Oxford ground school

[bcat]

I am thinking very seriously about doing the residential ground schooling at Oxford for the ATPL (H) subjects. I know this has probably been a subject of this forum many times before but being new to PPRUNE I don't know the answers.
Can anyone let me know their thoughts on Oxford, any critisisms, recommendations hints etc etc. :cool:

[helicopter-redeye]

The notes and the exam question CD are good, but not very helicoptery (but nor are the exams ..._

h-r:)

[nick14]

are you by anychance a gliding instructor aith the aircadets

just asking because of your name B cat as in a B catergory instructor?

[bcat]

Hey Nick14
Bcat comes from my New Zealand "B" Category Commercial Helicopter Instructor Rating. Work over there is just not a happening thing at the moment so I thought I would return to the UK and see where that takes me.
Cheers Dougie.:D

Hi helicopter-redeye,
Thanks for that. I presume you did are or still are doing the ground course rather than a correspondance course? Are the instructors sympathetic to people that ask lots of questions. The reason I ask is that my overseas CPL\'s are turning out to be so different from the UK that not having any UK training appears to be causing a few question marks. Simple things like CAVOK isn\'t used in NZ nor Aussie and if no explaination is given then I need to get on the phone all the time to someone that does know. Makes studying quite hard unless you are in a classroom enviroment rather than at home.:confused:

[EGAC_Ramper]

Well cant speak for helicopter subjects,but the groundschool itself is for me very good in my opinion.I'm currently in phase 1 and in my class we do have a helicopter pilot.
The differences being he will later take a (H) P of Flight and no Mass & Balance.Everything seems grand from his point of view.Maybe a suggestion is to get brochure etc and maybe see for yourself.


Regards:ok:

[bcat]

Thanks for the info EGAC_Ramper.
I'm probably going to start on the 27th June so I might see you there.:D

[EGAC_Ramper]

Ah good show gimme a shout and catch you later.:ok:


Regards

[skastdk]

At oxford, you need to do 13 exams for the Helicopter ATPL

Note only one is helicopter orientated!

Thats Principles of flight Helicopter,,

The shcool says that you should do: POF fixedwing up to and including the stall chapter, then stop...

The subjects I needed for the ATPL(H) at oxford: and I finished there today:

All the Fixedwing except: POF and Performance, and then in addition you need the POF Helicopter, which is done as 1-1 teaching, with the chief Helicopter instructor..

Have a nice weekend..

Bo Nielsen

[helicopter-redeye]

BCAT, sorry I'm with GTS in B'Mouth but some kind people bought me some of the OATS notes as a prezzy (so I could read evrything twice).

NB we only have 'CAVOK' about three days a year ....

h-r:)

[L'WAAPAM]

BCat,

Not long finished my exams with Bristol and have to say I have no regrets what so ever. The team there are awesome and will endeavour to answer all questions (no matter how silly they may seem) in a proffesional way.

For ATPL(H) you do the same as the plank guys for the first module IE General Nav, Flight Planning, Mass & Balance, Comms x 2, Human Performance, Met and Instruments.

Module 2 is Air Law, Ops Procedures, P of F(H), Aircraft Gen and Radio Nav.

All are Airline specific, apart from P of F, which is quite frankly WRONG but hey ho, JAA and the CAA have only had about 4-5 years to sort it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For me I did the progress tests as well as I could but didnt really worry about them that much. The 2 week crammers are the clincher. They teach you all the relevant points you need to pass and will go over things until you are happy with them.

In all Bristol where great and I would highly recommend them.

There were also a few Kiwi's and Aussie's on the course and they did fine.

Hope this helps, PM me if you want more info

L'

P.S I think Bristol are now running Helicopter specific CPL H courses now. If it helps???

[jimpearce]

I've been doing the modular groundschool on a distance learning basis with Oxford since last september and hopefully finished last week (just sat mat, rnav, air law and flight planning) and have to say I cannot fault the instruction. The standard of lecturing was excellent, lecturers friendly and any questions placed on virtual college responded to quickly. The full time guys seem to be of a similar opinion.
Jim.

[Philip Aerodynamics]

I would recommend these chaps in Bournemouth all Ex RAF bundles of experience. I met several Heli guys there, some working in West Africa on the rigs. If you´re a little lazy on the distance learning just do 2x2 brush ups that lessens the blow. Rooms in Bournemouth are 15 quid, try The Belmont in southbourne.