Raskolnikov
Well-Known Member
Attended the five week course at the start of the year.
This is a very intense course. They pack in a lot of information into five weeks.
THE ADX EXAM: If I could change one thing about how I approached the course, it would be to have passed this BEFORE arriving in Florida. I spent about four weeks before the class start date cramming for the ADX and was ready to pass it before leaving for Florida, but elected to wait to study more and maximize my chance at a higher score on the ADX. Also, the exam fee is included in the price of the Sheffield course if taken at the school. So I was partially motivated to wait so I could save $100. This meant I was dividing my valuable study time between ADX and Sheffield material during the first week and a half or so of the course until I could get the exam scheduled at the school. They can only take a small number of students at a time in the exam room for the ADX test, so spots filled up quickly. Don't assume you will just be able to take the exam when you want. It's taken in the evenings of the school week. As long as you pass the ADX your score really is irrelevant. It's just one of the sheets of paper you need to allow you entrance to the practical exam. So I wish I had taken it, passed it, and forgot about it before arriving in Florida, without regard for the score as long at it was a pass. Would have been $100 very well spent for the piece of mind and the extra study time for the Sheffield material.
THE COURSE: Very comprehensive and thorough. I started the course with a CFII certification so some of the material wasn't new for me; but I had taken about a two year break from aviation so was a bit rusty. For those considering the course with no prior aviation background, I would recommend studying at a minimum the FAA weather books before you get to Florida. If you know how to read a METAR and TAF, etc., you'll be ahead of the game. If you show up with no prior study, you had better be very good at retaining and understanding new material at a fast pace.
There really isn't room to fall behind in this course. You have to keep up with the fast pace and put in a lot of work. There is a LOT to learn. So the more you learn the material before you get to Florida, the better prepared you will be to pass the course. They don't make it easy; and really, they shouldn't. I didn't have any "free time" during the five weeks. I elected to study almost every waking minute of the day. I'm glad I did.
Overall this is a very challenging and rewarding course. I give a full recommendation.
HOUSING: I stayed at a youth hostel in Ft. Lauderdale that was right on a bus line. It was about an hour commute to school by bus. I was able to save a lot of money this way; but the cash savings came at a cost of the long commute and not being able to study with my classmates very much. Staying in the school house would have been far less stressful and better for the learning process. If you do stay at a hostel to save some cash, get used to sleeping with earplugs and an eye-mask. And also be prepared to do 95% of the studying on your own.
Also, if staying in Ft. Lauderdale you'll be better off if you have a car. There aren't a lot of great places to study in Ft. Lauderdale if you're limited to bus and foot travel. The best place I found was a Denny's across the street from the hostel: big tables, open all night, and they leave you alone to study.
This is a very intense course. They pack in a lot of information into five weeks.
THE ADX EXAM: If I could change one thing about how I approached the course, it would be to have passed this BEFORE arriving in Florida. I spent about four weeks before the class start date cramming for the ADX and was ready to pass it before leaving for Florida, but elected to wait to study more and maximize my chance at a higher score on the ADX. Also, the exam fee is included in the price of the Sheffield course if taken at the school. So I was partially motivated to wait so I could save $100. This meant I was dividing my valuable study time between ADX and Sheffield material during the first week and a half or so of the course until I could get the exam scheduled at the school. They can only take a small number of students at a time in the exam room for the ADX test, so spots filled up quickly. Don't assume you will just be able to take the exam when you want. It's taken in the evenings of the school week. As long as you pass the ADX your score really is irrelevant. It's just one of the sheets of paper you need to allow you entrance to the practical exam. So I wish I had taken it, passed it, and forgot about it before arriving in Florida, without regard for the score as long at it was a pass. Would have been $100 very well spent for the piece of mind and the extra study time for the Sheffield material.
THE COURSE: Very comprehensive and thorough. I started the course with a CFII certification so some of the material wasn't new for me; but I had taken about a two year break from aviation so was a bit rusty. For those considering the course with no prior aviation background, I would recommend studying at a minimum the FAA weather books before you get to Florida. If you know how to read a METAR and TAF, etc., you'll be ahead of the game. If you show up with no prior study, you had better be very good at retaining and understanding new material at a fast pace.
There really isn't room to fall behind in this course. You have to keep up with the fast pace and put in a lot of work. There is a LOT to learn. So the more you learn the material before you get to Florida, the better prepared you will be to pass the course. They don't make it easy; and really, they shouldn't. I didn't have any "free time" during the five weeks. I elected to study almost every waking minute of the day. I'm glad I did.
Overall this is a very challenging and rewarding course. I give a full recommendation.
HOUSING: I stayed at a youth hostel in Ft. Lauderdale that was right on a bus line. It was about an hour commute to school by bus. I was able to save a lot of money this way; but the cash savings came at a cost of the long commute and not being able to study with my classmates very much. Staying in the school house would have been far less stressful and better for the learning process. If you do stay at a hostel to save some cash, get used to sleeping with earplugs and an eye-mask. And also be prepared to do 95% of the studying on your own.
Also, if staying in Ft. Lauderdale you'll be better off if you have a car. There aren't a lot of great places to study in Ft. Lauderdale if you're limited to bus and foot travel. The best place I found was a Denny's across the street from the hostel: big tables, open all night, and they leave you alone to study.
