Pilot Products

Studying for an FAA knowledge test has changed a lot in the past 10 years. First came dedicated study guides, so much more instructive than the FAA question books, and then came the advent of computer software and online test prep services. Now, preparing for the knowledge test becomes even more portable with programs for personal digital assistants (PDAs), such as PocketTest software for Palm-OS-compatible PDAs.

Developed by Malone Consulting in conjunction with Gleim Publications (producers of the popular "red books"), the software guides you through all of the questions for a given knowledge test. Each version, from private pilot to flight engineer, is available for downloading from the PocketTest Web site. The software is straightforward and lean - the private pilot version takes up 219K, which includes the application and the figure database. Once launched, the program cycles through random questions from the FAA exam and keeps track of your progress using a bar at the bottom of the screen. If you need to quit the program before answering all of the questions, your score thus far is calculated, and you may pick up from where you left off - or reset the exam and start all over again. Figures are displayed with each question, and these turned out to be fairly readable on the black-and-white Handspring Visor we used during our testing. When you answer a question incorrectly, the software prompts you to reference an FAA publication and the appropriate chapter in the corresponding study guide published by Gleim.

The private pilot version of the software sells for $59.95, with other exam versions ranging in price from $29.95 for the fundamentals of instructing exam to $89.95 each for the airline transport pilot and flight engineer exams. The purchase price includes free updates for the life of the product-or until you pass the exam. For more information, contact PocketTest, Malone Consulting, 6340 Highway 247, Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674; telephone 256/370-7373; or visit the Web site ( www.pockettest.com ).

Flightcom INOVA Intercom

Flightcom, maker of the Denali series of headsets, has introduced a portable stereo intercom. The 9.6-ounce unit comes in bright yellow or graphite blue, just like the headsets, and offers high-fidelity stereo sound for pilot and copilot. A cigarette lighter, stereo patch cord, copilot transmit cable, and push-to-talk switch are also included with the intercom, which can also be operated on a single nine-volt battery.

An expansion model is available to add two more outlets to the unit, for a four-place intercom system. The iNova features one great benefit for those who have left an intercom on - and drained the batteries - in the past: The unit is only "on" when headsets are plugged in. Pilot and crew "isolate" modes turn off the music and intercom functions to the pilot when selected for periods of high workload or communication with air traffic control.

The unit retails for $395 on the Flightcom Web site; Flightcom products are also available through dealers. For more information, contact Flightcom, 7340 Southwest Durham Road, Portland, Oregon 97224; telephone 800/432-4342 or 503/684-8229; fax 503/620-2943; or visit the Web site ( www.flight-com.com ).

GPS Trainer From ASA

While global positioning system (GPS) receiver manufacturers provide a variety of training materials on their particular units, many pilots - especially those who rent aircraft - are faced with the daunting task of learning multiple boxes. Enter Aviation Supplies and Academics' new GPS Trainer, a CD-ROM that covers operations for three of the most popular IFR-approved GPS receivers.

Both VFR and IFR operations are detailed in the program, which includes the Apollo GX series, Garmin GNS 430, and Bendix/King KLN 89B GPS receivers. After selecting the GPS receiver you wish to learn about, the program offers a menu of topics from which to choose. For those new to using GPS avionics, there is a short course on the theory behind the global positioning system. From there, the course offers a Preflight section designed to orient you with the receiver's buttons and screens before launching into the step-by-step operations covered in subsequent topics. The Preflight section also covers basic flight plan setup.

We went through the section devoted to the Apollo GX 50/60 series, as this GPS receiver is installed on a Piper Archer we often use for product testing at AOPA. The Preflight section provided a thorough overview of the receiver's functions, offering some insight into a box that some around here consider a bit counterintuitive. In the "Enroute," "Terminal," and "Approach" topics, the program gave detailed instructions on every important VFR and IFR procedure, with an integrated simulation that could be manipulated by the user in almost the same way as the real box. The simulation skipped over some redundant steps, such as entering every letter of a navaid, or every leg in a flight plan, saving some time. Still, the program was robust enough that it took us several hours to complete. Similar depth was found in the GNS 430 and KLN 89B sections as well.

We found some minor discrepancies in the instruction, but did not find anything incorrect. And we had some trouble getting movies to load, though each simulation we tested ran without flaw. The illustrations are good, though some captions might be challenging to read.

GPS Trainer requires Adobe Acrobat and Apple QuickTime software, both of which load from the single CD that houses the program if current versions aren't already present on your computer. The program runs on both PC and Macintosh systems, though the manufacturers' stand-alone simulators - also included separately on the CD - are not Mac-compatible. System requirements for PC are Windows 95/98/2000/NT/ME, Pentium 166 MHz or faster processor, 32 MB minimum RAM, 800-by-600 SVGA video adapter and monitor, four-speed CD-ROM drive, and a mouse.

GPS Trainer retails for $99.95. For more information, contact Aviation Supplies and Academics (ASA), 7005 132nd Place Southeast, Newcastle, Washington 98059-3153; telephone 425/235-1500; fax 425/235-0128; or visit the Web site ( www.asa2fly.com ).

Aircraft Shopper Online

Are your dreams of buying your own airplane about to become a reality? Then check out a Web site for serious shoppers, Aircraft Shopper Online (ASO). The site hosts listings for 2,500-plus aircraft ranging in price from less than $20,000 to more than $40 million. ASO allows you to choose the make, model, and price range from the latest listings, and from this you can create a short list of your favorite aircraft. Links take you to dealers, brokers, and financial services.

A search for Cessna 172s turned up more than 90 aircraft to choose from, running the gamut from a 1956 model priced at $32,000 to a 2001 172SP valued at $180,000. Photographs are included with many listings. A feedback form allows you to contact ASO directly regarding your purchasing experience. For those who just want to look, the site offers a way to hone your aircraft identification skills with its listings of warbirds, classics, and large transport-category aircraft.

For more information about available services, visit the Aircraft Shopper Online Web site ( www.aso.com ).