D/L ATPL Thoery Block Courses

[pj997]

I am going through the painful process of deciding upon a ground school for the ATPL exams, via distance learning...

My question is, do any of the schools offer the 2 week block course over say 5 weekends rather than the usual 2 week course? Usual chestnut of not having enough annual leave...

I tend to think the answer is going to be 'No'..

However, would anyone else be interested in doing the block courses over a series of weekends?

Maybe if we register our interest, one of the ground schools will offer this??

Wishful thinking???

PJ

[NigelS]

I think this is wishful thinking PJ. I am in the same position as yourself and am really quite worried about taking all that leave. However, the two-week brush up is intended to be intensive enough to get you through the exams which immediately follow. I think doing it over a series of weekends would put you in no better position than your home-study. I think we just have to bite the bullet and go for it. If we have to get down on the knees and pray for extra leave/unpaid leave so be it. I'm sure this is what I will be doing.
Hope this helps... though I know it's not the answer you were looking for. With a bit of luck someone more experienced will prove me wrong.

Best wishes and kind regards

Nigel

[EGDR]

Don't know, have never heard of anybody wanting to do this before. But I can recommend Bristol for a groundschool.

Cx out the website www.bristol.gs (http://www.bristol.gs)

[Blindside]

I posted the same question a few days ago. Nobody responded publicly but I did get a response from someone by email.

Unfortunately the answer is no, there is nowhere you can get weekend courses rather than the 2 x 2 weeks brush ups. It is a requirement of the distance learning course that you attend for 4 weeks.

This was confirmed by ATA in Coventry and Bristol whom I emailed (both were extremely efficient and helpful). Oxford have neither answered an email or a fax that I've sent them.

I'm in the same boat as you guys. Limited annual leave, certainly not 5 or 6 weeks +, which is required when you include the examination days.

I've attended other professional courses that were run on weekends and it's a shame that we can't do the ATPLs in a similar way.

I have taken the plunge and paid for the first module from Bristol yesterday (£950). It arrived by courier today - excellent service. I've just loaded the CD ROM onto my laptop and it's very impressive. It's a heavy set of folders which will take 3 months to read, let alone study and remember.

It looks like I'll have to creep to the boss to get some unpaid leave next year.

Best of luck in whatever you decide.

Best regards

[gazelle507]

Blindside.
It is not a JAA Requirement that you do 4 weeks residential on a JAA ATPL(A)distance learning course.
JAA Requirements state that a minimum of 10% of the 650 hour course be residential. That makes 65 hours minimum = 2 weeks, 1 week per stage.
Theoretically then, you can tell your training provider that you will only be available for 1 week per stage and you will still meet the requirements.
However, what you need to consider is that schools put together their courses based on knowledge and experience. This requires at least 2 weeks per stage for any final brushing up for the exams.
I do appriciate time off is a difficult issue and most students are on a D/L course because they need to keep earning whilst training, but this is a means to an end, so if it means taking unpaid leave, or god forbid a couple of weeks sick leave, then do it. You are entering a profession where your ability to make decisions is critical, so make one.
I wish you luck for the future. :cool:

[ 19 July 2001: Message edited by: gazelle507 ]

[Blindside]

gazelle507

Thank you for wishing me luck.

The original question was asking whether it is possible to study for the ATPL examinations on a weekend. I believe, after asking the training providers, the answer to be no. I understand that weekend brush ups/ cramming sessions are available but these cannot be included as your sole residential element.

I believe that I have considered the reasons for the 2 week classroom elements. A proportion of the £950 that I paid to Bristol yesterday, is for their experience in their field. Whether or not the 4 weeks residential/classroom element is a JAR requirement or a training provider requirement, I do not know. If Bristol recommend/require that I have 2 weeks of intensive revision/cramming before each set of exams, that is exactly what I will do. They have more experience in this field than I do, and therefore I will bow to their superior knowledge.

My searching for weekend courses was not an attempt to spend less time in a classroom, it was an attempt to study more efficiently and within the constraints of a limited amount of annual leave (20 days per annum). I get the impression that all the comments above have come from individuals who wish to get the most from their ATPL study, but are searching (unfortunately in vain) for a more current employment-friendly path.

Just to clarify, I have made a decision, I have signed up to Bristol. I also have a strategy to get the required time off from work – sucking up to my boss. I hope that this puts your mind at rest regarding my decision-making abilities.

Best regards

[gazelle507]

Totally and again, good luck.

[Blindside]

;)

cheers