PDA

View Full Version : CPL or ATPL Theory Exams


TheBeeKeeper
19th Jul 2005, 10:44
Hi Folks,

I have trawled through previous posts, but cannot find the info I am looking for. Please point me in the right direction if this has been covered. Otherwise, I have the following question.....

According to LASORS 2005, the CPL examinations are different to the ATPLs. Although I am sure the ATPL passes are more than acceptable to be eligible to start a CPL course, are the CPL tests easier? Less studying required?

Also, if I eventually decided to go down the ATPL route, would there be any credit given for the CPL tests?

I am a PPL with about 120 hours, flying taildraggers, with the intention to gain a CPL and FI course so that I could maybe start teaching when I leave the RAF (Engineer).

Answers on a postcard to......

Thanks in advance.

TBK

metar
19th Jul 2005, 10:56
You might just as well do the ATPLs... they are slightly more substantial, but not THAT much and will be more useful to you in the future...

I met a pilot the other day who had been flying on a CPL for years and now needed to upgrade his license and was having to sit all the ATPLs from fresh. Nightmare.

Good luck with them whatever you choose!

Whirlygig
19th Jul 2005, 13:56
But on the other hand.... (and I'm afraid I come from a rotary perspective and the rules differ slightly).... if you go for ATPL exams and don't get the Instrument Rating within three years, then you'd have to resit the exams anyway if you did need to upgrade. Certainly for (H), one can upgrade from CPL(H) to CPL(H)/IR by taking the 6 IR exams and not the 13/14 ATPL exams.

Secondly, CPL exams and groundschool will be more expensive as well!

However, there is a cogent argument which suggests that the CPL exams are harder to study since a broadly similar syllabus is covered in fewer exams. For example, the Navigation paper covers both General Nav and Radio Nav. If you are weaker in one of those, you could fail the whole exam with the CPL but pass one/fail one with ATPL.

You need to study LASORS a bit to decide whether the requirements for a full ATPL will be met in the timescales. If not, then you might as well go for CPL. Possibly as an instructor, you might not get to ATPL in the timeframe but then again, as an instructor, you might want the higher qualification under your belt!

Cheers

Whirlygig

gijoe
20th Jul 2005, 12:11
Depends on your timescales really - someone told me the other day that the IR syllabus is due for a shredding.

So why bother with the ATPL if a CPL will fit the bill in the near future? Then due the new IR thing when/if it comes out.

It all depends on what you're after the licence for.

Health Warning: It was someone at a training establishment that told me about the IR shred but they had nothing to gain out of turning me to the CPL rather than the ATPLs. The CPLs suit me.

G :ok:

Megaton
20th Jul 2005, 12:22
TheBeeKeeper

Check your PMs.

HP