Not sure how many subject for comm now, but for my ATPL, years ago, I initially wrote only 4 exams, as we had to pass 3 to carry the subjects. I passed 3, then took a month to study 2 more and wrote, passed both, then studied a month, passed the last 2 and that was all of them in the bag.
This way, it took a lot off pressure off trying to study for all of them at the same time and I saved a lot of time and money. Small chunks also helped keep the motivation up, as it wasn't a mountain of studies all at the same time. Nothing is more disheartening and demoralising than failing subjects time after time.
But I really put the hours in and worked off a study schedule, which I religiously stuck too.
I studied as much as possible at work for 3 weeks and nights too, then took a week off and studied from 0800 - 1000, 1030 - 1230, an hour’s break for lunch and then 1330 - 1530, 1600 - 1800, alternating the subjects, from morning to afternoon, to avoid getting bored. Evenings were available to get to mates to explain stuff. Thus it was all self study.
But as the fellow aviators pointed out in the tread, it is a combination of many hours studying, doing lots of questions and understanding what you’re studying. It sometimes takes time to figure some things out for yourself, but it definitely broadens your understanding and simplifies matters in the exams when they throw you a curveball. As I said with the really difficult stuff, I made notes of the stuff I did not grasp initially and I consulted mates at night if I really could not figure it out.
Then all you need to pull it all off is motivation, mix it all together and you should find yourself qualified in a sought after and very fun environment.
Another important issue, ASAP after getting your Comm subjects, write your Instructors exams and then get some hours and do your ATPL exams. It keeps the info fresh in your mind and ATPL is mostly an extension on CPL info.
Companies like to hear you have done your ATPL exams even if short of the hours, as it demonstrates that you are a self motivated person and worth while spending the money on for that twin rating. Companies do not like begging pilot’s to get their ATPL and with the competition for work getting stiffer everyday, I’d much rather hire a guy I know has already done his ATPL exams.
Good luck! It’s hard work but well worth the effort in the end.
