JAA/EASA Distance Learning Ground School 2011
Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.
After a few years overseas I now have a few months of low season to start my JAA/EASA conversion from an ICAO CPL(h).
Hopefully I'm correct in thinking the first place to start is to do the written exams. So just looking for some information relating to the choice of school and the exams themselves.
Also, with all due respect, it would nice to hear from guys who have first-hand experience studying with the schools rather than only from people affiliated with the providers.
1) It seems that the 2 main schools are Bristol and CAPT. They both appear to have good set-ups and seem popular. Would anyone disagree with this? Is there any other school worth considering?
2) I've heard (and seen on Pprune) alot of good reviews for Bristol. Of course the disadvantage of going with them is that a guy would have to do the Interim course, doing some specifically fixed wing exams. What is the actual overlap between the courses and is doing the interim course really drastically different from doing the helicopter-specific course? What exams are the same (regardless of the programme you're on)? I'd guess Instruments, Aircraft General Knowledge, Human Performance, Radio Navigation, General Navigation, Meteorology, Air Law, Operational Procedures, IFR Comms, VFR Comms must be fairly similar on both courses - the only difference being in Principles of Flight, Flight Planning and Mass and Balance. But I may be way off here.
3) Is anyone aware of any major changes on the horizon in relation to course content or structure?
4) Or cost? I'm guessing nobody's fallen down the rabbit hole yet and found a way out of paying the thousands of dollars for the notes.
5) Does anyone have any experience of dropping one of the subjects on a schools pre-designated Module1 and then sitting that exam with the others on Module2? Just trying to find a way to squeeze in Mod1 before going back to work.
6) And finally, the small details. Is anyone know of any surprises (e.g. certain equipment not included in the package, ridiculous postage costs to Europe, a waiting list to get notes from either school, a waiting list to get on the refresher courses etc.) that a fella should be aware of.
Again, if anyone could provide information or answers to any of these questions it really would be appreciated.
Thank you. CPF