Evening classes...

[Grass strip basher]

This was discussed very briefly in a thread a few weeks ago but was something that I thought was worth opening a separate thread for.

With the huge cost of training in this industry many people have to go down the modular route and stay in work as long as possible distance learning for the ATPL exams. As such I was wondering why not one training organisation in the UK I have found seems to offer an option for evening classes for the compulsory classroom based ATPL exam training??

I for one would jump at the chance if someone was to offer this in central london.... staying in work full time and then having to blow all of your 4 weeks off work a year sitting in a class room goes down like a lead f*rt with the Mrs! :uhoh:

It strikes me that someone setting up a course with just 1 evening a week for a couple of hours with the occassional weekend would be a no brainer.... I would pay a premium for that!

Anyone think the same??

[tinmouse]

A Night course would be great! Hurry up someone!

[I'll Be Realistic]

Whist it may seam a great idea, to my limited knowledge, the CAA will approve 2 types of ground school for the ATPL theory.

First is residential, with a class time of around 700 - 750 hrs in class study. All the courses appear to along these lines of time frame.

Second is Distance learning which is exactly what it states. Study at home, brush up in school, there for keeping the highest expense to a minimum...... Staff.

I don't know if the question has ever been asked about an in between. Maybe a class could be set up to assist DL students at an hourly rate without breaching any approvals. Comair used to sell a Dl course where the first 8 subjects were completed in class I believe, but it was still officially a DL course (and expensive too)

My advice is approach a current school and ask the question, if you can find enough numbers here. They won't do it without alot of research, as the staff costs to start a program like that would be high. It would be another excuse for the CAA to ask for the notes to be submitted and read, and more money to be paid!

Most DL schools have around today have reasonably good notes coupled with, and most importantly, good back up for the students. Check to see that your going to get the support you might need. Waiting more that 24 hrs for a response to an e-mail is frustrasting, and they should also have some sort of net based back-up

But like I said, it couldn't hurt to ask......

IBR

[helicopter-redeye]

Not just evenings, but even multi weekends (5 w/es = 1 * 2 week brush up).

For the training schools that would mean classroom utilisation on the two days of the week when they sit idle and therefore more revenue and profit ...

[Morgo]

Evening classes would still work under the distance learning format. From what I've managed to pick up the CAA requires a minimum number of hours (10%) to be undertaken in the classroom but doesn't specify (AFAIK, have looked in LASORS but couldn't find relevant section) that it has to be done over the course of a full week. If this is indeed correct I couldn't see why the CAA would object to evening classes to build the required study hours. In fact, it would probably be possible over a period of 6 months to get somewhere between 30-50% of the necessary study hours undertaken in a classroom with the rest completed with self-study.

If we could build up a list of people and their location we could at least see where the initial demand is and then approach the closest groundschool provider.

I'll start, I'm in London and would definitely be interested in undertaking the groundschool classes via nightschool!

[Grass strip basher]

Well thats two of us Morgo... I'm based in London as well.... any other takers??

[NoTurningBack]

Great idea, Evenings and/or Weekends would solve a problem for me.

I live just north of London.



NTB

[Morgo]

Just bouncing this to the top to see if there is any further interest! :cool: :confused:

[RoosterBooster]

Hi Guys,

I too would love to go down this route. I'm currently going through the DL course with London Met. May they can do something for us, as I know they do the PPL and IMC courses in the Evenings.

For me, some additional lesson's if you will, would also be useful. Something along the lines of additional tutorial lessons/seminars to complement my home study.

Any offers?

Cheers.

RB

[Morgo]

It seems that so far the majority of us are within the London area. I may well contact London Guildhall when their tutors are back in September to talk about the possibility of running an evening class for the ATPL. It would be good to see if we can get more numbers to support the cause though.

[Superpilot]

Another Londoner (East). Would be interested in W/E or evening courses.

[tinmouse]

Count me in!......................................................... ............

[Morgo]

Tinmouse are you being counted in for evening classes in London? Your location suggests that you are in Ireland! :}

[Crashed&Burned]

The CAA would not like this proposal.

a. They didn't think of it
b. They are so far behind on modern ways of training, it would seem like anarchy to them
c. It would promote aviation, which is contrary to the CAA charter