JAR ATPL by correspondence - any ideas?

[Grypen]

I am currently working in Papua New Guinea as a Beech 1900D F/O, I have an Australian ATPL (frozen for now) and would like to know if anyone can recommend a good JAR ATPL course that I can do by correspondence whilst I am here with not much to do other than flying!!

I am a British citizen so have no probs working in Europe, but I hear that the British ATPL must be done "in full" as they do not recognise Aussie ATPL. I am interested in working in Europe for one of the majors, and since the JAR seems to be the new way to do business thought I might sit it since it will open a lot of doors, unless someone can help me with airlines that might accept an Aussie ATPL for conversion within 12 months (for example) to a Euro ATPL.

Feel free to email me if you wish or reply here.

Many thanks,

Grypen

[Hot&Heavy]

Hello,

there are a few schools offering correspondence or 'distance learning' packages for JAR ATPL exams. However, what you can't get out of is doing the exams in the UK.

Because of this, most schools that I have seen are breaking the course down into two rough halves and pairing the distance learning with a two week brush up in the classroom prior to the exams. You do half the exams with the CAA, then you go on to complete the second half of the course in much the same way.

What this would mean in your case theoretically is that you could do the required study in PNG over 5-6 months, then budget for a 3-4 week 'holiday' in the UK to complete the classroom brush up and do the exams. Return to PNG, repeat the exercise, and provided the malaria or two-kina meres don't get you first, pop back to the UK and finish the exams off.

At least in the meantime you can keep flying, building hours (valuable turbine & multi-engine), and I'm guessing you have nothing to spend your spare time and money on (except the pale yellow water that passes as beer), so you'll have loads of time to put in the study.

Two schools that are offering distance learning (off the top of my head, there are of course, more) are PPSC in Bournemouth and 4 Forces near Heathrow. 4 Forces is proving to be very competitive pricewise for their theory courses, but there is the added cost of living in London....

Hope this is of some help to you.

H&H

www.ppsc.co.uk (http://www.ppsc.co.uk)
www.4forces.co.uk (http://www.4forces.co.uk)

[This message has been edited by Hot&Heavy (edited 30 January 2001).]

[Evil Jethro]

I have heard bad things about 4 Forces. PPSC are supposed to be very good but I am doing Bristols, which is not only very competetivly (spelling??) priced (£1900) but also VERY well put together, plus, unlike PPSC you dont have to pay extra for the CD ROMs. In addition they have been recommended to me by many past students who have gone through there regular groundschool.

[EGCC4284]

BRISTOL GROUND SCHOOL

------------------
A BIT EXTRA FOR MUM.

[Grypen]

Thanks for all your info so far, does anyone have contact details for Bristol??

I looked up the 4forces website, and whilst going through their pages realised that perhaps I don't need the full box and dice course for ATPL, since I already have a frozen Aussie ATPL (working on the hours for thawing it out!).

In this regard if anyone knows or could assist in the requirements (other than those listed on the aforementioned sites) for conversion requirements from Aussie to JAR ATPL, it would be much appreciated.

I can't get a straight response on whether an Aussie ATPL is an ICAO one or not so any assists there would also be good.

Cheers in advance,

Grypen

[Hot&Heavy]

Evil Jethro,

what bad things have you heard about 4Forces? I would be interested to know as I am poised to enrol on one of their courses.

I went to London to visit their facilities, meet the staff and asked every question I could think to throw at them, and the place seemed OK to me.

Incidentally, I am going to do the full-time residential course rather than distance learning which they have priced at £2995.

This is cheaper than the other majors and the course is slightly shorter at 5-6 months depending on student progress. There may be some differences between this course and distance learning that make other schools a better option for correspondence than 4Forces, I accept that. If you have heard any horror stories I would like to hear them to save me making the same mistakes as others.

Grypen, if your ATPL 'thaws' before you start the conversion, you still have the exams to contend with but think you get a major break on the practical skill tests. I'm pretty sure that Aussie is ICAO as I know NZ is, so Oz would have to be! Check with CASA on www.casa.gov.au (http://www.casa.gov.au)

Bristol Groundschool's email address is [email protected] but they don't have their own website. Their flight training is affiliated through the Bristol Flight Centre at www.b-f-c.co.uk (http://www.b-f-c.co.uk) and there are contact details for the groundschool there too.

Cheers, H&H

[This message has been edited by Hot&Heavy (edited 31 January 2001).]

[Hot&Heavy]

Well whaddya know, was surfing contentedly and came across a link to... Bristol Groundschool. Smart site.

www.bristol.gs (http://www.bristol.gs)

Enjoy

[Charlie Hotel]

I am doing correspondance with PPSC. I had a look at Bristol's notes before I started and didn't like them, but find PPSC really good.

By the way, the CD-ROM is not extra - it was sent to me with the notes at no extra cost - the price list on their info sheet is just a bit mis-leading.

Charlie. :)

[WX Man]

I found some of PPSC's DL material for the PPL/IR a little dry, and could have been explained better. However I think that if I were to do a JAR ATPL correspondence course, I'd definately be considering PPSC again (but I'd ask to take a look at notes from other schools as well).

That being said, the brush-up course was excellent. It really did pull everything together- the instructors there are very, very good and really know their stuff. They must be doing something right if a doofus like me can get a first time pass in all 7 subjects!