Full time work and ATPL study?

[Continental Drifter]

I was intending to start studying for the ATPL exams in Jan ( full time at Glasgow CNS.) however I am now more tempted for various reasons ( looming recession, high maintenace girlfriend ;) ) to stay in full-time employment, keep building up hours and study in my spare time for the exams.
How have any other people found this? How much of a chance would I give myself with the exams on a distance learning course? Int'l Flight Training in Florida are offering a bargain introductory distance learning option for £675, which is another persuasive reason, however I'm 28 now and really need to crack on.
Cheers in advance for any replies. CD. :cool:

[carbheatcold]

Continental Drifter,

It is a difficult one that although not impossible as I am sure others will say.

I personally tried to keep down a full time job and do the distance learning study and struggled the whole way, I found the demands of the JAR ATPL syllabus too much. I was lucky to an extent as I had an understanding girlfriend but the mortgage still needed paying and the bills flooded in so fulltime was not an option.

Give it a go though, you have nothing to lose. If it does not work and maybe your girlfriend is understanding you'll be able to go and study fulltime. I have no regrets at least I tried it.

Good luck.

Carbheatcold

[18greens]

It is doable, I did it.

You need to crack on at it and set deadlines. You'll probably not get a first time pass in everything but its got to be cheaper than giving up work.

I figured if I didn't do it part time I'd never do it. So I tried it and got through. You can always go full time later if it doesn't work out.

Good luck.

[Dan Dare]

I fitted the whole lot round a full time job with first-time passes in everything. I know at least 6 others who did the same (some even have airline jobs now). It was tough finding the time to fit everything round a busy social life, but doable.

We did, though, all have jobs with shift-work and not too many hours.

[DiverDriver]

I'm currently doing the ground school this way and have got my first sitting in December. Full time was just not an option for me (Wife, kids, house with a mortgage 2 cats etc etc). The way I see it in the current climate you might be better off doing distance learning, it may take a little longer and you may have to be that bit more disciplined to get through the material, but hey better having a wage coming in and some semblance of a life than to jack your job in go full time with little or no prospect of a flying position when you finish. Sloooow down have a Cadburys caramel...... :D :D

[cubby]

MuffDiverDriver :D
I could not agree more .

Stay at work Mr .
You have got 4 chances at each exam over six sittings .So study for 4 exams per sitting with two sitting at the end for retakes .
Send the high maintainance Bird out to work in the evenings so you can have some piece and quiet and she can save up for you CPL/IR course. ;) :p :p
Best of luck
Cubby.........

[FLYZONE]

I agree with everything said here. I'm doing the same as you CD. I don't intend to start until mid next year now though because of the climate, but it's important to have the back up of the job and money at the moment.

The way I see it is that the groundschool is the ONLY part you'll be able to study whilst you work and earn a decent wage. You'll have plenty of opportunity to be out of money whilst your training for the CPL/Ir etc ;)

With the vast improvement of technology now, self-study has become a very effective way of learning. Although, also not to forget that all schools provide brush up courses before beginning each set of exams, and you've got a tutor on the end of the phone etc, which can help with any worries you have whilst your on the course.

At the moment, the two I'm particularly interested in are Bristol and OATS, because their CBT and course materials are to a high standard.

Another important factor is to have people who are at the same stage as yourself that you can relate to. So send me an e-mail if you fancy it, and we'll have a chat :D

Hope this is useful to you.

[ 18 October 2001: Message edited by: FLYZONE ]

[Continental Drifter]

I appreciate all the replies and sage advice.
To be honest, the best way would be to tell my girlfriend to go out, work a bit harder and spend all her money on my landing fees etc. while I sit back on a full time ATPL course, smoke my pipe, and peruse the manuals at my leisure.
As this will never happen, the distance learning course ( and possible resits) it is.
:cool:

[pjdj777]

I did it - it's blydi hard work!!!

you have to be disciplined - I set aside 3 hours a night mon - thursday, pub friday (needed it) and at least four hours on sat and sunday.

every spare moment was taken with reading reference books - I didn't just use the excellent study material I had from BGS, I cross referrenced with other books like the Mike Burton stuff, which I'd already studied in preparation.

First time passes throughout, though I did do a 1 week crammer for the techs (CAA), 8 months in total.

good luck, but be prepared.

[EGCC4284]

http://www.pprune.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=010130

[emu]

I am coming to the end of of the full-time course at GCNS now and so am biased when I recommend it. I work 20hrs per week so still pull in some cash - i guess it depends how flexible your employer is if this is possible. The benefit this gives is 1. that you are effectivley forced to study when listening to lectures - no motivation probs there then, and 2. you go to work knackered instead of trying to study in that state after a day at the office.
I have also heard of a 10% eventual success rate for distance learners due to the difficulties involved.
Personally, even in the current climate, I think that the full time route is more advantageous both for your learning and sanity! :eek:

[SuperTed]

pjdj777,

Im interesed to know what books you used.

thanks

st

[pjdj777]

Superted:

Mike Burton's commercial pilots series
Rory Underdown (Sp?) commercial pilots series

both available from aviation shops, about £20 for each book, there are four books in each series.

I read through them first, got thoroughly confused and then did the correspondance courses (with Bristol). I then used them as cross references. It worked for me.