spooky981
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 45
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| Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 9:10 am Post subject: King's Schools Cessna Online Sport Pilot Training Review |
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Before I begin this review, it's important to touch on customer service. Not something we typically take into account when purchasing software but with Pamela at King's Schools it really shined. I originally purchased the classic King's School DVD package and when it arrived, I discovered very small print that on the website that indicated it wouldn't work on Windows 7 64 bit. Pamela not only accepted the return without hesitation, but recognized my frustration and sent me a DVD on tower communications and emergency procedures for free.
Another situation occurred when I sent in some feedback about a section that wasn't very clear. I received a response the very next day from a guy named "Mac" who answered my question in full detail, and sent pictures of the exact slides that went over my question. I never used the feedback system again but it's REALLY nice to know that I could have asked a question at any time and received a response.
It's the little things... On to the review:
The Cessna Online Sport Pilot program is 100% online (duh). When you purchase, you get a activation code that is used to create a profile on the site. The site can be accessed from anywhere and none of the information is stored on your computer. This is nice because sometimes I want to bang out a chapter during lunch, or when I have to visit the in-laws over the weekend.
The entire program is sort of like a flash website. There are a total of eight sections, six of which are required for sport pilots. The additional two are for those seeking a private pilot license. Within each section are four categories, and within those categories are typically 4-15 chapters. The chapters are essentially power points usually containing about 10 slides. Typically there are pictures, or animations, or videos which help you understand the material. At the end of every set of slides is a quiz. The quizzes are interactive (think of a flash game) and come with rewarding sound effects.
In addition to the power point learning, there are also John and Martha King's videos that must be watched prior to completing a section. I found myself finishing a section over the course of two weeks, and then finally watching the videos at the end of it. Would have been nice if the videos were actually a SLIDE within the appropriate lesson.
I have to stress though, the videos are fantastic to have. Even though I felt like I watched them too late for maximum benefit, it's nice to see a real application of what you're learning.
My favorite part was the system of progression. Every time you finish anything, even just one set of slides (a chapter), a progress bar ticks upwards on the main page. No matter how little I had time to do in a given day, that green progress bar would be moving and that's all I cared about. There were times in the middle where I got absolutely sick of doing homework after coming home from work, and I hadn't flown in two weeks. If I were just studying using a book I probably would have thrown it into the trash. But they really make you feel rewarded for spending even the smallest amount of time. And it puts the end in sight at all times.
One of the best AND worst features of the Cessna online program is that it coaches you through the sport pilot training, but also has two additional sections that are required for private pilot training. So I'm free to complete my sport pilot license and come back to it in a year or two to complete my private pilot training. This makes the price tag of $350 a little more palatable. The drawback is that for a sport pilot - it's like "drinking water from a fire hose". I certainly learned a lot more because the training satisfies private pilot requirements as well, but for a rookie pilot like me I would have benefited more by focusing on the big picture than the intricate details.
My primary criticism is that it collapsed into a boring power point presentation somewhere around the middle. There were chapters that I'd be happy even for just a voice box that would read the slide back to me. The early chapters were amazing - pictures, interactive objects, videos, renderings. But that faded away and some slides were just blocks of text. I'm giving the program the benefit of the doubt though because there is just some FAA mandated material that cannot be made interesting.
Overall I am extremely pleased. Might have entertained similar programs that were less expensive if I could do it over again, but my training has been very high quality. My knowledge exceeds that of other students in the flight school and I think this has something to do with it. The support I received was top notch. And the material was presented in every creative way humanly possible short of someone coming to my door and explaining it to me.
I'd highly recommend the King School's Online Cessna Sport Pilot Program.
PRO'S
+Progression system
+Interactivity
+Quizzes at the end of each chapter
+Available anywhere at any time
+More engaging than studying from a book
+Also has material to satisfy private pilot knowledge requirements
+Extremely detailed, will make you a better pilot than standard sport pilot material would
+Tons of videos
+As far as I know, will always be available for review
+Customer service
CON'S
-Teaches everything to a private pilot level, which can be too detailed for a sport pilot
-Expensive for someone who has no desire to eventually graduate to private pilot
-First several sections are EXTREMELY interactive, but it slowly fizzles as the material gets dry.
-Video placement blunted their effectiveness in the lessons.
MIXED
+/- Does not teach "to the test". This is good because teaching to the test makes a very poor pilot. But it's bad because, hey, I'm here to pass the damn test.
+/- This is NOT the quick way to passing the knowledge test. The quickest way is to study the FAA question bank. But this will make you a very knowledgeable pilot.
+/- King probably paid quite a bit of money for the Cessna branding, but a lot of the training was specifically for the Skyhawk. My plane has a stick, not a yoke, and has no fuel mixture valve (among a few other differences). It's tough to fly one system, but learn a different system at home. Especially with so few hours in the air. |
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