Do ATPL exam marks matter?
 

Hi. Im just finishing my CPL flight training in the coming few weeks. Ive just completed my aviation degree this past year and am looking ahead towards starting my ATPL exams. Now I believe that I am capable of completing my ATPLs through self study while employed however I dont believe my overall marks will be as good as they would be if I were to do some of the courses on offer at places like maroochydore.

So my question is, when I rock up to my airline interview in 5 or so years time how much emphasise do atpl exam marks carry, if any? Do they even look at your grades or just want to know you have them? Furthermore if anyone with a degree who has been for an airline interview can please tell me how much weight a degree in aviation actually carries? My grades at uni were ok but not great and it was done more as a sideline while I saved the money to do my CPL. This ment working 40 hour weeks while at uni so that has shown in my grades.

Before anyone decides to flame me for these questions, please understand I am not naive enough to think that my degree really means much in GA where I will be starting and I am prepared to do my time working hard slog in the bush. I am not a young pup straight out of school. I am in my mid twenties and have worked hard to fund my flight training myself.

I also understand that degrees are of distant importance compared to things like experience and attitude. However I hope that people with some insight into these things could help with some advice.

Thanks for your time.

Nope! Passes are passes.
Now, frozen is one thing and full is another. This is where they may stipulate or look at your efforts to fufill the requirments of the ATPL.:)

Cheers!:ok:

Im pretty sure Qantas want a copy of all the attemps and results of the ATPLS for the recruitment process, not sure about the other airlines....

Hi DB

In reguards to your question I cant see how having all your atpls passed first time with great results is going affect your ability to hold an ATPL in the future or even to score a job. And besides if you have survived the hrs to be credited with an atpl you must be doing something right. Wouldnt you say.. A pass is a pass and i guess the likes of qantas purely use the passes as a filter to process the applicants. Times are good my friend and you stand as good a chance as anyone else!!

:ok:

Darkblue, unfortunetly your degree won't make any differance in determining whether or not you'll get a job, or even whether or not you'll get an interview. I did my degree back in the nineties, in economics. At the time companies in the states were starting to insist that pilot applicants have a degree to apply. Like many i believed it was only a matter of time before Australian aviation went the same way. Wouldn't you know it, ten years on and that scenario never eventuated. Infact i probably would've been better off if i'd done something i was actually interested in like an electrical apprenticeship, or LAME lic.

Not to sure what the Australian GA scene is like now but back when i finished my flying training first jobs were still harder to come by than a blonde without a boob job on the Gold Coast. Chief Pilots were only interested in one thing, finding young guys that would sell their souls and do exactly what they were told for the chance to wash one of their planes let alone actually getting to fly it. Most of these guys took one look at the degree on my CV and decided i was one of these over educated coastie types that will stick around to get 1001 hours then book out. In the end I actually took the degree off my CV. It wasn't any bit of paper from Uni or anything written on my CV that got me my first job, it was being the first guy at the office door in the morning, every morning.

ATPL is much the same, no one really cares how you got it, just that it's your name on the licence. One word of advice thou, if you have the time do the course. Nathan Higgin's at Advanced Flight Training is a Guru, and you'll actually end up getting thru the exams alot quicker than if you self study them one at a time. I did some self study and some with Nathan, and it was ALOT less painfull doing them with Nathan at AFT.

Hope it helps bloke. All the Best.

They don`t care, about the marks or if you hae a degree.
However, you could dispense with the drama and sob story, "My grades at uni were ok but not great and it was done more as a sideline while I saved the money to do my CPL. This ment working 40 hour weeks while at uni so that has shown in my grades."
and, "I am in my mid twenties and have worked hard to fund my flight training myself."
You and just about every other guy on here. And by the way, you don`t know what hard work and tough conditions are yet!

Dark Blue
What's with the 5 year timeline, get a night VFR then apply.

A degree may get you an interview earlier than otherwise expected, but it wont land you the job. You have to be able to fly an aeroplane for that.:8

Do ATPL exam marks matter?
 

You bet they do!;)

Metrosmoker, what is your problem? The guy is just asking a question and you shoot him down in flames. The last we thing we need is another disgruntled jackass telling us all about the doom and gloom. Don't go around thinking you're the only who knows about "hard work and tough conditions" because you've worked in the industry.

Have you worked 40 hours a week and gone to uni at the same time keeping in mind you've got assignments and exams? It is pretty hard work, let me tell you.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Been very helpful. I knew atleast one person would have a crack tho so thanks to you to metrosmoker.

FYI i added the extra stuff less as a sob story and more as an attempt to avoid the negative whinging that I've noticed ussually gets leveled at young guys/cadets/degree holders on this forum 90% of the time.

Thanks for everyone elses help :)

Opinion
 

Hey Darkblue,

I think you will find it depends on the airline whether they look at your ATPL marks or not. When I had an interview for my current job (Regional Airline) ATPL marks did come up, maybe they were using the marks to assess my personality, but not sure. One of my good mates got asked to explain some ATPL theory from the subject he had the worst marks in.

With the degree side of things, don't listen to the crap on here, it is called been short-sighted!! I just got into one of the major airlines and I think my degree helped, not that I had to have it though. I mean that it was part of the package I could offer the company.

Good luck with the ATPL's, just do your best, I think a self study mark would be looked at much better than being taught the answers at some class!!

Sure do
 

To me it made a huge difference and was quite a talking point in the interview as i had not done HSC (self studied maths physics and english whilst in GA) and year 10 marks were not great. ATPL results were high and passed them 1st go so it showed to them that i hade enough brain power to get good results.

Dark Blue, well done on the effort to put yourself through the education/training process. The last thing this industry needs is more KNOW-IT-ALL-RICHKIDS like AIRCABBIE. Your 'Sob Story' as smoker calls it, should be compulsory reading for the parent sponsored brat pack !!!Not saying all people that have had financial help fit this bill!!! well done again. :ok:

To the best of my knoledge, a pass is a pass unless you are applying for Qantas.

Lets hope with your work ethic, it will be alot less than 5 years for you to be in an airline.


Good luck

Ideal Line, Here is a spoon so you can eat my arse.
Working 40 hours a week and studying at the same time is exactely how I got through it.
He asked about exam marks and I answered the question. They don`t count. Because if they did, I wouldn`t be where I am.
He then went and started to enlighten us all on how he has been doing it tough and his exam marks might not reflect his true potential. Who cares. If he wants some encouragement then he can ring his parents. At an interview would be an appropriate time to justify his exam marks and HIGHLIGHT the fact that he is a bit older than the average pilot and that he had to work full time throughout his studies to finance his way.
As for hard work, well it is not necessary hard work, but cleaning an aircraft seat after a passenger attempted to make a faeces sandwhich on, it is challenging. It is only now with a good job and the all clear from my last blood test, I can sit back and laugh about it all.
Lastly, with the unprecedented progression and opportunities in the industry, if you need to be encouraged to get somewhere, then you don`t deserve a thing.

:{ somebody needs a hug

Hey Metro,

I think you need to relax a little. I can't see anywhere in this guy's post where he was asking for sympathy or even any encouragement. He was simply asking whether the actual results mattered and just gave us a bit of background into his reasons for asking. What's the problem with that?

He then had added a disclaimer at the end of his post that he is happy to do his time in an attempt to avoid the serial bitches on here getting their knickers in a twist over a simple question.

DarkBlue

If you have the opportunity to gain 100% in an exam/test, go for it:ok:

If that job came down to you and the next bloke/ete, you need as many aces in the deck as you can.

all the best:)

Howard Hughes

I am doing them myself at home now in an attempt to save $$$$. Working two jobs and probably scores will suffer for it. How much and why do you think it will matter?

Tell me more wise man :O

Dancing With Dingoes.

I'm revising Flight Planning now at home after doing a classroom course a couple of months ago. I know I could not comprehend the subject in the first instance without an instructor first although I know people do. As it is, I'm having enough trouble doing the revision by myself!

Cheers.