How well do OAT help you through ATPL studies?

[Kiev23]

I was just wondering, how good is the teaching at OAT, and do you sit in classes listening to teachers??

[hollingworthp]

I have not experienced any other FTO's teaching style but I feel I am getting a good service from OAT. Clearly it is an active learning process though and due to the volume (rather than difficulty) of the work, they recommend that you spend 2-3 hours per evening going back over what you covered that day.

The course material appears to be far more comprehensive than the bare JAA requirements to pass the ATPLs - but then you would hope this would leave you with a better understanding of the subjects. The teachers will guide you through the books and point out areas of importance (you will need MANY highlighters!)

They also have extensive feedback which is made available to you and they have a new online system which is supposed to replace Bristol. However, I seem to be in the minority in my course to be relying purely on that system. Understandably, as it is an unproven system, most of my colleagues have Bristol.

Also - the teachers are available in person, by email or over the phone if you have any queries and I have found them very useful during my revision for phase 1.

HTH

[Flying Rasta]

if for nothing else, go to OAT for the classic war stories. Mi Mi le Bonk anyone?

[Blinkz]

OAT is excellent, really good books as well as some very experienced lecturers. I got all of my exams 1st time with average of 95%, can't really argue with that!

[balboa]

you'll pass- but you can pass anywhere- not a relaxed place that's for sure and teaching ranges from poor to good

[asuweb]

if for nothing else, go to OAT for the classic war stories. Mi Mi le Bonk anyone?

Got to love those war stories.

[mb2ai]

Hello,

Re:Bristol online service/OATs new system

is the above some sort of quesion bank where you can practice exam questions for a relavent module?

Why would oats use bristol?

[Adios]

Oat doesn't use Bristol. Oat students choose to use Bristol's online question bank, mainly because it is online and pretty inexpensive, while Oat's has never been online until now. If you think about it, Bristol GS only offers distance learning, so they were quick off the mark to develop a very good online system and everyone else is playing catch up.

[hollingworthp]

mb2ai

I was referring to OAT's new online question bank application which is not yet fully completed with testing so is not yet officially released. OAT students often choose to use Bristol's online feedback site to suplement revision.

Hope that helps clarify.

[norton2005]

Do you use the online databases, oxfords and bristols, from the very start of the course or do you use it just for the revision at the end of the phase?

[clanger32]

Bit of both. Up to you really. The OAT DB is made available after your first progress test and obviously you can get Bristol access whenever you like. OATs MO however, is to teach you the syllabus, not just the answers to the exam questions (and please, I'm not arguing that no-one else does this before the anti-OAT brigade leap in!). If you don't demonstrate at least some understanding of the subjects throughout the "learning" phase, I doubt you'd be allowed to go forward for the exams.

This refers to the integrated course only, the modular route, both through OAT and other directions, differs.

[bajadj]

the above post is correct, I'm currently modular at oat and the groundschool is most certainly about understanding the subject matter not just "getting you through". My evaluation of the quality of instruction is ranging from poor to excellent.

[roll_over]

Hopefully I won't derail this too much by asking what a day at OAT is like, do you get lectures from 9-5 or do you get free periods etc?

And another question 2-3 hours of private study an evening, thats a LOT of work, is it memorising or understanding your subject or merely going over what you learnt in the day?

Many thanks!

[bajadj]

8.40am is first lecture and the last one finishes at 4.20pm. they are grouped in three sets of two hours, with a 20min coffee / cigarette break after period two and a one hour lunch break after period four. As for home study, well thats upto you are your own time management, but yeah two to three hours is about right, i try to go over what i've done that day at a ratio of 20 mins to half an hour per hour lecture but it doesn't always work out that way!

for example theory of ****e is such a pain in the backside I begging for the question bank, whereas stuff like dc electrics and hydraulics are fairly straight forward to revise.

thats just my system, i know one poor sod who spend every hour of the day on it including lunch! would drive me mental but if it works for him????

[4KBeta]

Remember the 2-3 hours work is SUGGESTED...that is to cover the wide range of people that take the course.

For some it may go in and stay there so that 2-3 hours work may be less.

[flyingcamel]

Re. the war stories:

Most of Mr H's war stories are standard RAF fare, recycled from his time 'in'. Please note they aren't him, it was someone else in the RAF years ago that he's passed off as himself. I know that because I've heard his stories form many other people professing to have been there! Good fun mind, and strengths and weaknesses aside, he's a good lad who I enjoyed learning with. D&D, what a pair!

Re the support during groundschool:

Pretty good actually, all instructors are approachable (maybe one or two exceptions,) have a good sense of humour, and largely REALLY know their stuff or get you through the JAR exams. If ever you need extra in Met or Performance they have the messiah there to sort you out. He does great day courses to cover the whole subject (for either met or perf) and at the end you will wonder how he made it so easy to UNDERSTAND and not just regurgitate!
I'm happy with my time there - 92% ave which SHOULD have been better really, and all 1st time passes. And that is not an unusual stat. Course behind me had a class average of 97% among about 12 people as I recall.

Of course, you get out what you put in.................good luck!