From: deragon@GROUCHO.CS.NYU.EDU (John Paul Deragon)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation
Subject: Re: Jeppesen Student Kit
Date: 14 Sep 92 06:53:30 GMT

Article: 61739 of rec.aviation
  > Path: spunky!cmcl2!yale.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wupost!spool.mu.edu!darwin.sura.net!sgiblab!news.kpc.com!kpc!peck.com!geoff
  > From: geoff@peck.com (Geoff Peck)
  > Organization: Geoffrey G. Peck, Consultant, San Jose CA
  > Lines: 110
  > 
  > In article <9209040257.AA11433@GROUCHO.CS.NYU.EDU> deragon@GROUCHO.CS.NYU.EDU
  > (John Paul Deragon) asks about the Jeppesen Student Kit.  Several netters
  > responded rather negatively to this kit; I thought it would be useful to
  > explain why it really *is* a good idea and a reasonable thing to purchase,
  > even at a seemingly exorbitant $130.00 in the case of MillionAir at
  > Teterboro NJ.
  > 
  > First, I have in front of me an official 1992 Jeppesen-Sanderson Price
  > Schedule.  There are quite a few different versions of the "Kit- Private
  > Pilot Student", ranging in (list) price from $56.45 to $127.25.  I expect
  > the kit to which John refers is either
  >     JS304180   Kit-Private Pilot Student w/Student CSG  $107.95   or
  >     JS304121   Kit-Private Pilot Student w/FAR/AIM      $114.95
  > 
  > These kits differ only by the inclusion of an FAR/AIM volume in the second
  > kit, which I would consider "required equipment".  Well, what do these kits
  > include, and how much would it cost if you purchased the items separately?
  > I'll expand the second (JS304121) version:
  > 
  >     Manual w/FAR/AIM		$43.95
  >     Exercise Package		$10.45
  >     Syllabus Package		$ 7.45
  >     Maneuvers Manual		$ 9.95
  >     Record Folder		$ 2.69
  >     Flight Case (Gray)		$11.35
  >     Exam Package		$ 9.95
  >     Student CSG Computer	$ 8.95
  >     PN-1 Navigation Plotter	$ 5.95
  >     Practical Test Standards	$ 3.45
  >     Pilot Logbook		$ 7.95
  > 
  
  	I dont know the part number of the kit I have but the goodies 
  I have are the following:
  
  	Private Pilot Manual (Hard Cover) #JS314702H
  	Private Pilot Manuvers Manual (Soft) #JS314705C
  	Private Pilot Exercises Manual (Soft) #JS324772H
  	Private Pilot Syllabus (Soft) #JS346026C
  	FAR Abridge Manual (Soft) #JS314703K
  	Example Tests I, II, and III
  	Canvas Flight Case (Gray)
  	PN-1 Plotter
  	Cardboard computer E6B
  	Sample Sectional Chart of Dallas/Fort Worth
  	
  	Thats is... no logbook, no record folder, no standards.
  
  >	 
  > Now, is all the stuff in the $115 kit _really_ necessary?  Well, yes and
  > no.  For a Part 141 "FAA Approved" flight school, yes it is.  The Part 141
  > agreement between the flight school and the FAA lays out what a student is
  > to be provided with, and that kit meets the agreement exactly.  One thing
  > less, and you can't be enrolled in the Part 141 program.  If you don't go
  > with Part 141, you could delete a few things -- the syllabus and the
  > record folder, for example.  And you could go without the $11 bag, but it
  > really is nice to have some place to hold all that stuff...  You could
  > substitute Gleim for the exam package, at an increase of about $7.
  > 
  > Usually, when you select a particular FBO for training, they have
  > standards which they follow to ensure that you receive proper
  > instruction.  Many FBOs elect to utilize the Jeppesen-Sanderson "system",
  > which includes a videotape package.  The videotapes are actually fairly
  > good, in my opinion, and they cover a _lot_ of material in a relatively
  > short time.
  > 
  	The price does include use of the Jeppesen videos.. (given that
  you watch them at the school).  I haven't watched any videos so I cant
  give my opinion on them yet.
  
  > I've used the Jeppesen tapes as the "core" of Private and Instrument
  > ground schools for the last several years, and I really do like them.
  > There are a few tapes which are duds, but, well, no one's perfect.  (It's
  > really hard to get worked up over decoding of teletype weather reports...)
  > 
  > The videotapes are a not insubstantial cost for the FBO -- they have a
  > **four-digit** price tag, and the FBO must subscribe to an update service
  > for several hundred dollars per year.  So, you say, "why doesn't the FBO
  > give me a 30% discount on the Jepp materials?  I'm going to be spending
  > thousands of dollars on flight instruction and airplane rentals!"  The
  > answer is that that's about all the markup there is on this stuff, and the
  > markup pays for the videotapes.  And you'd be shocked at how slim the
  > margins are for FBOs these days.  FBOs all across the country are going
  > out of business...
  > 
  
  
  	Overall I am happy with the quality of the kit, the books are
  well written.  They are in the manner of typical college texts.  Everything
  you should know is written in the margins, decent diagrams, and reviews
  at the end of the chapers.
  
  
  	I was told by my intructor what chapters to review in the 
  manual and more specifically in the manvers manual for my next lesson.
  
  	I plan on seeing some of the videos this week and will let 
  you know what I think. 
  
  
  	John.
  

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