ATPL Distance Learning Workload

[Robbo0885]

Hi all. Just a quick question. Well, more of a survey I guess. Just wanted to know a rough idea of the work put into distance learning ATPLs per week, and what your situation was. For example, I will be working 8-5 Mon-Fri, hopefully flying day on the Sat. So, I'd have a full day Sun, and evening through the week for study.

I'd like to know any experiences of D/L ATPL, how much time you put into them.

Incidently, I'm thinking Bristol GS for D/L provider.

Thanks all.

[EK4457]

I'm just coming to the end of mine right now with Bristol.gs. Got my Mod 2 exams in December.

In terms of work load, it is definately 'doable'. I worked full time and it has taken me just over 11 months.

It depends on your character more than anything else. Some people can work 4 hours EVERY night after work. Others prefer to do it full time knowing that they will not have the motivation to do both. Others just want to 'get it done' ASAP.

Believe me, it does get tough in terms of the amount you have to cover (not the actual content though) if you are working full time. I just thought of the money I was earning compared to those who were not working. I'm about 11K better off!

BTW, BGS are excellent. Highly recommended.

EK

[HomerJay]

I quit full time work and work mornings so I can come home and study.

From what I have heard the average is 3 hours a day taking around 12 months but its different for each student.

I do around 30 hours a week but would like to do more on the weekends.

BGS also and I would highly recommend it.

[Nozwaldo]

I was working full-time doing shifts and put in 15 or so hours each week & upped it at revision time to 20-30. No kids to contend with & a wife doing OU degree meant my study didn't affect home life too much. It took me 13 months & I did it with Atlantic Flight Training. Know a few who have used Bristol, they said it was good.

Noz

[Robbo0885]

Thanks guys. Did you manage any flying during the ATPLs? My plan is around 3-4 hours per night weeknights, and a full day on a Sunday, with a days flying on a Saturday. That way I figure I don't "lose it" in terms of the flying, and it gives me something each week to look forward to rather than all study!
For you guys with BGS, did you use the CD-ROM much? Did you's work mainly from it or from the paper notes?
How easy is it to track your progress also? The practice tests that you do are the main way yes?

[Nozwaldo]

I didn't do any more flying than was necessary to remain current with my clubs requirements, so in reality one hour per month. For me it was more important to focus on getting first time passes and my own timescale for reaching 150hrs wasn't restrictive in that I'm not planning starting ME/CPL/IR until August 08 (finished exams December 06). Your plan looks suitable if you feel that you can put in 3-4 hours per week night. I found that 1 hour study followed by a break of 15-20 minutes before starting again worked for me, I wouldn't have been able to do 3 hours straight through.

[Robbo0885]

If PPL is anything to go by, which perhaps it's not (although I have been told "think a little deeper than PPL but 10 times the volume fo content"), I can easily spend 3 hours reading the books. I am genuinely interested in most of the subjects (the obvious exception being air law!) and so I found it easy to get through the PPL material. I am hoping this trend continues to ATPL...

[Nozwaldo]

ATPL's introduce more topics and do go to a much deeper level. Figuring out what you need to know & what you can skim is the difficult part. If you've got a reasonable level of education you'll do fine with the maths/physics aspect. The Bristol online question bank is really useful for revision, I used this for my last few modules and would definitely recommend the investment. Good luck with the study.

[EK4457]

I'd agree with Nozwaldo. The amount of information you have to memorise is bordering on the absurd. The strange part is though, not all of it is required for the exam. My method for getting through each subject was:

Read the book from front to back, try and understand everything as you go. If you get stuck, don't panic. Thats what the brush up course is for. Complete the progress tests as you go. Then book your brush up for 2 weeks after you finish. For those 2 weeks hit the OLQB. This will give you and idea of what the style of Q are likely to be and (some might say more importantly) tells you what is NOT examined. You quickly get an idea of what you need to memorise. If you get to the point where you can do fairly well in a mock exam, then you are ready for the brush up.

The brush up is a case of going over the important parts of the syllabus, asking about parts you were unsure of and getting the very latest exam feed back. Expect to go over the material at a very fast pace during the day and do 5-10 exams during the evening. All exams are debriefed.

After the course, I prefered a 2 week break before the exams. Others go straight in on the Monday. It's up to you.

Remember, the exams are designed so that even if you are einstein with 20 years of flying experience, you still need to put a lot of work in. It ain't pretty.

I started off the course in the same frame of mind as you robbo (ie looking forward to it). However, watch the colour drain off your face as you start to memorise vast amounts of needless junk (fire extinguishers, south american winds, evacuation slides, ICAO annexes, the list is endless....)

Remember, avaition is fun!

EK

[Robbo0885]

I hope by the end of the ATPLs I can say I enjoyed doing them. I am interested in the material, and I hope i can stay interested the whole way through.

I did 4 years at uni doing a biomedical science degree (as a Plan B if flying falls through) and I loved it for two years. Third year was fascinating but the volume of work meant I wasnt enjoying it so fully, and by my final year I was there to get it finished, simple as that. I hope that the ATPLs don't go the same way, resenting the amount of time spent working on it.

I love flying, and hope that the ATPL isnt going to sap my enthusiasm. I know a guy who was like me, couldnt wait to get started, got into the thick of the ATPLs, became disillusioned, and gave up on the dream.

I'd ahte for that to happen.

[firebird_uk]

Robbo, I'm undertaking the ATPL(H) through Bristol and have found them very good. The course covers all the theory whilst the brush-ups prepare you for the exams.

Not being a spring chicken I found the volume of work on the Module 1 brush up hard work and was frequently up till the early hours. However, the effort paid off as I have just had my results and got 8 passes.

I haven't worried too much about flying during my Mod 1 studies, but will start my hour building now so I'm ready to start my CPL once I'm through Mod 2.

I'd have thought 3-4 hours per day will be hard to achieve unless you are truly dedicated. I only achieve those levels and I'm not working as well.

The CD course is great for subjects that have animated diagrams, other than that I find the paper manuals easier on the eye if you're spending a couple of hours reading.

Good luck.

[dartagnan]

got into the thick of the ATPLs, became disillusioned, and gave up on the dream.
here my big secret to pass your ATPL:

sleep, eat, walk with a binder that you would have previously prepared for 2 weeks of "homework".
even if you spend 10 minutes a day, it is still better than nothing and you wont give up so easily.
the quantity can be frightening I agree, but if you separate your homework from these thick binders, it should be much easier on your brain!
if you study 30-60 minutes a day, it takes 12-14 months.
4-5 hours a day, 7-8 months
8 hours a day 5-6 months

my brain stalls with more than 4-5 hour a day! and you?