I would just like to say that I took what is concidered to be about the 5th hardest degree in the country (Micro electronics and computing) basically a combined degree where you have to do the hardest modules from 4 other subjects. For this I spent 1 day per subject in the final year in revision and about 3 months making and building my final year project with a further month in the thiesis and final presentation.
What I do know being almost complete now on my ATPL exams is that I have never in my life had to study as hard as I do konw. I have spent the last year and a half studying every day, I havnt gone out bar to go to work or to fly a plane.
I can safley say this is harder than my degree, in the breadth of the subjects.
You have to remember in the good old CAA licence days we got tax relief because you was doing an NVQ 4 qualification, which is the same as a degree and that was why we used to get tax relief. This conviently changed as soon as we hit JAR to save the govenment a lot of money in tax rebates, and at the same time made this a pleasure course not a preofessional course. (that is the response I love from my counciler who does fly, as I dont konw what please I have managed to achieve by studing so hard)
There is im afraid no chance of changing this situation especially with the current govenment who manged to promise not to sell of the airtraffic before power and then as soon as it comes in starts the wheels in motion to do a PPP put it through the house of commons 3 times because at least there are still some lords who had sense to fight it. Regreatable if the govenment thinks this way there is no chance for them helping such a small minority of people when they want the majority of votes with Hospitals and schools.
Sorry to moan but it does tick me off, and has taken me off the main point that this course is as hard as my degree, and I have to study way harder now then I did doing my degree