9) Weight and balance computations;
(10) Principles of aerodynamics, powerplants, and aircraft systems;
(11) Stall awareness, spin entry, spins, and spin recovery techniques for the airplane and glider category ratings;
(12) Aeronautical decision making and judgment; and
(13) Preflight action that includes—
(i) How to obtain information on runway lengths at airports of intended use, data on takeoff and landing distances, weather reports and forecasts, and fuel requirements; and
(ii) How to plan for alternatives if the planned flight cannot be completed or delays are encountered.
[Doc. No. 25910, 62 FR 16298, Apr. 4, 1997; Amdt. 61–103, 62 FR 40902, July 30, 1997]

Copied and Pasted directly from the FAA web site.  found here -->   61.105 

Alright back to ground school notes ...
61.105 specifies the scope of aeronautical knowledge which will/must be received and logged in pursuit of  the certificate.  I am not going to address all of those topics here.  I decided that last night.  I am going to post notes on the topics that I want to.  I like reading the REGs ... I know, quite a thing to fess up to ... I am either a rules nerd, or an insomniac ... but I don't want to write my interpretation of the regs ... I'll leave that to the FAA and/or aviation attorneys.  My intent here in these postings about private ground knowledge is to brush up my own knowledge as I veg out waiting ... waiting for a CFI slot to open up here locally.  I don't consider myself an expert on any of this, and I can already see that it will be a lot more difficult to transfer my knowledge here in print then it was in a class room setting.   What I am saying is, this is not Ground School.  These are the incomplete notes of someone who is trying to stay out of trouble while I twiddle my fingers and try to keep my hands to myself.  I saw the movie Fast Five this past Friday evening ... my first Fast and Furious movie experience ... I came out of the movie with an epiphany:  I really should have finished undergraduate school and gone straight into stealing fast cars in Rio ... I woulda liked hang gliding around the Christ statue when I wasn't working/stealing.  I don't think it would have been a more treacherous choice then casting my lot in the aviation community ... plus, as a young woman I could shoot a tick off of a dog ... (nah ... just an expression) ... if my early "career"  had gone well, there is no telling  ... wait a minute!  Notes! Back to it then.

The Jepp syllabus and the PTS areas of ops have something in common and we will start there.

Private Pilot eligibility requirements: found at 61.103
To be eligible for a private pilot certificate, a person must:
(a) Be at least 17 years of age for a rating in other than a glider or balloon.
(b) Be at least 16 years of age for a rating in a glider or balloon.
(c) Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language. If the applicant is unable to meet one of these requirements due to medical reasons, then the Administrator may place such operating limitations on that applicant's pilot certificate as are necessary for the safe operation of the aircraft.
(d) Receive a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor who:
(1) Conducted the training or reviewed the person's home study on the aeronautical knowledge areas listed in §61.105(b) of this part that apply to the aircraft rating sought; and
(2) Certified that the person is prepared for the required knowledge test.
(e) Pass the required knowledge test on the aeronautical knowledge areas listed in §61.105(b) of this part.
(f) Receive flight training and a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor who:
(1) Conducted the training in the areas of operation listed in §61.107(b) of this part that apply to the aircraft rating sought; and
(2) Certified that the person is prepared for the required practical test.
(g) Meet the aeronautical experience requirements of this part that apply to the aircraft rating sought before applying for the practical test.
(h) Pass a practical test on the areas of operation listed in §61.107(b) of this part that apply to the aircraft rating sought.
(i) Comply with the appropriate sections of this part that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought.
(j) Hold a U.S. student pilot certificate, sport pilot certificate, or recreational pilot certificate.
[Doc. No. 25910, 62 FR 16298, Apr. 4, 1997, as amended by Amdt. 61–124, 74 FR 42558, Aug. 21, 2009]

That is the answer to "What are the eligibility requirements for the private pilot requirement?"   The inspector may ask you an opening question like ... "What makes you eligible to seek this certificate?" Yes ... that is a real ice-breaker!   I have been asked that question.  Tab your FAR/AIM at 61.103 ... 61.102 is the beginning of the Private Pilot certification requirements.  Get out you highlighter and underline the specifics ... the inspector doesn't want you to waste his/her time reading the REGs instead of giving an answer. 
a/b...Your valid US driver's license is proof of age ...if you don't have a driver's license bring some other government issued proof (and ask yourself why you don't have a driver's license ... that may be something to look at before this interview) because it will be required. Hop over to 61.3 for the specifics on acceptable photo id.
c...English is my native language ... English is also the International language of Aviation.  (I have no idea why the font changed ... I like this one better though ... the other is the FAA's site font and I am having technical difficulties detaching the above text from it ... so we will just go with it.) I have heard some pretty funky English being broadcast over the airways ... I guess the examiner will make the call on the quality of English being spoken.  My Southerese has been acceptable thus far.
d...the instructor will endorse your logbook at the appropriate time ... if your knowledge "sucks" they are not going to want to provide that ... duh.  The instructor's rep and possibly ticket is on the line with student endorsement's. I sure wouldn't want to be called on the carpet because I endorsed a slacker. I gotta save possible carpet dances for my own potential screw-ups.
e...a document will be issued to you noting among other things your score on the knowledge test ... have that with you for the show and tell portion.I'm going to give an opinion here,because some people say it doesn't matter what you make on your written test ... as long as it is a 70 or better, it's a pass.  I've even heard people say anything above a 70 is wasted effort.  Uh ... I really hate to hear that attitude floating around ... it's like saying any landing you can walk away from is a good one ... uh ... no ... not so much.  There is a balance here on testing ... do as well as you reasonable can given the constraints you're working with. If you "screw the pup" on an area within the knowledge material ... say you didn't do well with the NDB questions ... brush up on that before your check ride. Your test results expose your deficiencies ... .  I hear that NDBs are being decommissioned except where they are used as an outer marker ... people are blowing off understanding how NDBs operate ... But the FAA written has 18 separate questions relating to ADF/NDBs in  study unit 10 of the question bank (Gleim).  There are 3 questions relating to GPS ... satellite questions.  AND ... one of my newly airline employed buddies is now flying in the Midwest and I heard he said all the approaches are NDB ... maybe he is pulling some one's leg!  18 of the 33 Navigational systems questions are specifically ADF/NDB and ... I know I'm several degrees off course with 61.103 but ... .
f...like d above
g...check and check again on your aeronautical experience ...61.109 is specific.  There should be a book out on all the near misses towards hitting these marks!  The examiner will not be pleased to find an indiscretion here.  Just last week someone flew to what was remembered as a class C airport but had recently become a class D airport ... and found that the tower was closed for the day.  Bummer ... out of pocket expense for the student ... .  This is a fine tooth comb area if there ever was one.
h...the practical test comes after the oral portion ... you are there for that next! 
i...comply
j...a student pilot certificate is basically a valid medical certificate. see 61.19 If  you're under 40 years of age, it's good for 60 mnts ...+40, shelf life decreases to 24 months. Just an opinion here, but if you're intending to earn a commercial or ATP certificate, why not go ahead and make certain you can pass the first class medical?  61.23 duration of medical ... and medical standards are over in part 67