Advice for studying advanced aircraft systems

[ResidentInsomniac]

Hello guys.

I'm a commercial pilot and have only flown single engine aircraft. So my basic knowledge core is just limited to basic systems only. Where I reside, I did not have to go through a very detailed ground school (as in JAA ATPL studies).

Ok so now I'll be going for my type technical for larger airliners very soon, maybe a month and half at max. I was planning to read through some basic principles of the advanced aircraft systems (hydraulics, pneumatics etc) to better understand the FCOMs when I read through them (ATR, so you know how detailed the french make them, unlike Boeing's need-to-know info only).

What I need advice with is, should I start studying JAA ATPL Books or any other ones?

I have the whole collection of Oxford Aviation books and also Jeppesen-Atlantic ones. Also have in my possession David Lombardo's Advanced Aircraft Systems.

I do understand that the ATPL books are very nice with all the extra details (makes you feel awesome in discussions :ok:) but will I be able to cover them in a month's time?

Sorry for the long post, but I need all the help I can before I plunge into a set of book(s). Any other advice from experienced professionals is highly welcome on how they went about their Type preps. :)

Thank you all! :8

[sevenstrokeroll]

one thing that really helps is drawing the schematics over and over until you can draw the shcematics for hydr, elect, pneumatic etc.

just over and over...ROTE...

its a good thing!

[NGMAX]

Now that FEs have been replaced with winglets, the need to know every relay, diode and waveguide frequency is gone from most training curriculum. Now it focuses on what does this annunciation light tell you about the system's status and what can you do about it?
Here's some help for your power plants study: There are only a couple moving parts in an engine (but there are a bunch of things connected to those parts). If you know what is meant by: SUCK, SQUEEZE, BANG, and BLOW you should be half way there.

[Piltdown Man]

The more advanced the aircraft, the less you need to know and the more you need to stick to the checklists. "Beating the system" now means that you are trying to convince the software that's controlling the systems that it's wrong. You are not actually connected to anything. Best of luck. Systems knowledge on modern aircraft is little more than box ticking for the benefit of an office numpty.

(or there again, some could prove me wrong!)

[Armchairflyer]

I found "The Turbine Pilot's Flight Manual (http://www.asa2fly.com/The-Turbine-Pilots-Flight-Manual-P1798_product1.aspx)" quite enlightening and interesting, but it was just pleasure reading for me. Maybe a PPRuNer involved in flight decks beyond small SEP spam cans (and armchair simulations of an ATR 72 and Boeing 737 NG) knows it, too, and can give a more substantiated comment.