CATS GROUND SCHOOL bad or good

[clkorm3]

Hi,
This is my first ever post and would highly appreciate if I could get any kind of insight about CATS GROUND SCHOOL from students who have or currently studying at CATS. Flyeasa in Leeds are looking to do partnership with CATS And use their meterial and model to teach GUIDED DISTANCE LEARNING. They are waiting for CAA Approval and the likelihood is that they would seek to start the course in March 2012. I am currently at BCFT completing my PPL but that's like 300 miles away from where I live and considering the financial constraits by not being able to obtain good employment in bournemouth as i have commitments and want to work part time at my current role whilst I study full time with them is the only reason for my choice to not study there, otherwise I think it's the best school. But I am really hesitant as I have got mixed reviews about the school and secondly speaking to my friends who advised that going with a new school, there is always the risk that you might end up being their gini pig and they may end up experimenting on us. Would anyone recommend them to me? Secondly? They have split the course in 3 modules and how long would each phase likely to be completed? Thirdly what is their meterial like? Exams have changed recently so what's difference now?? Please help because if this doesn't work out then I would rather go to Bcft or Oxford. Although they are more expensive especially OAA £4800.

[paco]

What makes you think CATS is a new outfit? They have been around for years and long past the stage of guinea pigs.

Everyone's getting twitched up about the new syllabus - all the authorities have done is essentially move topics from one subject to another and otherwise shuffle things around, and maybe update here and there. After all, the various ways of explaining how altimeters work were done and dusted way back when. You can't really add much new to it, aside from questions. The real difference is in the exams themselves. Assuming the questions are correct, and assuming you have done the work, there's no reason why there should be a problem.

As for the modules and the time taken, why not ask them directly? They don't bite! :)

Presumably by "guided distance learning" you mean full time but not in a CATS classroom? i.e. not officially "residential"? It's a good workaround if the "full time" instructors know what they are up to.

[Jockster]

Er....no!! Major changes to the Instruments syllabus. EASA now require knowledge of computer theory, FANS, ADS-A, Datalink Communication, Software in Flight Control Systems etc.

[fwjc]

I used CATS Luton for straightforward Distance Learning. The materials were fine, imo. I did have access to some Jep manuals so when I got confused about something I had the same concept in different words to try. If you're Guided Learning, however, you'll have even better resource in your local instructors.

The three chunks mean that you don't have to remember quite as much for each set of exams, which takes a little bit of the pressure off. If you are studying full time, the brush up weeks in sequence would get your exams done within 6 months or so including study time. I work full time plus two other volunteer commitments, it took me just under a year from properly starting study to completing.

The support from the team at CATS was great, they seem to really care about their students, but that may be a case of you get out what you put in. As mentioned on the other CATS ground thread, the YouTube videos are good. There are comprehensive explanations on the question bank.

They are properly up to speed with the EASA syllabus, as far as I am aware. I did old style throughout last year, but at my last brush-up Stuart spent some time explaining the differences and how it would affect individuals and also the new texts etc.

Hope this helps

[clkorm3]

I would firstly like to express my gratitude for all the comments. It means a lot. I spoke to the gentleman at flyeasa in Leeds and he said it would take around 2 to 3 months to clear each part and I'll be attending the class room every day from 0900 to 1300 which would help prepare me for he exam. This method seems way more suitable as I will have the opportunity to see the instructors and raise any questions so I don't run into difficulties. However I wouldn't get the same opportunity say if I was to do it BRistol ground school as one student just started BCFT as he found the distance learning really difficult whilst with BGS. It was pointed out it is residential. I'm still confused about the residential. Is that like instructors teaching us between those hours or we just go on computers or like any other ground school like how say BCFT OR OAA teaches i.e. in class room and go through everything.

[rhythm08]

CATS was fine for me on my distance learning "like" :p, they seemed switched on and very approachable!

If you need to work I would distance learn, have some confidence in your ability, I have come to the opinion that Full time class room studying is "like" for those who are planning to go straight into there CP MEIR.

If you need to hour build and save cash then doing distance learning will enable you two kill two birds with one stone.

[paco]

"Er....no!! Major changes to the Instruments syllabus. EASA now require knowledge of computer theory, FANS, ADS-A, Datalink Communication, Software in Flight Control Systems etc. "

That stuff was in before, though in different places. Certainly computer theory (logic gates) and control laws, if I remember that far back. It must have been, as it's always been in our notes. As I said, mostly major shuffling. I can't see the logic in having Inertial Nav in Instruments, tho - should be in RNAV, shirley.

"Residential" means being full time in a classroom and having your duty hours logged according to the ridiculous JAA minima of 30 hours per week. It's a royal pain in the bum, which is why we stopped it. "Guided distance learning" means you can study what you want when you want without such restrictions as you are a distance learner and can make your own rules. All you are effectively doing is hiring outside help.

Take on the above poster's point about having faith in your own ability - you will need to do self study on type rating courses, etc, so best get used to it. Motivation is a major factor - the other reason we stopped residential. We found that, apart from genuine cases where it was a way of blocking out the outside world and focussing studies, the students simply wanted to be spoonfed and weren't motivated enough to think for themselves.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I used CATS distance learning for my CPL a few years ago when I was doing my CPL, and they were still at Cranfield.

They were organisationally something of a shambles, and I regularly got extremely frustrated with them.

On the other hand, the notes were superb, the lecturers generally quite good for the classroom periods, they were very cheap, and like most people who went through CATS, I got a full set of first time passes.

So, on net, they're a good choice - just triple check all and any administrative arrangements.

G