What do I need to buy to study?
1) Ground School
• Study with AV8 Prep's online ground school. The interactive nature of our course helps students retain the material. We include our Tower Talk course, Private Practice Exams, and Private Pilot Diary docuseries so you can see another student pilot’s entire flight training experience, which is a very valuable training opportunity. Having the online course will reinforce what you learn from your instructor. Start with a FREE 14 Day Trial today!
2) Visit FAA.psiexams.com
• Register, schedule and take your knowledge exam. Exam sites are listed on the site. AV8 Prep will endorse you for the exam upon completion of the course. You can not sit for the private pilot knowledge exam without an endorsement from a FAA certified instructor.
3) Logbook - You can get one from anywhere. The choice is paper or electronic. Bring this to every flight or ground lesson, you need an instructor to endorse every training session.
4) Visit IACRA.faa.gov
• Register and get a login. You will need to fill out an applicant form to get your Student Pilot certificate before you solo. You will also use this site to complete the form prior to your checkride. Write down your Federal Tracking Number (FTN) and login information in your logbook so you don’t forget it. You’ll need to log in to IACRA repeatedly to apply for certificates, ratings, and update any information that changes.
4) Visit Medxpress.faa.gov
• Register and get a login. You will need a physical from an Aviation Medical Examiner or AME. Prior to your appointment, you will need to fill out the application and take the confirmation number with you. This exam is required to earn your private pilot certificate. Best to get done before starting flight lessons to avoid wasting your time if you can't get medical certificate.
5) Buy an iPad
• Unless you plan on using paper charts which are not widely available anymore, you will need one before your solo and cross country flights. Most instructors recommend the iPad mini with cellular ability and the most memory you can get, you’ll need the ability to use the device away from Wi-Fi.
6) EFB APP
• Foreflight, Fly Q, Garmin Pilot and others have trial subscriptions. Your iPad is useless without one! Find one you like and subscribe once you've found the right one. At first use the free trials.
7) Headset
• You shouldn’t buy one right away. Early in your flying, We suggest trying different headsets to see which one suits you best. Most instructors and flight schools will have a headset that you can use until you decide which one to get. This can be a big expense, but you’ll be using it for a significant amount of time. Especially if you intend on pursuing a flying career. Even jet pilots fly small aircraft for their first 1500 hours or so.
8) Flightbag
• You can use a backpack with no shame, or buy very nice flight bags from several sources. It’s smart to keep everything you need together in one bag, and will live out of it while training.
9) FAAsafety.gov
• Optional, create an account here. This site is a huge resource for flying information. You earn WINGS credits for completing online courses. Earning enough credits will help you with your biannual flight review (BFR) after you get your license.
10) Recommended Books (All Available Free as eBooks):
Federal Aviation Regulations/Aeronautical Information Manual FAR / AIM
Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, PHAK
Medical Exam, Ground School, Headset, iPad, Log Book, & Flight Bag.
Learn more about AV8 PREP
If this is the year you add your next, or your first aviation certification or rating, AV8 Prep is here to help you make it happen.
By completing your ground school with AV8 Prep, you will save yourself time and money in the flight training process. You will have your knowledge exam passed, and not have to circle back to knowledge training.
You also get free access to our full Private Pilot Diary, the entire 26 episode docuseries that follows Jordan from her discovery flight to her check ride prep. It's like getting to backseat an entire flight training process, and learn from more instructors. It will reinforce what you learn in your flight lessons, and give you a tool to review how someone else learned their private pilot skill set. Exposing yourself to multiple instructors is a great way to help make sure you retain the expensive training you are paying to receive.
We want you to succeed, and save as much of your time and money in this process, so you can enjoy the activity that we love so much that we dedicated our lives to pursuing it. We are preachers of the good word of aviation.
If you're going to aviate, prep first.