User’s Guide

Which Prepware Resource is Right for Me?

Introduction

Prepware Practice Tests

Prepware Software

Prepware Online

Prepware School

Activating Prepware School

Prepware School Instructor Accounts

Prepware School Student Accounts

Which Prepware Resource is Right for Me?

Product Name (ASA Product Code)	User	Expiration date	Practice Tests	Self-Study	Student, Instructor, School Affiliation
Prepware Practice Tests (ASA-PWO-TESTS)	Students	No	Yes, 5	No	No
Prepware Software (ASA-PW-XX)	Students	24 months + Software installed to hard drive does not expire and is maintained with updates for 2 years.	Yes, Unlimited	Yes	Yes, with established Prepware School account
Prepware Online (ASA-PWO-STU)	Students	12 months	Yes, Unlimited	Yes	Yes, with established Prepware School account
Prepware School (ASA-PWO-SCL)	Instructors	24 months	Yes, Unlimited	Yes	Yes, Instructor and Student affiliations established with Prepware Online accounts

Introduction

Prepware Practice Tests

Prepware Practice Tests (ASA-PWO-TESTS) is a simulated test center from the experts in FAA Knowledge Exam preparation. ASA’s practice tests give you the confidence you need to head to the testing center. You have the option to use these practice tests to acquire your test sign-off from ASA staff, or show your flight or ground instructor the results (by printing or e-mailing) for their endorsement.¹ All pilot exams (all aircraft categories) are available, as well as the General, Airframe, and Powerplant for Aviation Mechanics. Select the test you are preparing for and the corresponding test type will be presented. The tests represent the most current data available. Prepware.com features include:

Information from the most trusted source in aviation training: questions supported with explanations for correct and incorrect answers, FAA references for further study, and airman test report codes for remedial study.
Realistic test simulation: five practice tests. Tests use the correct type and number of questions, and the time allowed for your certificate or rating.
Performance graphs let you hone your studies: upon completion, review explanations and answers for the entire test and see your grade for each subject.
Get your sign-off: submit two of the five practice tests with scores 80% or better to ASA or your instructor to receive your sign-off and graduation certificate, or print your results for your flight/ground instructor to endorse. Either way, you will have everything you need to schedule your exam with the testing center.¹

¹ Aviation Maintenance Technicians will need to meet the experience requirements and obtain their test authorization from their Part 147 school or local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO).

Prepware Software

Prepware Software (ASA-PW-XX) is compatible with both Windows and Macintosh systems. The software provides all the Study and Test features (and more!) available in Prepware Practice Tests and Prepware Online. In addition to installing the software on your computer (for access not requiring an internet connection), you will also receive a 24-month subscription to Prepware Online.

Prepware Online

Prepware Online (ASA-PWO-STU) provides access to the study and test tools you need from any internet-connected device. In addition to unlimited practice tests, this online access includes study and review modules, detailed performance graphs, and comprehensive study guides to give you the confidence you need to ace your FAA Knowledge Exam. Whether you choose to simulate an actual FAA test, or study specific subjects and questions, Prepware Online includes the same features as Prepware Practice Tests as well as:

Unlimited practice tests: take as many practice tests as you like for your selected title until you have the confidence you need to ace your official test.
Study or practice by subject: review test questions organized by subject and available test types for each title (airplane, rotorcraft, glider, lighter-than-air, powered parachute, weight-shift control, etc.).
Access your Prepware School tests: students can choose to “follow” their school and instructor to access online tests and quizzes (Prepware School account required).

You will need this Prepware title…	…to study for these exams:
Remote Pilot	Unmanned Aircraft System – Small (UAS)
Sport Pilot	Sport Pilot in: Airplane, Gyroplane, Glider, Lighter-Than-Air, Powered Parachute, or Weight-Shift Control
Private Pilot	Private or Recreational in: Airplane, Rotorcraft Private in: Glider, Lighter-Than-Air, Weight-Shift Control, or Powered Parachute.
Instrument Rating	Instrument Rating in: Airplane, Rotorcraft, Foreign Pilot, Instrument Ground Instructor, Instrument Flight Instructor (CFII).
Commercial Pilot	Commercial Certificate in: Airplane, Rotorcraft, Glider, Lighter-Than-Air, or for Military Competency.
Certified Flight Instructor	Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) Certified Flight Instructor Initial and Added ratings in: Airplane, Helicopter, Gyroplane, or Glider. Ground Instructor: Basic or Advanced Sport Pilot Instructor in: Airplane, Glider, Lighter-Than-Air, Powered Parachute, Weight-Shift-Control, or Gyroplane. Military Competency Instructor
Airline Transport Pilot and Flight Engineer	Airline Transport Pilot in: Airplane (Multi-Engine and Single-Engine), Rotorcraft, or Aircraft Dispatcher. Flight Engineer in: Turbojet, Turboprop, or Reciprocating.
General	Aviation Maintenance Technician General
Airframe	Aviation Maintenance Technician Airframe
Powerplant	Aviation Maintenance Technician Powerplant
Inspection Authorization	Inspection Authorization (IA)
Military Competency	Military Competency, Military Competency Instructor

Prepware School

Prepware School (ASA-PWO-SCL) is ideal for flight schools and training centers. Instructors can access all FAA pilot and maintenance Knowledge Exam question databases, and build and post tests for Prepware Online students to take using “cloud” technology. Instructors can create custom quizzes using comprehensive search features, pop quizzes, or exams by subject. Students can access these tests anywhere they have an internet connection—software or server access is not required. A Prepware Online account is required for each student. Quizzes can be of any length and on any specific or combination of subjects. You can print exams, student answer keys, and master keys for quick grading or issue the tests online for automatic grading and score-keeping. In addition, instructors can add their own custom questions and incorporate these into the quizzes issued to students. Features include:

Create quizzes on any subject or combination of subjects or use the FAA Knowledge Exam test models.
Create or add custom questions to use in your quizzes.
Review the details of each graded quiz submitted by a student.
Charts show class performance on a per-quiz basis.

Activating Prepware School

Activating Prepware School requires the following steps:

Establish a Prepware School Administrator account. There is only 1 Administrator for each Prepware School account. Prepware School Administrators manage the instructor account associated with their Prepware School access.

Visit Prepware.com
Under “New User” click “Sign Up.”
You will then create your profile. Remember this will be your school admin account.
Once your profile is created, you will then need to activate your Prepware School subscription. On the toolbar, click “School” then “School Admin Tools”.
On the School Admin Tools page click “Activate Prepware School.” Enter your school name as you would like it to appear and the 25-digit activation code received with your purchase.

Congratulations, your Prepware School Account has been created. The next step is to add instructors.

Prepware School Instructor Accounts

Each Prepware School comes with an unlimited number of instructor accounts and can be created anytime.

Visit Prepware.com
Under “New User” click “Sign Up.”
You will then create your instructor profile.
Once your profile is created, you need to request an instructor role with the school in which you are associated with. To do this click “School” and then “Instructor Tools”.
On the Instructor Tools page click “Request Instructor Role” and find your school in the drop down menu, click submit.
A request has now been sent to the school administrator and once approved, instructors will have access to complete knowledge test database of questions and tools available in Prepware School.

Prepware School Student Accounts

Students must first purchase a licensing key to access Prepware Online. Once they have a valid key then can follow the steps below to create their Prepware account and request to follow an instructor.
Visit Prepware.com
Under “New User” click “Sign Up.”
Once your profile is created, you will need to activate your subscription of Prepware using your 25-digit activation code. Click “Manage Subscriptions” and enter your unique code.
After entering your code you will be prompted to choose the product you wish to activate from the drop down menu. For example choosing Private Pilot will unlock the Private Pilot database of test questions and associated study guide.
At this point you have a full usable working version of Prepware but are not yet linked up with your instructor.
To follow an instructor click on “School” and then “Student Tools.” Enter the instructor’s name you wish to follow and click submit.
A request has now been sent to the instructor for approval. Upon approval you will gain access to quizzes and tests created by your instructor along with additional Prepware School features and benefits.

If you have additional questions regarding Prepware School please feel free to contact ASA by calling (425) 235-1500.

Study

(Feature not available with Practice Tests, ASA-PWO-TESTS.)

Prepware will help you successfully prepare for an FAA Knowledge Exam in the most efficient and effective manner. There are several steps involved in preparing for an exam. First and foremost is to get acquainted with the required knowledge.

If you only have one title installed, the “Product” name will be defined in the Home menu. If you have multiple titles installed (Private, Instrument, Commercial, etc.) click on the down arrow to choose which title you would like to study (CFI and ATP Prepware will also have a Database menu to choose from). Choose the appropriate database, then choose the test name based on the aircraft and rating you wish to study, and click the Study button.

The Study Session window will open giving you all of the chapters available. Click ALL in the Topic column to choose all questions from a chapter, or choose a single topic from the dropdown list. If you would like a specific number of questions from each chapter or topic, simply click on the box in the right column, and enter the number of questions you would like to include. You may choose only one topic per chapter, but you do not have to include questions from every topic or chapter.

If you would like to include ALL available questions from ALL chapters listed, click the All Questions button in the lower left corner of the window. If you would like to reset the “Questions In Study Session” column, click the Reset button. When you have customized the Study Session to your liking, click on the Create Study Session button to begin.

On the left of your new custom study session window is the progress information. This shows how many questions are in your session, and how many you have answered, have left to answer, or have marked to come back to later. The colored dot next to the question number and the key at the bottom will help you determine the status of each question.

The right side of the window will display the question, answer choices, and explanations. There are also several buttons at the bottom of the window you will need to use.

Exit will return you to the Home screen.
Mark and Unmark help you remember which questions you need to return to.
Previous and Next allow you to navigate backward and forward in the list of questions.
Calculator opens the CX-3 Flight Computer for use in performing calculations. This is an approved device for taking with you to the testing center but will not be available to you on screen—you must bring your approved flight computer with you for your official test.
Finish submits for grading.
Show Explanation will display an explanation for a given question.
View Figure will appear when a question requires you to reference a figure, such as a graph or drawing. Click on this button and a window containing the figure will appear.

Select your answer choice (A, B, C) with the mouse. When you are through with your study session, click Finish to submit for grading. Prepware will ask if you are sure you want to submit. Confirm by clicking “Submit Study Session.” You will then be able to see the “Question Detail” for your study session which depicts the grade for this session, the answers you selected, the correct answer, and the explanation for each question.

Do some additional studying over the areas that do not show 80% or better. You can review your scores by selecting Tools/Performance History at the top of the window.

Take a Test

From the Home screen, select the Take a Test button to generate a sample FAA Knowledge Exam. If you only have one title installed, the “Product” name will be defined in the Main Menu. If you have multiple titles installed (Private, Instrument, Commercial, etc.), click on the down arrow to choose which title you would like to study (CFI and ATP Prepware will also have a Database menu to choose from). Choose the appropriate database, then choose the test name based on the aircraft and rating you wish to study, and click the Take a Test button.

Prepware will generate a test representative of the Knowledge Exam you will be issued at the computer testing center and the timer will start. All questions are the objective, multiple-choice type, with three answer choices. Each question can be answered by the selection of a single response. Each test question is independent of other questions; that is, a correct response to one does not depend upon or influence the correct response to another.

The buttons and menus in Test mode behave in the same manner as they do in Study mode; however, because this is a “Test,” you will not have access to the Show Explanation button.

You must complete the test in the allotted time. You will be given a 5-minute and 1-minute warning before the clock runs out. The test will automatically stop and you will be given the option to submit for grading once the time expires. A question left blank will be marked as incorrect.

The FAA Knowledge Exams are closed-book exams. For the score to accurately represent your knowledge, you should not reference your textbooks, DVDs, Test Prep, or software to answer any of the questions when in Test mode.

If you begin taking at test, you must finish it for it to count as a complete test. Endorsements can only be acquired by submitting two complete tests.

Test-Taking Tips

Select the A, B, C answer using your mouse.
Make sure every question has an answer selected. Unanswered questions will be marked as incorrect.
You may use your aviation plotter or flight computer (E6B or CX-3) or take advantage of the in-software version of the CX-3 available when you select the Calculator button (a similar on-screen version is available at the testing center). In addition, you are allowed blank scratch paper and pencil (these items are provided at the testing centers). A Computer Testing Supplement with Figures and Legends is included within Prepware (Tools menu/CT-8080 PDFs). A printed copy of the figures booklet will be provided to you at the testing center.
Answer each question in accordance with the latest regulations and guidance publications. Read each question carefully before looking at the possible answers. You should clearly understand the problem before attempting to solve it.
When solving a calculation problem, select the answer choice that is nearest to your solution to the problem. The problem has been checked with various types of calculators; therefore, if you have solved it correctly, your answer will be closer to the correct answer than any of the other choices (but may not exactly match the answer choices).
If you find a question difficult, Mark it and move on. Return to the marked questions once you have worked through the whole test, but before grading. This procedure will enable you to use the available time to the maximum advantage.
After answering all the questions, press the Finish button and your test will be graded. You may then review your test. The questions will display with the correct answer, the answer you selected, and the explanation.
When taking your official FAA exam at the testing center your test will be graded immediately upon completion and your score will display on the computer screen.

Review Performance

Once you are consistently scoring above 80%, you are probably ready for your test. Submit two complete tests to ASA, each with a score of 80% or better, to receive an endorsement to take your actual FAA Knowledge Exam (AMT and IA applicants must receive authorization from the local FSDO or Part 147 school). You may also elect to email scores to your instructor to receive your endorsement from them.

Check your performance by clicking on the “Tools” menu and choosing “Performance History.” Here, you can review your test(s). Click on the Email Scores button to submit your test scores. Put checkmarks next to two complete tests with scores of 80% or better, fill in the requested information, and then click the Send Email button.

QuizMaker

This function is found under “Tools” in the top toolbar and enables you to search the entire database, review areas of concern, and create Quizzes. The QuizMaker window is divided into two tabs: Search and Quiz Preview.

Search — enter a term or number and press Enter to see the “hits.” Select the “Add to Quiz” button or use the “Actions” pull-down menu to view questions and build a custom quiz. For instance, if you want to find questions that contain the word “airspace,” just type the word into the Search box to do a search. You can search and select questions from multiple databases and add questions to a test. This is helpful if you want to test a subject from multiple disciplines (i.e. General and Airframe, Private and Instrument, etc.).

Quiz Preview — view the questions selected for your custom quiz. Select the “Actions” pull-down menu to save these as a Quiz or Study Session. Access your custom Quizzes from the top toolbar menus: Test/Open Existing Test, and Study/Open Existing Study Session.

Printing a Quiz — In Quizmaker, select Book and Chapter then go to the Actions menu and select Load all Questions. From the list of questions, select the questions you wish to add to your quiz. In the Quiz Preview tab, go to the Actions menu and select Save Quiz.

Note to Instructors: Save your quiz as an “Instructor Quiz.” After saving an Instructor Quiz, go to the Tools menu and select Instructor Tools. In the Instructor Quizzes you will see print and export options under “Actions.”

My Custom Questions

This function is found under “Tools” in the top toolbar and enables you to write your own questions available for both study and practice tests. Select the New Custom Question button and enter all the data: Question; A, B, C answer choices; the correct answer; and the explanation. You can edit existing custom questions by selecting the Edit button. Use the QuizMaker function to add your custom questions to a Quiz or Study Session.

Prepware Menus

Home
Return to the Main Menu to select the Product and Test Name
Test
Open Existing Test	Open a test previously created and saved.
Test Instructions	View test-taking tips.
FAA Testing Centers	Telephone numbers to schedule your test.
Study
Open Existing Session	Open a study session that has been previously created and saved.
Study Guide	Explanatory text on each subject.
Preparation	A description of the tests and the testing procedures.
Tools
Performance History	View scores, performance graphs, and graded tests and study sessions. Performance can be printed or emailed to obtain an endorsement to take the FAA exam.
QuizMaker	Search capabilities (word, phrase, Learning Statement Code, question, answer, explanation, etc.). Create custom quizzes or study sessions to be accessed in Study or Test.
My Custom Questions	Write your own test questions for use in study sessions or practice tests.
School (Prepware School, ASA-PWO-SCL, account required for features)
Student Tools	Request Instructor affiliation, view list of followed instructors, access Quizzes posted by Prepware School Instructors
Instructor Tools	Request Instructor status, view list of Students (requesting affiliation and confirmed access), Quizzes, Scores
School Admin Tools	Accept Instructor affiliation requests, view list of Instructors associated with Prepware School account
Help
User’s Guide	Access the Prepware Online User’s Guide.
License Agreement	Prepware licensing agreement.
Product Support	Information on contacting ASA support.
Learning Statement Codes	(LSCs) Descriptions for the codes issued on the Airman Test Report associated with missed questions.
Login [name]
Account Settings	Reset account details, add products, and manage subscriptions.
Sign Out	Log out of Prepware account, return to Home page