Perth Based JAA ATPLs
The JAR exams took me about 18 months to complete. I had a couple of months break in the middle due to a new endorsement. I did the Aus ATPL back when you had to do all exams in a two day sitting. I found them harder because You had to know everything! for two days worth of exams. That said however the JAR exams want you to know even more, but the knowledge is divided into 14 exams with some topics being covered in multiple exams. Still very doable but as stated by someone else, you can't muck about.
Practical conversion was 2 sim sessions (one prep, one JAR ATPL skills test)
Practical conversion was 2 sim sessions (one prep, one JAR ATPL skills test)
If you read some of the forums on the JAR ATPL you will find that some people have done them in a year or less, even with distance learning. I couldn't have done it that quickly.
Yes some materials are the same, esp human biology parts and basics of weather.
Yes some materials are the same, esp human biology parts and basics of weather.
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The quickest I saw them done was 1 month per 7 subjects, the guy then sat the 7 exams, took and did another 4-5 weeks study for the next 7 subjects, then sat the exams , about 3 months start to finish he took which was mainly due to fitting in the fixed exam dates the UK system uses.
This guy was a 737-400 check and training, about 15 000 hrs in his late 40's, highly motivated to take up a well paying high ranking job in a major carrier in Europe.
Depending on your experience you can do this too, its doable with motivation, but if you dont have some of the regulatory requirements you may be stuck for 10-12 weeks per 7 subjects as per the laid down minimum study hours of JAR land for the theory. Contact a school like more well known school like Bristol ( www.bgs.gs ) for a timeline for training based on your flight experience.
This guy was a 737-400 check and training, about 15 000 hrs in his late 40's, highly motivated to take up a well paying high ranking job in a major carrier in Europe.
Depending on your experience you can do this too, its doable with motivation, but if you dont have some of the regulatory requirements you may be stuck for 10-12 weeks per 7 subjects as per the laid down minimum study hours of JAR land for the theory. Contact a school like more well known school like Bristol ( www.bgs.gs ) for a timeline for training based on your flight experience.
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Preparation is definitely the key. The exams are a mixture of CPL and ATPL as you can bypass the 16 CPL/IR exams and do the ATPL. VFR and IFR comms are a giveaway if you do the feedback papers. The exams are not that hard individually, it is the volume of them,you end up sitting 7 and 7 or 8 and 6 to complete the 14 exams depending on where you do your study. I can't recommend Bristol GS highly enough. I did my distance learning through someone else whilst still in Australia and did my 2 week brush up courses with them and that's what got me through all of them first time. The cost overall is enormous and don't forget the flying training.
For the IR conversion you can do most of it in a sim but the aircraft (PA34) was 350 pounds an hour and the IR test fee is now 695 pounds i believe!!! Convert that to AUD and you will cry. Also there might be delays for weather for CPL conversion in the winter. If you want an air taxi/charter job make sure you look at he hour requirements of the CAA. They even charge an extra 95 quid to put single engine aeroplane on your multi CPL/IR licence. My estimates were way under what it all cost but it was worth it in the end. Remember also, if you fail one exam 4 times you loose all your previous exam credits and have to start again. PS don't agonise over how to do a compass swing too much (as I did) as they don't actually test it.
For the IR conversion you can do most of it in a sim but the aircraft (PA34) was 350 pounds an hour and the IR test fee is now 695 pounds i believe!!! Convert that to AUD and you will cry. Also there might be delays for weather for CPL conversion in the winter. If you want an air taxi/charter job make sure you look at he hour requirements of the CAA. They even charge an extra 95 quid to put single engine aeroplane on your multi CPL/IR licence. My estimates were way under what it all cost but it was worth it in the end. Remember also, if you fail one exam 4 times you loose all your previous exam credits and have to start again. PS don't agonise over how to do a compass swing too much (as I did) as they don't actually test it.
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RF00,
thanks for that. How well were you prepared for the exams from the course study? Whats the pass mark?
Did you find it difficult to sit so many exams at once, i mean do u remember it all? Compared to Aus where its just 1 at a time?
Cheers for info
Aussie
thanks for that. How well were you prepared for the exams from the course study? Whats the pass mark?
Did you find it difficult to sit so many exams at once, i mean do u remember it all? Compared to Aus where its just 1 at a time?
Cheers for info
Aussie
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I went on price alone when choosing my course as the exchange rate was so bad. The course was covered to a good standard and the online exams were good. The brush up course is really just mountains of practice papers and 300ER is right about rote learning in that you do get seem to have seen a lot of very similar questions before when you sit the exam. I felt good before the exams, worried during the exams, not so confident after the exams and sure I had failed them all after waiting the two weeks it takes for them to send out the results. The exams are conducted in large halls like school exams of the past, with anything up to a hundred or more people sitting there looking worried. The law exams are closed book so you have to know how many crash axes, first aid kits need to be carried etc, etc. I hadn't done any study for a long time so I found it fun. It took me 18 months but I was working full time as well to pay for it.
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It's all a bloody rip-off. From all reports airliners fly on automatic pilot from seconds after to lift off to landing and pilots are actively discouraged from flying the plane or even navigating it. With world wide GPS who needs Mercators Projections or interpretation of isotachs. So what's with 16 exams when nine tenths of the stuff pilots will never use?
Join Date: Sep 2005
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A37575.
A37575 You will find that any professional qualification you complete, requires that you are able to learn and pass exams well beyond the knowledge required for the day to day duties. If one did a four year engineering degree you would do four years of advanced mathematics and physics most of which one would not use on a day to day basis, the same thing applies for other professions.
As far as aviation is concerned before the French invented the JAA, the British ATPL was considered the most recognized license and the license to have. Only the people who could not pass the license exams or did a watered down version of it eg. Malaysian, Hong Kong etc, complained of its irrelevance.
As far as I am concerned the Mercator chart should be removed but perhaps introduce the Polar Stereographic and to make it a bit more demanding the Transverse Mercator. A lot of Trans Polar flights are in operation so I am sure someone could justify it. This would remove the rote learning and only those who are mentally capable will hold an ATPL.
As far as aviation is concerned before the French invented the JAA, the British ATPL was considered the most recognized license and the license to have. Only the people who could not pass the license exams or did a watered down version of it eg. Malaysian, Hong Kong etc, complained of its irrelevance.
As far as I am concerned the Mercator chart should be removed but perhaps introduce the Polar Stereographic and to make it a bit more demanding the Transverse Mercator. A lot of Trans Polar flights are in operation so I am sure someone could justify it. This would remove the rote learning and only those who are mentally capable will hold an ATPL.
Aussie
Well unfortunately the licences are easier to get, however more expensive. There will always be sufficient people who will pass the exams even if they were made more demanding.For those who can't become a plumber or painter.
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Might as well as my bit......
I converted my NZ/OZ CPL (with ATPL theory) to the JAR's 3 years ago. It took me 9 months, mainly due to the first school I enrolled at going tits up, and then having to re-enroll elsewhere.
Distance learning was the way to go for me, I was able work and study. The toughest part I found was the sheer volume of work, the technical aspects were not particularly difficult, there is just so much of it.
Took the exams in 2 blocks of 7, passed them all with an average mark of 88%.
I used oxford aviations' course..a bit pricier but the results were worth it.
What ever you decide to do..make sure you do the research
I converted my NZ/OZ CPL (with ATPL theory) to the JAR's 3 years ago. It took me 9 months, mainly due to the first school I enrolled at going tits up, and then having to re-enroll elsewhere.
Distance learning was the way to go for me, I was able work and study. The toughest part I found was the sheer volume of work, the technical aspects were not particularly difficult, there is just so much of it.
Took the exams in 2 blocks of 7, passed them all with an average mark of 88%.
I used oxford aviations' course..a bit pricier but the results were worth it.
What ever you decide to do..make sure you do the research
