ATPL Navigation
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Join Date: Jun 2007
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ATPL Navigation
I was hoping someone could shed some light on the ATPL Nav exam. I am planning to study this from home. Is AFT the best for this? How long would this realistically take to study? 3 weeks - couple of hrs a day? Is it a big step up from CPL? Any advice would be much appreciated.
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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I recently studied for the ATPL Nav exam using the AFT notes. I spent six hours a day on it for six days and passed no problems. The AFT notes contain everything you'll need to get through. The practice cyber exams provide an excellent lead in to the exam and are very close to the real thing. If you do a search you should find lots of info 
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ATPL Nav did not take me the longest to study but IMHO it was the most difficult exam to tackle, as it only allows 90 minutes for a lot of calcultions (in comparison, AFPA and APLA gives you masses more time).
Believe me, it is a huge step up from CPL Nav (3 weeks at a couple of hours a day is not easy as I assume you may have other eg work/family commitments). It is much easier studying full-time in a class but don't let that put you off. I studied part-time from home and passed and so can you.
In swotting for the number-crunching questions, do not ignore the theory questions as these are tricky and a mark or two can mean the difference between a pass and a fail.
Wishing you good luck.
Believe me, it is a huge step up from CPL Nav (3 weeks at a couple of hours a day is not easy as I assume you may have other eg work/family commitments). It is much easier studying full-time in a class but don't let that put you off. I studied part-time from home and passed and so can you.
In swotting for the number-crunching questions, do not ignore the theory questions as these are tricky and a mark or two can mean the difference between a pass and a fail.
Wishing you good luck.
AFT is the way to go, as for time needed, it's really up to individual.
I didn't find it a hard exam, finished with 15 mins to spare and got 86%.
It doesn't really compare too much with CPL Nav, there is a lot on instruments and instrument errors, cross track errors are more manual, ILS off slope calculations (easy) and quite a lot about various projections and how a GC, RL or SL would look on it and what heading you'd have at the start or end etc.
I know some people struggled with time zone questions, but I found them easy marks...
My tips:
I didn't find it a hard exam, finished with 15 mins to spare and got 86%.
It doesn't really compare too much with CPL Nav, there is a lot on instruments and instrument errors, cross track errors are more manual, ILS off slope calculations (easy) and quite a lot about various projections and how a GC, RL or SL would look on it and what heading you'd have at the start or end etc.
I know some people struggled with time zone questions, but I found them easy marks...
My tips:
- Know your instruments and errors (dry and boring to study, but required)
- Know your calculations (not really that many to remember)
- Know your projects and how certain lines such as Great Circles, Rhumb Lines etc look on them.
- Find a method for calculating time zone differences that you are comfortable with - Some people like to convert to UTC, add flight time, and convert to local time, others (such as myself) find it easier to just work out the time difference (i.e. UTC+10 to UTC -2) and apply the flight time. What ever works for you.
- Know the affects of ISA+ and ISA- temps on ALT indications
- Do all of Nathans questions, both in the notes and the cyber exams.
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Well done, WBB. AFT made it light work for you.
I was self-studying part-time at home on a limited budget and without the AFT course. No wonder I was struggling - I passed with only 81%.
Aviator500, just goes to show there's a lot of benefit forking out the extra $$$.
I was self-studying part-time at home on a limited budget and without the AFT course. No wonder I was struggling - I passed with only 81%.
Aviator500, just goes to show there's a lot of benefit forking out the extra $$$.
