Distance Learning Study Advice

[VFR Transit]

Hey All,

It has been some time since I was in formal education and this was only to GCSE level. I find myself starting the ATPL Theory (BGS) after a few years deliberating. My problem is that due to the large gap between study and today I am not 100%sure how to approach learning from books again. Before I ask for help I would like to share with you my initial thoughts are on approaching this mammoth task.

I first plan to study in one hour blocks throughout the day giving myself a 20 minute break between each session, so to no overload on information. I plan to enhance my book learning with CBT from Oxford Aviation Media. I hope this style of learning will allow me to learn the required course content. I also plan to combine my weeks learning with practice test on the Bristol Question Bank.

As you can see from the above this my thoughts on how to approach, however I would very much appreciate your comments, tips and advice on what worked for you or what you feel could work for me. I am doing the distance learning full time as I do not have a job so I am able to structure my days around full time study.

I look forward to your comments.

Thanks
VFR

[VFR Transit]

I think everyone basically has their own way to do it. I am a similar age to you so I have also been out of full time education for a good decade (after uni).
I am doing 1 hour when I wake up, 1 hour at lunch and 1-2 hours in the evening. It is a LOT to take in and get to grips with so when you make you schedule you have to work hard at sticking to it.
You just need to find what works best for you really.

Thanks Keeflyer,

I don't work and live in the south of france, so for me I will be going at this full time. the plan since the post is the following

Morning 9-12 Study
Lunch 12-1
Afternoon 1-4 Study

Once i finish at 4, i plan to move away from the books and relax as much as possible, then later in the evening at about 7pm time is go through and read note from the day.

I plan this for Mon - Fri with weekends being for me and the wife apart from the evenings where i can do some question bank work.

this WILL and most prob100 change as could be far to much

VFR

[rifruffian]

My own experience; long time ago, but 'studying' doesn't change much.
I enrolled at a London college to do the course of studies to ATPL. The week the course started, London fell under the spell of terrorists, bombs and all. As a result, the lecturers didn't report for duty. Meanwhile I was paying accommodations etc in London for no return, so I went home.


I purchased the official CAA booklets that specified the exact detail of the exams syllabus; bought other three text books......one on met, one on radio and nav, one on aerodynamics.


I used the local library, all day every day except Sundays, for about three months, as my place of study. I went through the CAA books phrase by phrase and extracted the info from the text books. These text books also contained many sample problems and questions to be used by the reader.


Subsequent to these studies I sat the exams and passed. Air law must have been somewhere in there as well......(and flight planning, and performance !)


Of course in these many passing years the syllabus detail will have changed but since principles of flight, nav and met don't fundamentally change, probably the study scheme outlined above could still work.

[VFR Transit]

The only thing I would personally do is take a longer lunch, as this stuff is a lot to take in. I would take a 2 hour lunch to rest, eat and chill. Then go back it after that.

So in theory Keeflyer a plan as follows

Morning 9-12 Study
Lunch 12-2
Afternoon 2-5 Study

this give me 6 hours of pure study with an hour or two later that eveing just refreshing over the notes i took for the day or maybe a question bank session or so.

VFR