ATPL Theory Schools

[WACCOE]

Hi all,

I am looking at starting my ATPL Theory but by the classroom route instead of distance learning, and I wondered what schools people were recommending. The schools I am interested in are:

1. Cabair EPTA (Bournemouth)
2. Bournemouth Commercial Flight Training
3. CATS - Cranfield Aviation (Luton)
4. Oxford Aviation Academy
5. London Met Business School (who also do a full time ATPL course)

...unless anyone know of any other good schools.

Could someone please give me their thoughts on any of the above. I am particularly interested in hearing from anyone who has studied at CATS as this is close to where I live.

Thanks.

[WACCOE]

Hi Mylesbar,

Good to hear your thoughts. I have just been weighing up London Met but it would cost around £2,200 just in train fares :uhoh:

Have you heard any good/bad comments about CATS from friends or on forums? From looking around they seem to be getting good reviews, and I suppose having small classes may be a bonus as it will be more 1on1.

I'll be taking your advice anyway and going to take a look around the schools.

Cheers

[XXPLOD]

I'm currently with CATS DL and have recently attended a brush up course where there were 2 full time students.
Fundamentally CATS are geared up for DL not full time courses.
PM me if you'd like more details.

[PintofT]

After doing some research I chose CATS. Money was a factor but I had heard some good reports.

I have to say I feel let down by the service they have delivered. After all we are paying for a service & not simply access to a web-site.

Brush-ups are really just sessions of practice papers - understandable to an extent but in reality you spend most of the week alone in the class with the other students. I found that frustrating - as did others I was on the course with.

The student support - via email - has been inconsistent in that some subjects seem to be well supported but others not so (one can only assume this is to do with the approach of individual tutors). In the lead up to the exams I have found the Bristol instructors to be of more help via the QB forum than the folks I actually paid to help me along!

Compared to the Bristol set-up (which I received a demo of before signing up with CATS) CATS really doesn't compare. Yes, it's double (ish) the price but I really do think you get what you pay for.

Anyway I paid my money & made my choice - just thought I would share my experience.

[XL319]

I have to agree with PintofT. I had exactly the same experience and I also did exactly the same thing. I wish I had chosen Bristol (but rightly or wrongly I chose location and price over quality of the training).

I have gained more knowledge on methods to work out questions using Bristol's ATPL forum.

[amritkalsi]

CATS All day long!! I completed my in 12 months and averaged 90%. :ok:

[A320rider Junior]

amritkalsi

I met you on a brush up...I thought you were full time?

Are you saying it took you 12 months full time ground school at CATS?

How many subjects did you fail ,and how many times?

[amritkalsi]

No, I was Distance Learner, I sat my first lot (7) in Dec 08, 2nd lot in July- 09 and my 3rd lot in Sep. I had to retake Met and I re-sat that in Dec.:)

[9287Excellent]

Hi,
I did my ATPL's at Cabair (EPTA) in Bournemouth. I found them to be very good, with brilliant instructors who are very knowledgeable in the subjects they all teach, with most of the instructors willing to stay behind either later on after your classes have finished or set aside a time to work with you individually if you need it, to help you with anything your struggling with. I would highly recommend EPTA. The only downfall we had was with the cabair notes/folders which were often either incorrect, lacking in detail where there needed to be more or too much detail where less would have been sufficient. However a lot of the instructors do have there own version of notes that they have made that for there subjects and will give these to you also which was very helpful!
So yeah, apart from the little issue of the cabair notes, which I also understand are currently being re-worked, EPTA is a very good school and I can highly recommend it!

[kaikohe76]

I think. irrespective of the location of any particular Training establishment, it is the quality of the various Instructors that will be the main & by far the most important factor in making any choice, even if the cost may be higher. Often personal reccomendation is certainly a good start, go & pay a visit to some of the Training Schools & ask to be shown about & talk to members of the Instructing Staff.
I did my ATPL ground course at CSE back in the late 70s, not cheap, but for me anyway worked out well. My main Instructor was a chap called Lawrenceon, absolutely first class in all respects, eventhough he did initially confuse me when talking about `a departure`. As a matter of interest, does anybody at all remember him, `H Squared` Heather Hayes & lovely Tommy Thompson who got me through the initial IRT.
More choice available these days of course folks, but it's all still down to the standard of the chap holding the chalk & standing at the front of the class room.
Best of luck to everybody who is contemplating joining a course.

[FANS]

"irrespective of the location of any particular Training establishment, it is the quality of the various Instructors that will be the main & by far the most important factor in making any choice"

This is probably the most important factor in any training decision whether it's ground or flying, and too often overlooked.

It doesn't matter what name is above the school's door if you can't stand the instructor that you have to spend so much time with, often in stressful situations.

Any more pearls K76?

[slav4o1]

One more vote for EPTA at Bournemouth, very helpful, knowledgeable and experienced instructors that are always willing to help. On the plus side is that Bournemouth is a lovely place to live. Good luck

[kaikohe76]

Hi Fans,
Thanks for your comment to my post.
This is only my personal view, very much like yours, but I really do think it's the quality of the chap / lass giving the instruction that has to be the major factor in choosing any training establishment, this of course applies to actual flying instruction as well.
Also, while I do understand these days the cost of any training course may be high, I would certainly suggest paying a personal visit to any establishment you are looking at. More often or not, you will get a feel for the place from just walking in the door, it's the old `first impressions` thing. Give them a ring & ask if you can just come & have a look & talk to some of the Instructional Staff, their response to this request should tell you whether to keep them on your possibles list or not.
Again, best of luck to anybody looking to join a training course.