ATPL THEORY
It seems I'm not alone on this one!
I've seen many posts on the forum about which is harder a Degree or an ATPL? This is a largely irrelevant debate. What is interesting is how nearly everyone refers to the sheer volume of information required for the ATPL exams, even those who have done both a degree/ATPL course. The sheer information overload mean't I nearly quit before I got started.
I have found that whilst working really odd hours and studying for the ATPL my social/private life had gone down the tubes, so to speak. I was taking 3 or 4 ATPL books to work, sneaking in a bit of study during quiet periods and getting colleagues to do most of the van driving while I read Met and Air Law at 80mph on the M6 (in the passenger seat of course). I completed Mod 1 in 6 months and to be honest I was well stressed in the last few weeks before the consolidation. My girlfreind wanted to move out!
When I first opened the box containing the ATPL notes I was well chuffed with myself. I had started out on something with real potential and I had made the first real step to becoming a professional pilot after the PPL.
Within a few weeks though the sheer volume of information had started to 'overcome' me. I was thinking I would never get through this module let alone the whole theory course. I only had a few ticks against the assessment sheet with a rather substantial amount of empty boxes still requiring that important tick.
I was having real problems remembering the any of the stuff. It wasn't the understanding that I had a problem with (several posters make that comment too) it was just remembering any of it. Work was playing havoc with me, 14 hour shifts and cancelled days off, up and down the country every day. Air Law came in fuzzy patches, the odd vital word or definition obscured in the mist and Met was getting to be beyond me lost in the file without a name somewhere in my head , my bad study habits and poor time management compounding my problems making it seem that this mountain I was climbing was infact Everest and not as I had at first presumed, Snowdonia.
My study days were now few and far between then non existant, my self discipline diminished and my life became seemingly better without the burden of the studying. I could go out again, spend time p!ssing my hard earned up the wall at the pub, watch Pop Idol and try to ignore the Fokker 100s on finals R32 at EGNM. My girlfriend was happier...................................... for a few weeks but by then I was getting under her feet a bit too much and getting on her nerves even more! "Do you really want to give it up?" she asked. "Yes er No er I don't know" I said. "You'll regret it if you do", "I know" I said.
I was thinking of all the people that had thought this was all just a bit of a dream that I should grow up and get a 'proper job' or something. I looked at them in their 9 to 5 jobs going nowhere and even worse not even realising it. I thought " If I try and fail at least I tried, if I make it then everyones a winner!"
Things to do tomorrow: Put books back in work bag and book consolidation course for September.
I needed a goal and now I had one.
I won't lie to you and say I now studied 10 hours a day and remembered everything I read and it was all hunky dory and I said through consolidation and passed 100% all first time. My Met was way way behind and I was thinking of dropping it, all the less intense subjects had been completed coursework wise and I needed to brush them up before the consolidation. I was still struggling to remember stuff and basic Air Law would not allow itself to be dragged out of my semantic memory even if I offered a bribe in the form of 6 cans of Stella and my best nudie mag.
I rang the course provider and told them my woes. "Don't worry, we'll see you in a few weeks, just get your remaining assessments in for marking before you turn up and you won't be the only one feeling slightly rusty with the notes!"
I turned up for the first day of consolidation feeling really apprehensive. After 2 weeks a and some late nights I was feeling reasonable about the exams. I had started consolidation with some very poor mock exam results but had been buoyed by improving marks and encouraged by the instructing staff who were superb. I still wasn't totally confident in myself but the staff at the groundschool signed me off and told ne I should have more confidence in my abilities as I would go fine in the exams. They told me all the stuff was in there, it was their job during the consolidation to help it out and build on the 'locked in' knowledge.
Exam week came, exam day came. I remember sitting in the waiting room opposite the hall with all the other wannabees beavering away revising exams questions. I didn't have any with me and I felt a bit 'naked' without any.
The worst bit, i assume for any wannabee, is that 10 day wait for results. The if onlys and what ifs, the questions on the forum sh!t did I get that one wrong what did that one mean, have I passed.
My girlfriend shouted " It's for you says CAA on the front" she was p!ssed off that she didn't get any letters but was happy that I let her open mine. I sat in disbelief as I had not only passed my ATPLs but with really good marks aswell. I had done it Mod 1 ATPL out of the way!!!!! YES!!! A bottle of champers was consumed as was food at a nearby eating establishment. My girlfriend was happy for me as it meant I was paying!
Tips for ATPL distance learning while working full time( these are only my own opinion and are obviously open to debate).
1) pick a reputable groundschool to learn with
2) brush up your maths before you start. If they were writing on a slate the last time you did your times table it will take some time to get up to speed study wise.
3) understand this will be a lot of work and a long process. Don't let other people put you off. Everything worthwhile is hard work, if it wasn't hard work it wouldn't be worthwhile. The JAA ATPL is not an impossible task.
4) if you work fulltime/unsociable hours it will either take you longer or require more dedication to complete the course.
5) call your groundschool for advice. any reputable establishment will have seen a similar problem before and will HELP YOU. It is in their interests to get you through the ATPLs to HELP THEM build on their good reputation. Don't let the 'hangers on' who seem to frequent certain exams up to the max allowable put you off with their "it's really really hard" tales. Do you own work worry about that.
6) you are not alone! Many people do the distance learning route and each has his/her own tale to tell. Maybe the forum could put ATPL distance learning people in touch with each other if they live locally.
7) Stick with it and keep up the momentum. Study in short bursts keep your mind fresh, rehersal aids retention and recollection, if you feel tired take a study break and come back refreshed. It's not at all as bad as it can seem.
8) use you study time wisely. Plan what you will do when you will do it. Don't let the subjects/assessments drag on.
9) minimise distractions, like the wife the kids work etc. Tell the girlfriend not to parade around the house in the nurses outfit and tell the mates you are now into transcendental meditation and can't go down the pub to watch the footy.
10) finally but most important of all......................................BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!!!!!!!
You can do it!