Private pilot license??

[Captainmorgan]

The ASTB is still a while off for me but I want to go ahead and start preparing for it. I have heard that getting a private pilot license will help out a lot on the test, but it is quite expensive (around $5,500 in all). Would it really give me that much of an advantage on the ASTB? Also, would it give me on edge when I apply for BDCP?

 

[joboy_2.0]

The ASTB is still a while off for me but I want to go ahead and start preparing for it. I have heard that getting a private pilot license will help out a lot on the test, but it is quite expensive (around $5,500 in all). Would it really give me that much of an advantage on the ASTB? Also, would it give me on edge when I apply for BDCP?

I don't know where you'll be flying but it will be a lot more than $5500 most of the time. I finished it in 6 weeks for about $5500...that was after logging 30 hours 2 years previously..

If you want it, get it. Otherwise, read books for the ASTB. A simple test is no reason to shell out the better part of 10K

 

[loadtoad]

Yes it is helpful but you do not need to spend the money to get it. Just go out and buy the books or a CD that you use to get your ppl. That will help out a lot with the general aviation questions. Not sure if you are going for the Navy or Marines but my recruiter (Navy) said one of the biggest differences he has observed with people getting slots is having flight time or not... Not sure how true that is so don't sweat it!

 

[theblakeness]

I got mine for somewhere in the 6 range, but I was flying mostly cherokees and archers.

To answer your question...yes, of course it will help you, but you would be crazy to go out and get your PPL just to try and score high on the test. I did just fine when I took it and I did it before I had my license. I dont remember at this point what my scores were but I was selected for pilot through the Marine Corps

 

[redmidgrl]

I don't think you need to complete your license, but a few lessons might help. I flew in high school, and I did not have any other preparation for the test. Having some time in the cockpit might help with the spatial and the aviation knowledge sections. People do perfectly fine without ever flying though, so it's really a personal decision.

Red

 

[tiger84]

I don't have my PPL or any appreciable flight time and I managed a 65 8/9/9. The test focuses more on conceptual issues, so the best preparation, IMHO, is to review things like intro physics textbooks, the ARCO book and some intro aviation/nautical texts. I also have a huge aviation textbook that's used for ground school that has pretty much everything you'd need to know about the aviation portion at least.

 

[badger16]

SO to sum it up...It's not nessesary but it won't hurt you.

 

[sanders]

I dont know if you have taken it yet or anything, but since you can take it 3 times you might want to just study the book and take the test once to see how you do. I got an 8/9/9 with just a couple hours of studying and I had never been in a cockpit or taken ground school. Its all about what kind of a tester you are, most of the test is conceptual. only one section of the trst has to do with anyhting you would learn by getting you PPL. You might benefit from reading up on basic aviation questions like the coloring of the lights on the plane, runway numbering, parts of the aircraft, and really basic navigation.

 

[mts4602]

$10,000 for a PPL. That's a joke. You can get it in a little over 40 hours if you stick with it and keep your flights no more than a week a part. I for one do not plan to take much more than 40-50 hrs.

 

[joboy_2.0]

$10,000 for a PPL. That's a joke. You can get it in a little over 40 hours if you stick with it and keep your flights no more than a week a part. I for one do not plan to take much more than 40-50 hrs.

Um...come back and tell us how much you spent AFTER getting it. I who had 70 hours when I got my PPL only spent, probably 7500-8000 and that's only because I did 30 hours spread over a long period of time, then I took two years off and finished it up in about 40 more hours over 6 weeks. This is actually probably better than average because most people take between 60-70 hours of continuous flight training. Depending on the cost of flying where you are it can range from 5000-10000 but people usuallly end up spending closer to 10 than 5. Be optomistic, but more often than not, a person doesnt get their PPL until after 40-50 hours...

 

[Brett327]

Um...come back and tell us how much you spent AFTER getting it. I who had 70 hours when I got my PPL only spent, probably 7500-8000 and that's only because I did 30 hours spread over a long period of time, then I took two years off and finished it up in about 40 more hours over 6 weeks. This is actually probably better than average because most people take between 60-70 hours of continuous flight training. Depending on the cost of flying where you are it can range from 5000-10000 but people usuallly end up spending closer to 10 than 5. Be optomistic, but more often than not, a person doesnt get their PPL until after 40-50 hours...

Just because you went about it in an inefficient, circuitous manner doesn't mean others must.

Brett

 

[Tom]

I spent 7500 getting my private in a little over 40 hours, but that was at a part 141 school. The idea that it will take close to 10000 for a private part 61 is just plain stupid. The only people who I know who took more than 60 hours to get their private were stoners, so I guess that does explain a lot. The amount of time spent studying and flying as often as possible (2-3 times a week minimum) is inversely proportional to the amount of money spent getting a private (but one must as well factor in lurking variables as mentioned above).

Anyways, back to the original idea. Like others have said, a private will not hurt, but it is not required. The questions I remember seeing based off aviation areas where not very in depth. From my experience as a CFI I think buying the Gleim's Private Pilot FAA Knowledge Test guide will get the job done. If you can pass the FAA written you should be able to do just fine on the ASTB. The information asked on the ASTB would fall under the lines of listing the types of flaps, reasoning behind runway numbering and airport light configurations (but this was my test so it can involve different information). Also, read every thread under the ASTB section on Airwarriors and download every guide/gouge.

 

[redmidgrl]

I agree with sanders... try taking it without having to pay for flying lessons... if you do really well, you just saved yourself a couple grand...

Red

 

[USFpilot06]

I got my PPL after the fact and I can say it prob would have not helped me all that much. While flight time can never really hurt you all that much the best tool I found was the ARCO ASTB study guide. for about 10 bucks you get all the info you need to be prepared for the test. Read through that a few times and you should be good too go for the test. I find over all the PPL does help a little but I know plenty of guys with out them who are just as good if not better. If you like flying alot I would get just because it fun to go on the weekends and to take friends flying. As far as helpng you in flight school... IPs tell me that you can tell the difference, buthonestlyfeel like I have no edge over any other stud. I still have to know my EPs and recall my procedures. moral of the story, STUDY HARD! Number #1 guy always gets what he wants. Well most of the time anyway... Good luck!

 

[Nikolas]

It depends where you're flying out of too. Socal airspace is so congested and all airports offering instruction have towers, so the average hours are much higher than the rest of the country because there's much more 'cockpit managment' involved than just flying. Even then its still only around 55 from part 141 schools. Then again with all the competition between flight schools it averages out to less than $100/hr.

I'll have my PPL in 10 hours.... It won't be SEL but I can apply all my hours to any aircraft catagory rating.