Lets first look at using it for self directed study before you go for your flight lessons. This is for a person who wants to learn as much knowledge as possible on their own before the flight lessons. All students should accomplish this for sure if you must travel to a location and fly day after day in an accelerated course. Overall, a complete self study is the best approach because you will progress much quicker during your flight lessons which will save you time and money. You can easily progress through the course and pass your FAA knowledge test.

Now for your flight lessons, you can focus on the flying with no hurdles. Your ground study will be reviewed with your flight lessons, with the additional practical knowledge filled in with your instructor during your flight lessons.  It is best for you not to use the cockpit as a classroom, it is to expensive.

Let’s look at the other situation where you start using the student kit while you are flight training. This would be where you could take a flight lesson than have a day to work on the ground lesson before you take the next flight lesson. This is good if you can get 2 or 3 flights per week at a nearby school. Here you follow through each flight/ground and training module with the ground school integrated with the flight lessons.

No matter which technique you choose, your efforts studying the material specified in the training syllabus will safe you money on the instructor teaching you things you can learn your self. Do not worry, the instructor must make sure you have the basic knowledge and flight skills for the checkride. It is up to you how you get it. 

Call me if you have any questions.