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skybaron
13th Jan 2006, 05:38
Can anyone tell me if the DL ATPL groundschool course offered by NAC any good? It seems to have the best prices for the ATPL study, but, I know that one usually gets what he pays for - so will it be worth it?

Thanks.

Charlie Zulu
13th Jan 2006, 09:20
I am just starting module two of the Naples Air Center ATPL Distance Learning course.

Overall I find the course good value for money. The manuals are mostly okay but I would say that the Performance manual requires a complete overhaul. If it weren't for the Oxford Performance manual I would probably never have got through that exam. The Instrumentation manual could do with a bit of updating in certain places. However saying this my manuals are over a year old so these areas may have been address by now.

The instructors are a mix of ex-military and commercial with the CGI being an ex-RAF navigator (if I remember correctly).

Online help is mainly in the form of online student forums. Replies are normally pretty quick. However one is also able to speak to the instructors via telephone and they each have a Skype account which they are nearly always logged into, very handy for us Brits - it'd cost a lot in telephone calls otherwise!

As for my results so far, I have first time passes in all seven subjects with a 92% average. The lowest being 84% in Principles of flight and the highest being 99% at General Navigation. Meterorology and Instrumentation were 93%, VFR Comms 91%, IFR Comms 96%, Performance 89%.

skybaron
13th Jan 2006, 14:25
Thank you for your reply Charlie. As you can imagine, I'm racking my brain over which school to choose, and this type of feedback will definitey help narrow down my selection.

Quick question: How was the in-class experience for your 1st module?

Cheers.

Icerman
13th Jan 2006, 18:49
As for my results so far, I have first time passes in all seven subjects with a 92% average. The lowest being 84% in Principles of flight and the highest being 99% at General Navigation. Meterorology and Instrumentation were 93%, VFR Comms 91%, IFR Comms 96%, Performance 89%.

My question goes a bit off topic. What's the actual meaning of ATPL exam score? It seems that many people are just happy to get rid off the exams as soon as possible and even the big and beautiful OAT advertises that their full time students average 83%... and they are suppose to be good?

Don’t get me wrong, I know the ground school is heavy. But wouldn't it still better pay off to study properly over a long period and try to score something what CZ did? Or doesn’t anyone give a damn as long as you have them passed?

Sorry for such a stupid question. :}

Cheers,
Icer

Charlie Zulu
14th Jan 2006, 10:15
I've come around to the way of thinking along the lines of "I want to get these exams over and done with so I as long as I pass the rest of the exams, I don't care what the percentages are". The most important thing for me is that I would like first time passes. That is all I ask. Of course good percentages wouldn't go amiss...

I did take a long time on module one. I re-started studying January 2005 (near enough from scratch) and took 7 months to study for the first five exams. Then I took an extra 3 and a half months for PoF and Perf. So a year in total for Module 1 but I am also working full time.

Now I hope to get the others over and done with by May of this year.

Air Polygamy
14th Jan 2006, 22:09
anybody out here who been to NAC ground school full time? What's the good bad and ugly ? Do they deliver good quality training ?

count dingleberry
15th Jan 2006, 07:52
Air Polygamy,
what you need to ask yourself is, do you just want to pass the exams or do you also want to understand the subjects and maybe remember some of the stuff for a future interview?
If you are just looking for passes, any old school will do,
they all have feedback, especially the online bristol questions which is available to anyone for a small sum.( I think Charlie Zulu will agree on the fact that a big part of his 92% average comes from this source)
On the other hand, if you actually want to have some understanding of the subjects and bring some of it with you for the rest of your career, I think spending the extra money(not that much) on a more established and better known school would be a safer bet for you.
In retrospect, I would have done the same thing.
Good luck to you!:ok:

the CGI being an ex-RAF navigator (if I remember correctly).

I think you should check your facts on that one........:confused:

count d.

Air Polygamy
15th Jan 2006, 13:03
Thanks for your wise advice.

No I am not just lookig to pass the exams. I'm looking for quality training at a reasonable price. I once thought of OAT but would make me do the theory in one place, the flying in another and the MCC in another one.
NAC has the cheapest rates but ... would that be for quality training ?

Soooo NAC, CABAIR, OAT, Bristol ... ? What to choose ? Not to forget the price of accommodation. Come one fellas express yourselves !

skybaron
16th Jan 2006, 04:34
Well Mr. Polygamy, it seems that you've stole the show. Not a problem though, as I too share in your frustrations.

What to choose - NAC, Bristol, OAT, Cabair (yikes $$), AFT, etc? The list seems endless, but nevertheless a choice has to be made, and quite honestly - I'm a little cautious now on selecting NAC as the school of choice. One definitely has to wonder "what's up with the school" considering all the negative feedback in these forums.

Good luck. If you become enlightened, let me know. :hmm:

Cheers.

Charlie Zulu
16th Jan 2006, 09:10
Count Dingleberry wrote:

"they all have feedback, especially the online bristol questions which is available to anyone for a small sum.( I think Charlie Zulu will agree on the fact that a big part of his 92% average comes from this source)"

Aye! I'd go along with that. Plus the brush up course feedback that I obtained from a friend who attended the Bristol Brush Up Course(s). The brush up material at NAC was pretty good too.