Pilot Exams (knowledge test practice)

I was recently asked by a student pilot about the best way to prepare for the written knowledge test.  After asking which one he meant (he was going to take the Private Pilot), I hesitated for a moment.  The best answer I could give him was, 'it depends'.  Now, that's not just the lawyer in me, it's a truly objective answer.  People learn differently and should prepare for the test accordingly.

Some people learn best by soaking in the knowledge as they apply it.  These people should spend a good time with their instructor going over material and performing calculations, navigation logs, and performance data.  A good ground school with a small student to teacher ratio would do these students a world of good.

Others learn best by studying the material.  Not just memorizing (which we'll talk about later), but learning.  These people usually digest the written material in home-based study programs while using their instructor as a guide.  I fit best in this group; the best way for me to learn is to buy a book or two on the subject and soak up the knowledge.

Last, and perhaps most prevalent and dangerous, is the group that memorizes the answers.  The question bank the FAA uses is readily available in many free websites.  If you take the test four or five times a day for a few weeks, you begin to recognize the answers through sheer repetition.  This is dangerous because a person who does this and moves on to get their license has not been proven to possess the required knowledge.  These examinees (is that a word?) are easily spotted.  A test center I spoke to stated that these students usually complete the test within 25 minutes never using an E6B or the booklet of figures.  They also routinely come out without any scratch-work paper (I had a full page front and back of WB and navigation calcs).  Impressive, right?  Not when you ask them a simple question the next day that their test says they should know and they get it horribly wrong.

So what did I tell the student who asked me?  Well, he told me he fits in group two that I mentioned above, so I advised him to follow the system I did.  I told him to study his material, take the practice test at Sporty's website, and see where he has trouble.  Study everything again, paying more attention to those problem areas, then take the test again.  Do this until you make a consistant high 90's score.  When you go to take the actual test, you'll be use to the procedure and more than prepared.