About Prepware General
I’m finishing up my A&P certificate and needed a solid way to grind through the FAA General written exam questions without my phone constantly begging for a signal. I’m not the type to just flashcard stuff—I need to understand why the wrong answers are wrong too. This app from ASA is basically the digital version of their famous book, and it covers everything from regulations and basic physics to aircraft systems and sheet metal. The question bank is legit; it mirrors the actual FAA test pool, at least the current one. I downloaded it specifically because my commute is 45 minutes each way through a dead zone, and I was tired of streaming YouTube study guides that buffer every five miles.
Features & Highlights
You get three modes: Study, Practice Test, and a Flashcard mode that flips between terms like “camber” and “angle of incidence.” The Study mode is where I live—it shows you 25 questions at a time, and after you answer each one, bam, you get a paragraph-long explanation that actually reads like an instructor talking, not like a dry manual. That’s rare. I hate apps that just say “correct answer is A” and call it a day. Here, they explain why a cotter pin fails before a castle nut, stuff like that. There’s also a statistics screen that breaks down your weak areas by category (like “Aircraft Drawings” vs. “Weight and Balance”), which saved my butt last Thursday when I realized I was bombing fluid lines questions. It flags questions for review too, so you can build a custom pile of your worst topics.
User Experience
Look, the interface looks like it was designed in 2014—it’s not slick or flashy. But honestly, that’s fine with me. I’m here to study, not watch animations. The font is readable even on my S23’s smaller screen in direct sunlight, and the buttons are big enough that I don’t fat-finger the wrong answer on a bumpy bus ride. My one gripe: the search function is weak. You can’t just type “corrosion” and find every question about it; you have to scroll through categories. That’s annoying when you’re trying to cram a specific topic. Also, the app crashed on me twice during a practice test last Tuesday night, and I lost my place. Had to restart from question 1. That stung. No crash recovery at all. For a paid app, that’s sloppy.
Pricing
I paid something around $10—not cheap for a mobile test prep, but cheaper than buying the printed book plus shipping. Considering there are no in-app purchases, no ads, and the entire question bank is included upfront, I’d say it’s fair if you actually use it. The free alternatives out there only give you 20 sample questions before asking for cash or subscriptions. This is a one-time buy, and you own it forever. I hate subscriptions with a passion, so that’s a big plus in my book.
Updates & Support
I haven’t contacted support, but the app’s version history in the Play Store shows it gets updated maybe once a year. That worries me, because the FAA test pool changes periodically. If they stop updating, this app becomes a paperweight. The last update was six months ago, and it only said “bug fixes.” I’d feel better if they mentioned a timeline for the next test cycle update. Based on other reviews, when people do contact support, the response seems hit or miss—some get a reply in a day, others wait a week. I’m just hoping I pass before the questions get swapped.
Security & Privacy
It asks for very basic permissions—storage access to save your progress locally, and nothing else. No camera, no location, no contacts. That’s exactly what I want from a study app. I don’t need it reading my texts. I didn’t even have to create an account with an email; it just saves everything to the phone. Good luck losing your phone, though—no cloud backup at all. If you reset your device, your test history is gone. I’ve seen some sketchy test prep apps that try to scan your network or access your call logs, so this feels refreshingly clean. ASA is a legitimate aviation publisher, so I trust them more than some random developer in a basement.
How does the Study mode in Prepware General help me understand why wrong answers are incorrect?
After you answer each question, the app provides a paragraph-long explanation that reads like an instructor talking, explaining not just the correct answer but also why the wrong ones are wrong. This helps you grasp the underlying concepts rather than just memorizing answers.
Can I track my performance in specific topics like Weight and Balance or Aircraft Drawings?
Yes, the statistics screen breaks down your weak areas by category, such as 'Aircraft Drawings' or 'Weight and Balance,' and flags questions for review. This lets you build a custom study pile focused on your worst topics.
What should I do if Prepware General crashes during a practice test and I lose my progress?
Unfortunately, the app has no crash recovery, so you'll have to restart the test from question 1. To minimize frustration, try closing other apps before starting a test and ensure your device has enough free memory.
How can I find questions about a specific topic like corrosion if the search function is weak?
The search function only lets you scroll through categories, not type keywords. To find questions on a specific topic, manually browse the relevant category (e.g., 'Aircraft Drawings' or 'Fluid Lines') and use the flag-for-review feature to build a custom study set.
How does Prepware General compare to free FAA test prep apps?
Free alternatives typically offer only 20 sample questions before requiring payment or a subscription, while Prepware General is a one-time purchase (around $10) with the entire FAA question bank included, no ads, and no in-app purchases. It also provides detailed explanations, unlike most free apps that just show the correct answer.
