Australian ATPL theory study

[TheFlyingKiwi722]

Hey all,

I'm planning to start the Australian ATPL's via distance learning and wanted to know what order is best to study them in? A bit of context, I've done my ATPLs in New Zealand but moved to Aussie for the first gig and I'm about to move on to the airlines and so I require the ATPL theory. Also for any kiwi pilots who have done both the NZ and Australian ATPL's, how much different were they compared to each other?

Thanks

[nomess]

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CASA ATPL Theory (ATS)

[NaFenn]

They are a bitch. Everyone has their own theory on what order to complete them, it really depends on you, but if you are working at the same time, it will be full on within the 2 year window.

Really depends on how you work/study. The "easier" subjects are Law, Human Factors and Meteorology, Systems is mostly wrote-learning, so long as you understand the background concepts, then the "harder" subjects are Performance & Loading, Nav and Flight Planning. Flight planning is a prick of an exam - I would highly recommend doing the in person course at AFT at least for flight planning. Also worth doing practice exams from multiple sources (Avery, AFT, ATC, etc) to cover off all of the exam question styles.

Whatever you do, don't leave flight planning to the end. Alot of people try and knock that off first (but then you run the risk of losing it if you time out).

[Powerglide]

Have done both sets, a few years ago now. I found the Nz exams easier but with a greater number of questions and more time.
Aus exam questions slightly more difficult but with less questions and less time.
NZ flight planning way easier, and way more practical. Aus exams have a very outdated syllabus.

[Climb150]

I did it like most people suggested. Met-Airlaw-Human factors. I then tried Flight Planning and failed. Did Nav and tried FPL again and failed. Systems and failed FPL again.. Performance and loading then bit the bullet and went to Nathan Higgins for 2 weeks flight planning then passed.

The method I used was ok but I kept running out of time. Nathan's was quicker overall. I Passed FPL the day after I finished at Maroochydore. Only had 2 weeks to spare til they all expired!

[mikewil]

I did it like most people suggested. Met-Airlaw-Human factors. I then tried Flight Planning and failed. Did Nav and tried FPL again and failed. Systems and failed FPL again.. Performance and loading then bit the bullet and went to Nathan Higgins for 2 weeks flight planning then passed.

The method I used was ok but I kept running out of time. Nathan's was quicker overall. I Passed FPL the day after I finished at Maroochydore. Only had 2 weeks to spare til they all expired!

Don't they just drop off one by one as each reaches it's individual 2 year 'use by' date? I don't think they suddenly all expire when the first reaches 2 years old.

[Climb150]

They used to all expire at once.

[JustJoinedToSearch]

They used to all expire at once.
That's my recollection too, but it also used to be a 3 year window.

Possibly changed to "rolling" when they reduced the window to 2 years.

I had a slightly different strategy than most here have suggested which was to indeed leave flight planning until last.

The reasons I went with this approach were:

It means you are very "up to speed" on the study/sit exam cycle having just knocked off 6 of the things. You have probably perfected the technique that works for you by this point.
It avoids any possibility of having to pass FP twice. As soon as you click that button and see 'pass' come up you are completely done. No possibility of any expiration.

I personally did self study with the Avery stuff and just a bunch of practice exams under timed conditions and passed comfortably first time.

I have a big boy STEM degree and flight planning was easily the most annoying exam I have ever done. The content isn't particularly difficult or complex but just the crap way it is administered (weird calculator, rules of thumb, answers close together, all or nothing multiple choice etc) make it a pain. Feels more like a right of passage than an actual tool for evaluating knowledge.

But like many things in life you just have to put in the work and you can get it done.

[MalcolmReynolds]

I did all seven subjects in 3 months. It was a bitch as mentioned above. I did FPL NAV Systems and Performance at AFT in person, then Met HUF, Law at home using the AFT notes. Definitely go see Nathan at AFT. You wont regret it.

[desmotronic]

They’re all easy except flight planning

[deadlegdeadengine]

Like many others, I sat the 'easy' ones first. This worked well for me. I'd highly recommend sitting performance and loading before flight planning, as intimate knowledge of the 727 that you can recall quickly will be beneficial for flight planning. Nathan's method (i.e. the CASA method) and tips (e.g. 5 markers first) worked a treat first time but there are other resources out there in addition to AFT that can supplement your exam readiness, e.g. Rob Avery notes and practice exams and ATC. I have never sat his course (though I've heard good things) but there's another guy out there, Dr Steven Holding from the College of Aeronautical Science, who offers a completely different method for flight planning. Understand he also offers ATPL nav.