Distance learning manageable with in 1 year

[clkorm3]

Hi everyone. I just want to know that if anyone has managed to keep full time job that is 12 hour shifts 5 days a week and do distance learning at the same time aswell? If yes how many hours did you try put in every week and how many sits did you complete the exams to take off the pressure of doing 5 or 7 exams at a time. I am self funding and given myself 3 years to complete the whole training
Many thanks

[Genghis the Engineer]

I took a couple of years whilst working similar hours to that.

I was probably working around 2 evenings and 4 hours at the weekend, weekly.

I did already however already have a substantial academic background in aeronautics.


My gut feeling is that it's achievable, IF you have excellent study skills and are prepared to put probably 3 evenings and half of each weekend aside. It will be tough.

G

[fwjc]

It's entirely possible, did it myself.

I have no domestic backup (ie don't live with parents or partner), you'd be amazed at what a difference it makes if you don't have to worry about sorting clean clothes out for Monday morning, shopping for food or cooking your dinner. I work a normal working week, plus additional voluntary duties that take me up to the hours you're talking about.

I did end up taking an additional unpaid week's leave in the middle when it got really manic with all the commitments.

Be under no illusions, it's hard work. But as Genghis says it can be done.I did it with CATS, which split the exams into three chunks. The benefits were that there was less to remember at any one time for each bunch, plus the brush up weeks were single weeks, meaning I could get leave from work no problem. Passed them all first time.

Good luck.

[clkorm3]

Thank you for the response. It does give me the confidence that it is achievable and with work and dedication would eventually bring me to the position I aspire to like you guys did. I'm looking to do mine with PROPILOT who although have started new but appear to be greAt and are likely to get me through the course who also take the approach of breaking it down in three which appears reasonable. I guess I'm not I'm competition so time is irrelevant as long as I get there.

[Genghis the Engineer]

For what it's worth I used CATS as well.

As a company they were somewhat and annoyingly disorganised, but the study notes were superb and the lecturers on the classroom slots were generally excellent.

G

[fanda78]

Hi! I have used CATS in Luton as well and with full time job nine to five and Saturday 12 hrs shift and occasional flying on Sunday I have finished in 4,5 month with average around 92-94 percent.
I have studied, 2 hours every morning before work, half an hour lunch time, one hour after work before dinner and two hours after dinner making sure that I am in bed by 2200, Saturday I did only revisions at the evening and on Sunday I studied for about ten to twelve hours.
During this four month didnt go out ince and did not have any beer :-)
To me it is all about dedication and discipline...

[mad_jock]

It is do able in 4-6 months as long as thats all you do and nothing else apart from work.

I started the same time as a pilot I knew doing full time ground school at OAT. He was a bit suprised when he saw me at a brush up course when he was half way through. And he was positively pissed off when I saw him again before he had completed the first set and I was doing the final 7.

[neilr]

I did it in 9 months along with a full time job - 5 days a week 9 - 6pm

On average 3 - 4 weekday evenings maybe 4 hours = 16 hours
plus at least one day at the weekend - say 8-10 hours

more coming up to the exams - which I did in 3 sittings

So approx 25 hours a week for the 9 months

Good luck !!

[flying free.LEVC]

I guess it depends, do you want just to pass the exams or do you want to know the planes as well?

You could use one the famous "multiple question database online", where you can memorize each question and apparently are the same than in the exams. Will you learn anything at all doing this? :=:(

If you really want to learn, it will take you at least ¿6 months? each part, which is what i am doing, year and a half in total.

I am doing distance learning, first exams in August, full time job, and have to study around 15 hours per week to get everything done one time. There is a high work load, reading all the chapters, answering questions, test practice...

It will take me a bit longer than for those who just memorize test, but being a good pilot, the vocation of my life, starts here. Does anyone disagree?

It´s up to you:)

[mad_jock]

When I sat the exams JAR had just come out and there was no such thing as online question banks.

There were a heap of air law questions that BA cadets had copied onto the back of there CRP5's and that was it.

But you are quite correct, learn and understand whats in the syllabus and be able to apply it.

[mad_jock]

Its a means to an end.

I too did that. It payed me through training and allowed me to finish with no debt and currently I fly for a living.

I might add the number of hours per week is slightly reduced but the view out the office window is that much better. And I didn't have to spend years and years paying back loans.

[Genghis the Engineer]

It is important to genuinely learn the material, although question banks help towards the end.

But mind your high ground Mr LEVC, at-least two people contributing to this thread did degrees in Aeronautical Engineering before they ever went near the CPL, one of them a PhD in it as well. How much knowledge do you want to add up?

And being a good pilot starts with the first lesson of your PPL, via what you do with your flying before the CPL, then carries on after that....

G

[AlexanderH]

Its very possible to do. I think I competed all the exams in 9 months. At the time I was working in Beijing and travelled to the UK twice for the brush ups at Bristol.

[Da-20 monkey]

It is a lot easier if you did PPL theory before this. (assuming you did.)

On integrated courses there are people going halfway through the theory phase before they really understand what IAS and TAS is.

Not their fault, they arrive the first day and within an hour they learn about Otto cycles and VIGV's.
It is much easier if you know basics first.

IMHO there is nothing wrong with learning the question bank. Some integrated theory classes have written tests with both multiple- choice and open questions, and many students who know the theory well have more trouble with the first.
Some of those mc questions look like they have been translated from an obscure language on friday afternoon and can be hard to comprehend.

And do you really need to know what VIGV's are before you step in a Seneca :rolleyes:

And yes, you can do it in 1 year.

[v1rotate1]

I too think that it is possible. Ultimately everybody learns at slightly different paces. A good ground school will certainly help (did mine at BGS). If you go the BGS route you'll need time out for brush up courses and exams themselves. Not sure about other distance learning providers.

With a good question bank and understanding of the subjects I would say it is possible.

Good luck.:ok:

V1

[truckflyer]

Did full time course in London, same time as work, newborn baby and wife, it took 6 months, but that was because of doing the full time course.

Distance learning, yes it is possible, but if your work is 12 hours, 5 days a week, that will be all you have for yourself, there will be little time for girlfriend/wife or friends, promise you that, you social life will be over until completed most of it.

I know of guys who spent 12 - 18 months, which seems to be the average time, but they only got really going when their girlfriends went away on holiday or work for longer periods!
Good luck anyway, anything is possible!

[blagger]

Have a look at the Pro Pilot set up at Coventry, great instructors and all notes delivered on Ipads and the course dates are really flexible with weekends etc.. so you can fit in around work well.