WHAT NEXT? DISTANCE LEARNING!

[niall]

Is there anyone out there that can give us some advice. I have just finished my PPL(A) and want to start a CPL/APTL course. Now I know that I will have to get a Class One medical, OUCH! I currently work in the oil and gas industry, two weeks on two weeks off.

What I need to know is can anyone tell me if doing a distance learning course is an advantage or disadvantage? Is one shooting one’s self in the foot? I am better off getting up to my eye balls in debt and going full time at it. Also is the 95 hours PIC required have to be flown while doing all the classroom/studying stuff? Is the 95 hours under just under a basic PPL or is there other practical critera? Basically what is the best way to fulfil the CPL/APTL criteria within a distance learning course. Age wise, late 20’s too old? I am new to all this. Many thanks in advance. :confused:

[clear prop!!!]

Well, it would appear that distance learning is now a very viable option. It certainly wasn't this time last year, when there was little feedback and the schools were still trying to get their course notes in line with the farce that was the early ATPL exams!

From what we now read here, many distance learning students are doing every bit as well as full time ground school students...
provide you are self motivated enough to study every hour vailable...there is a shed load of stuff to get through!

You question ATPL v CPL. Well, apart from the fact that there is only one ground school doing CPL, I can't see any reason why you wouldn't want to do the full ATPL's. OK you've got to do your IR within 36 months, but you would anyway in most cases. So unless you just want to instruct or the like forever, go for the ATPL course.

Yes, you are dead right. Get your class1 right away before you spend another penny.

As for the hours thing. There is nothing in the CAA/JAA rules that says you can't go straight fromm PPL ino a groundschool course with 50/60 hours. You will however need 150 for you CPL flying course.

Now, in my experience the groundschool bit meant that there was very little flying for nearly a year. It takes a lot of time to get back up to speed after even a couple of months without flying, so I can see little point in building the hours before the groundschool. Apart from the fact that you will have more 1st hand experience to draw upon. It would seem logical to do hour building then go into the CPL flying course rather than have to build up more hours than required, just to get back up to speed.

Choose your school well and I believe that DL is viable now. Avoid any school that uses 4 Forces notes and you'll be fine!!

Good luck!!

[ 27 July 2001: Message edited by: clear prop!!! ]