Looking for ATP written test prep software - Page 2

heater · 07-08-2007, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingJ

I spent around 20 hrs, but here's the thing. I spent 85 dollars, not 295 dollars. I didn't have to take off from work, and I didn't have to drive/fly out to All ATP for the class. Also, I don't think that ATP guarantee's a score, whereas my software was money back if I didn't get a 90 plus. If, I had to take off even one day of work and drive, that could've totaled an additional 400 dollars! Well, everyone has their own, unique situation...

*the biggest advantage to ALL ATP school or Shepard Air test prep is...

I bought Gleim's and only the 121 version..there's roughly 1500 plus questions.
Shepard Air claims that the computer, faa test in actuality only uses like an 800 question bank...w/ shep air you only study the 800 questions, not the 1500 plus in Gleims. If you get a question on the test that wasn't in the 800 quest. bank or you get below a 90...your money back........SWEET!

Good info thx for the reply.

Flyguy2k8 · 07-15-2007, 08:04 PM

i went with Sheppard air because a lot of people talked about it in previous threads. I like it a lot, and the people who i talked to when i was getting it setup were real nice.

Bob · 07-15-2007, 09:32 PM

Any prep that saves you time is the shiznit...

As far as between the two for Sheppard and ATP... you can't go wrong with either. The difference that I look at is the "Time = Money" factor.

You spend $75 for the sheppard software and roughly another $90 to take the test at a CATS or Lasergrade testing facility... so that's $165 dollars.

You spend $295 at ATP for the Test Prep which includes the actual test.

The Sheppard option is $130 cheaper... unless you factor in your time. How much is your time worth? I'll use roughly 2nd year FO pay of $35/hr. Even though I personally feel we're all worth more than that...

Anyway... take the average of 20 hours it takes to prepare with the Shepard software vs. the 10 hours for the ATP prep. Now take the difference of 10 hours and multiply it by what you feel your personal time is worth. Using $35/hr... the difference equates to it costing an additional $350 of your personal time to go the shepard route. Using what you personally feel your time is worth makes the difference even more... making ATP the cheaper option when it comes to "personal time".

Sheppard = $165 + $700 (20 hours avg. prep time @ $35/hr) = $865
ATP = $295 + $350 (10 hours prep @ $35/hr) = $645

Net difference: If you subscribe to the Time = Money theory... then ATP is $220 cheaper.

Either way though... they are both good options. If an ATP facility is not close by or at least 1 easy jumpseat distance from you... then I'd take the Sheppard route. If an ATP facility is close by... it's a no brainer IMO.

Bob

heater · 09-19-2007, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwpapp

Try this out, it is really cheap, and the software can be configured almost any way you like.

FAA Written Test Preparation Software

I agree I really got a lot of bang for the buck out of this software.

2 Nights studying for an hour or two followed up with maybe two more hours randomly during those days... and an hour or so just before the test. I saw alot of questions on my atp test that I would never have known without studying. About 4 or 5 that I got right that I never saw during my studying. And a bunch of questions I never saw and got wrong! Specifically if you go the route I used read up on all the GPS questions there are only like 6 it takes about 4 minutes to learn them and I got three on my test and answered them all incorrectly!

As far as the actual test goes learning how to do the weight and balance is probably worthwhile. I didn't look at the questions in the prep since there are about 100 of them to memorize and I wasnt up for that. I also didnt bother to learn how to do them or look at the examples. Unfortunatley they are way easy ( I ended up with about 6 of my 80 questions) and in about 20 minutes of studying the gliem book I could have easily learned how to do all of them pretty easily. If you go in without studying these examples I assure you your guess is all you'll be able to do. They are totally unlike the w&b required for a private or commercial.

All in all happy with the results. I took the test at a local fbo for $100. Cost was $30 for gliem bought years ago. And $30 for dauntless software. Essentially $130 as gleim book was barely used (and mainly only since I had it). If you want to learn the ATP W&B questions you will need more than the dauntless software though (unless you can memorize a lot of answers that all look the same). My study time amounted to about as much time as I would have spent traveling to and from an All ATP's test site.

westrnflyer · 09-19-2007, 02:43 PM

The Sheperd Air software is good. ATP does the same thing with their software that you study on it is like a bank of 700 questions but ATP is like 300 for the prep and test. Sheperd is 75 for the test prep software that you can do at home on your own time and then take the test anywhere and it will only cost you about 170 for their software and to take the test.

Red Swingline · 09-25-2007, 08:51 PM

I did SheppardAir and it was great. I definitely did not spend anywhere near 20 hours on it either. Maaaybe 10 hrs. I got an 87, which means I still studied too hard!

And regardless of how much time, fiddling with it at home on your computer in your underwear is way better than sitting in a room somewhere and paying someone else to sit and stare at their copy of the same stuff.