Theory before flight?

[Hawksley]

Hey Guys,

This may be a stupid question but can i do all the theory PPL, CPL, ATPL... Before i commence the flying part of training? Im almost finished with my degree and i want to start my training soon but i thought whilst im in the swing of studying ect could i just do all the ground school first and then leave all the practical unitl the end? Save the best to last so to speak?

I know for certain organisations you need to have done the CPL flight test to do the ATPL ground school but is there anything stopping you from taking all the exams with CASA?

Cheers ~

[tmpffisch]

Short answer - Nope!

Can't do PPL or CPL's without BAK, can't do ATPL's without CPL exam pass.

Plus having hands on flying experience will help your theory knowledge develop.

[overhere]

Just to clarify yes you can do the theory but you can't sit the CASA exams for PPL/CPL without first passing BAK.

Having said that you could easily go to a flight school & sit BAK, have it endorsed in your log book & then go sit the CASA exams for PPL/CPL.

You'll find some of the theory easier once you've practically flown as they compliment each other.

[AVIATOR1982]

That answer is slightly incorrect, you need five hours in your log book before being 'credited' with BAK, you need BAK in your logbook before PPL/CPL exams can be sat however you also need a minimum of five hours CROSS COUNTRY COMMAND to be able to sit some of the CPL exams, thats cross country command time not training area solo's or solo circuits. So the short answer is no as you will be hard pushed to satisfy these requirements if you don't even hold a GFPT on your licence.:ok:

[havick]

Aviator... I have never heard of such requirements for students to have cross country hours prior to sitting their BAK exam.

Could you please provide me with a CASA link with reference to said requirement?

[AVIATOR1982]

Read what i said again...it is a requirement that you have five hours (Any five will do) logged before being CREDITED with BAK, it doesnt say you cant sit the exam though just that you can't be credited with the result. Cross country time is for the CPL exams only.

[PyroTek]

havick, read it again, he said 5 hours cross country command prior to sitting some CPL exams.
no hours requirement to sit BAK, I'm not sure about the 5 hours before being "credited" with BAK, i doubt they'd check anyway!:ok:

[tmpffisch]

Pyrotek...its the school/instructor that gives the BAK, I think they'd know how many hours you have.

[havick]

yeah i thought it was a bit strange to have that sort of requirement prior to letting students sit the BAK.

realistically I couldn't see an ASL person bothering to check the flight hours for the CPL exams, I have only ever seen them ask for a BAK pass.. that was a long time ago though

Hawkesley... I would goto the Advanced Flight Theory website and purchase their distance learning course. That way you can self study everything at home in your own time and sit the exams when you are ready. They offer full distance learning courses for ATPL.. The bob tait books are good for the CPL study.

[Peter Fanelli]

Pyrotek...its the school/instructor that gives the BAK, I think they'd know how many hours you have.


Not necessarily, I did my BAK with TAFE at Parafield, not my flying school.

As for doing all the theory before doing the flying, when doing courses for senior commercial and ATPL years ago there were a couple of people in those classes who were there with absolutely minimal flying experience and they were a pain in the arse. The problem was that they needed much more detailed explanations of some things while other pilots who already had experience working in the field could take what Bob S was saying, accept it and move on.

[TSIO540]

I think you'll find that the requirements to have 5 hours experience prior to BAK and 5 hours cross-country prior to some CPL's is only for the 150hr integrated syllabus.

If you choose to do the 200hr syllabus, I believe you can do all of the theory in sequence before ever touching an aeroplane (so long as you get BAK before PPL/CPL exams and CPL exam pass prior to ATPL etc) - Check with your CFI for up to date info though!

[MakeItHappenCaptain]

Read the Day VFR Syllabus.

You can download it from the CASA website.

[18-Wheeler]

That's changed then - I did all my Commercial and SCPL/ATPL subjects before I ever touched an aeroplane. Mind you, that was the early 80's ....

[Hawksley]

thanks everyone for your input. Yer i guess i was just trying to see if i could get all my exams out the way first. All good! I dont mind which way i do it i just want to have it done!

thanks alot.

[jcbmack]

Studying theory and various flight manuals will help you feel what the experience will be like; the actual experience of flying will show you what you missed!

[AutopilotEngage]

Yer i guess i was just trying to see if i could get all my exams out the way first

Try not to think of it as "getting them out of the way", a lot of the theory information is there for a reason and being able to integrate it into your flying will really help cement the theory and to an extent the flying aswell.

[NGsim]

I once had a student that cancelled his 'straight and level' lesson because he was due to sit ATPL Nav at the same time!!!
At the time I didn't hold a single ATPL myself......this was not in Oz though so my post is completely unhelpful to you!!!