ATPL comparative difficulty?

[1pudding1]

Hi,

I was just wondering what I could expect from the ATPL exams in terms of their difficulty, in terms of, say an aeronautical degree? I did my degree in Bristol 2 years ago, and wondered how the exams would compare to this? Anyone here done an aero degree then the ATPL exams that could comment?

Thanks,

Ryan.

[Hansard]

I found that studying for the ATPLs was far more intensive than for my degree course, and there's no "continuous assessment", so everything depends on your performance on exam day. The other big difference between the courses is a lack of essay-writing and practical work for the ATPLs - they're all about cramming millions of facts into the brain in a short space of time. Personally, I found the degree course and its leisurely pace easier than the ATPLs.

Should say that mine was a science degree, not aeronautical.

[FlyingForFun]

My degree course required me to gain a good understanding of the principals of my subject and answer detailed questions on them. The ATPLs, by contrast, require you to memorise lots of facts, without very much need to have any understanding of them in an intellectual or academic sense.

Hansard said: "I found the degree course... easier than the ATPLs." Personally, I agree, but I think it depends on the individual. If, like me, you're good at understanding things, you'll find a degree course easier. If you're good at memorising things, you'll find the ATPLs easier.

FFF
--------------

[silverknapper]

I did aero eng although graduated 4 years ago. IMHO you'll find the level of the exams easier than aero eng. There is a hell of a lot of stuff to learn, but the difficulty level isn't that bad - it does feel it at the time and I could be corrected by the next set of subjects as I'm only half way through. I would say it is around 1st year level. I think a lot depends on the quality of notes and feedback. I had two options - full time at glasgow or distance learning elsewhere. I went for the distance learning, based on reputation and haven't been disappointed.

[SquawkModeA]

I have not done a degree, but as for the exams, they are not particulary hard, really. The multiple-choice format ensures that you don't have to have a solid understanding of the subject to achieve a solid pass. If you have attended the lessons, completed the progress tests, skimmed the book and done some feedback you should pass most tests without any problems at all, even if you don't feel that you genuinely understand it all. The questions asked are often pretty basic anyway and it's far from how I imagine university studies to be.

I think that if you have a degree, any kind of academic degree, you will have no problems whatsoever with the ATPL exams.

Good luck!

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

As Silver Knapper, I did Aero Eng, graduated back in 1997.

I have not long finished my ATPL's, September in fact, and to be quite honest they are nothing to worry about. I was in exactly the same boat as you this time last year, apprehensive and wondering what to expect.

Personally I found the knowledge that I aquired during my degree was of great benefit, in terms of getting a head start, especially on the technical side, for example Principles of Flight, Instruments, Gas Turbines, Pistons and subjects of that nature. After doing Aerodymanics and Flight dynamic and Performance, Principles of flight was revision, however on saying that, I found my self learning an awful lot too! Every now and again I would find myself having a greater understanding of a certain subject, that perhaps I was a little sketchy on before, simply because it had been taught a slightly different way.

As these guys here have said, the ATPL syllabus requires you to aquire a great deal of knowledge, and be able to remember hundreds of facts, where some will be of use, and some will not. In comparison to the degree course, I would say it is simply different. Whilst studying for my degree, I spent most of my time doing assignment work and project work, which for me was a different type of stress for what the ATPL's gave me. The ATPL's is constant study, I found myself studying pretty much every day for the during of the course. My life was pretty much on hold for 7 months, it is just a question of going for it.

As we were told as a class at the beginning of the course, you will get out of this course what you put, and after finishing it, I could not agree more. Obviously some people will struggle with certain subjects, however, if you put the work in you will be ok.

Anyway I think I am swaying off at a tangent here. One thing I would like to say about the examinations is that some of the questions are written in such a way as to catch you out. As well as knowing your stuff, you need to have an eye for detail, in terms what the question is actually asking you, and how to go about answering it. All this will come when you start the course, and when you start going through the feed back questions and having progress tests.

Good luck, I am sure you will be fine.

[1pudding1]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Im not worried about them at all, and especially now. I much preferred the exams at uni which required me to remember lots of facts and details, rather than essay writing and project work, even moreso as I was better at that, so hopefully I should do fine.

Cheers everyone.

Ryan.

[Send Clowns]

1pudding1

I have to slightly disagree with people here (sorry FFF, I know we don't disagree often :O ). If you learn well by understanding, like in a degree, then 65% or more of the ATPL should not be a problem for you. Then you come to Law, Ops Procedures, parts of Systems, parts of Performance and the world-climatology section of meteorology and, as stated, you just have to learn. I found, however, that the bulk learning was less than I needed for my degree (though that was an Earth-science degree with 83% of assessment on finals, so a little different from some).

The understanding was a challenge, and much of it even the best instructors do not have the time to go into in the great depth needed to truly understand - I relied very much on my previous study of physics and maths, to A-level and first-year degree. No kidding, parts did require some of the basic degree-level material to understand fully, so most people learn by rote which is often the easiest way. With your background, a numerate degree based on physical sciences you should find these parts as straight-forward as I did.

Having said all this, I failed Law as I am terrible at bulk learning. Got a 90% average first sittings though, so it cannot be too important!

[GuinnessQueen]

Interesting thread!

I'm just about to go on the module 1 brush-up with BGS and it feels like its taken me an age to get this far!

I have a degree in a social science and an MSc in an aviation related subject, for which I had to learn (quickly) the basics of aero engineering amongst other things.

In terms of comparing the ATPL with the MSc they are both very different challenges. During the MSc there were moments when I convinced myself I would never get my head around the problem...it was just way above my possible understanding! These thoughts have not occured during the ATPL (apart from gyroscopes maybe)! But I have found myself thinking that I will never be able to retain the sheer volume of information that is required.:{

I think that it was it boils down to...it's not rocket science, but there's shed loads of it!

(And is it normal to feel that you have'nt learnt anything before you go for the brush-up)???

:confused:

GQ

[1pudding1]

That sounds good to me GQ! I think I could do with some simpler things to learn, even though there may be tons of it! Three years of non-linear flight dynamics analysis of helicopters is quite enough mind bending for me!:ooh:

[Northern Highflyer]

So far for me it has been mostly formulae. Each in it's own right not too difficult, but the trick seems to be remembering which one to use and when. Hopefully it will get easier when I do the brush up and some feedback papers.

[dreamingA380]

I also have an Aero eng degree and ATPL theories.

The depth of knowledge required for the ATPL's wont vex a man of your caliber...... But the Volume may.... tons of arbitrary garbage that have to be memorised for the exam... then forgotton!

At least the exams are all in English now...
I remember Ops Question

When you misalign runway windscreen wiper.
Do you?
A/. 7.62
B/. The moon
C/. Always check tanks for contamination
D/. All of the above

Good luck!!!!

:ok: