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7 Private Pilot Books to Make You a Better Pilot

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In this post, I’m going to share 7 private pilot books that will help you prepare for and pass your FAA knowledge exam and practical test.

They may also have a book or two they recommend because they use it in their curriculum. 

However, the private pilot study material on this list will help you learn and prepare for your tests and of course, make you a much better pilot.

Private Pilot Manual by Jeppesen

If you can only buy one private pilot book to aid you in your training this is it. 

This is the best pilot book for beginners. It covers a wide range of information you’ll need as a private pilot.

Unlike many books that aren’t updated often, this one goes into details on more modern systems including all-glass cockpits, ADS-B, electronic flight bags and more. 

It goes beyond just being a ground school book.

Another great feature of this Jeppesen private pilot book is the impressive illustrations.

That may not sound all that exciting but illustrations and diagrams are a huge part of learning in flight training. So having ones that not only look good but also explain everything thoroughly are truly helpful in learning the concepts.

One last thing you’ll enjoy about the Jeppesen book is the real-life stories.

These stories help teach why the material is so critical to learn and ingrain into your flying. The stories help make the Jeppesen books some of the best pilot training books out there.

Like I said, if you can only afford one, this is the best book for your private pilot license.

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Performing a mock checkride

Rod Machado’s Private Pilot Handbook

If you’re looking for straight-to-the-point private pilot study material with a healthy dose of humor, this is the book for you. Rod covers every topic thoroughly and does an excellent job of explaining the “why” behind the principle. 

It’s definitely one of the more enjoyable books to read on this list. It’s also loaded with great illustrations (over 1,200) that help explain things effectively.

One issue some people have with this book, however, is that it is written with some humor and stories which doesn’t work for everyone when trying to learn. 

If you paired this with the next book on the list you’d have a great set of resources to help you learn.

You can take a look at Rod Machado’s other excellent flight training courses and books here. Rod has some of the best private pilot test prep available.

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FAR/AIM 2025

One of the benefits of buying this is that they also mark what has changed since the last publication. It’s a helpful feature that you don’t get if you went directly to the source.

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Private Pilot Test Prep 2024 Study Guide

Overall, it’s a great private pilot license book to help you pass the knowledge test.

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Private Pilot Oral Exam Guide

Many pilots feel good about the flying portion of their checkride but are incredibly nervous about the oral portion.

If that’s you, this is the book to grab.

This private pilot book goes through many, many questions you could potentially be asked during the oral portion of the checkride and the accompanying answer. 

One other helpful portion of this private pilot study guide is the scenario-based questions.

These are often asked by designated pilot examiners to test if you really know the principles (not just memorize them) and can explain them in action.

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Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge

As far as ppl books go, it isn’t the most exciting by any means. But it is packed with helpful information that will get you ready for your private pilot checkride.

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Gleim Aviation Weather and Weather Services

One of the most challenging parts of flying for many new pilots is the weather.

Making the decision to fly or not can be a bit stressful.

And understanding the many weather charts and services available takes some study in and of itself.

This book includes the FAA’s Aviation Weather and Aviation Weather Services text along with a few other publications. It also contains private pilot study guides and other helpful information as you work to learn the weather.

Plus, once you do get to your instrument rating, you’ll already have this book to help you study for the instrument rating practical test.

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Additional Private Pilot Study Material

The above list is some of the best books for ppl available to help you in your training. But there are many additional options to choose from. Here are a few other pilot books for beginners you may find helpful as you prepare for your exams.

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Comments

One response to “7 Private Pilot Books to Make You a Better Pilot”

  1. Jimseeno

    Really interesting post!