JAA ATPL Theory Study

[Jarvy]

All done last year now CPL(H), hardest for me was Met & Instruments (don't have many in little helicopters)

[Northern Highflyer]

I initially struggled with instruments but found the exam easy in the end. Met was a tough one, especially global climatology.

Currently doing Mod 2 and PoF is the one I am finding the hardest.

[six-sixty]

I am another Bristol Mod-1-er (3 weeks to go...) and I seem to get the worst mock scores on Instruments, mainly because the wording of the questions really leaves me wondering what they are after especially on some of the more philosophical questions on what autopilots are for etc the answers to which seem entirely dependant on how much wine/coffee/brandy/weed the existential poet/examiner had consumed when he/she wrote them .

Nav seems reasonably logical and I seem to be speeding up with practice, then Met. Climatology had me cowering with terror but after a couple of goes thru the Oxford met CD the Bristol notes made loads more sense. I like the way they break each part of the world up and deal with it one at a time - much easier to grasp than showing everything on the globe at the same time.

Anyway time will tell - only 55% of entrants passed Met this month.

Reading off those flight planning graphs is a pain in the asre, I am never accurate enough.

I may be taking a massive gamble by hardly spending any time revising the other subjects at the moment and concentrating on the "big 3"... feedback suggests that these are a bit more straightforward and can be revised enough to pass during brushup.

Am shocked that someone found M&B harder than the others - I may have to go thru it again.

[no sponsor]

Of all the subjects in the course (Module 1 at Bristol), Instruments was tricky, and I think this is due to distance learning: looking at a page and trying to figure out forces and turning movements is tricky. Nav was tough, but more so in the brushup and exam.

Found Met easy, especially after the Oxford CD, and Ken at Bristol. Clearly, many others didn't, since most I know who did the exams in June failed. But then I also heard that the paper compared to others was more difficult.

IFR/VFR are a complete joke - I think I took 8 mins and 4 mins to complete the exams. Human Performance can be revised the night before.

Mass and balance can be straight-forward. In the June exam, half the questions came from a JAA specimen paper available from the CAA.

Flight planning turned out to be quite a pleasant exam too. Finished with enough time to do a re-check of my answers. Had time to re-check Gen Nav too, and I'm sure those last 10 mins got me through the exam, since I re-did a few tricky questions, and felt much more confident with my answers, i.e. my answers actually matched those available, as opposed to guesses. Still 80% is good enough for me.

Now on module 2 with Bristol - somehow is seems a little easier with those 8 passes already in the bag. PoF looks the most tricky at the moment - constant reference to Kermode's book to help me through. I'm taking it easy though: 1 frame a week should see me nicely onto the Oct course.

[Echo T]

I think my hardest would be Instruments, AGK and Met! just trying to understand it is complicated enough for me! but i'm going through the feedback inside out and trying to grasp the concept of it.

Has anyone taken Instruments, AGK and MET in this weeks exams how was it and what were they focusing on and asking?

well good luck guys and girls!

E.T

[silverknapper]

Can really only re iterate whats been said above. Personally found Met and Performance the hardest. Mass and Balance and the comms were the easiest.

SK

[cyclic_fondler]

I'm looking to do my exams in Sept and it seems to me that there is so much "padding" in some of the subjects.

In the exams, do you get tested on the things that you really do need to know or are you tested to find out if you know the whole subject?

But I guess when I do my brush-up course, I'll get steered in the right direction of what I need to concentrate on!

[pipergirl]

I might sound a bit mad, but I really enjoyed the brush up course in BRS and found the whole exam thing quite exciting...

I think i may have slipped up on instruments and Met as I felt i could have put a bit more work them, but hey, tis no biggie...

Nav-fav subject...found exam v straight forward, loads of whizz wheel stuff on the exam, wud be very disappointed not to pass..

Mass and Balance twas grand, but it's easy to be complacent about it and neglect to study for it. I know people who haven't taken it seriously and fluffed it.

Comms - what a waste of £110 for two exams....the CAA should be ashamed of themselves

HP+L - hope I didn't fluff this one up...

Flight Planning(....lobster?? in a light curry sauce...) gave it a good bash, just hope those f@#king graphs haven't let me down...

anyway...best of luck to all those who gave 'em a go

[Mobieus1]

Finding enought time to ram it all in is my biggest problem

But if it must be a subject it has to be air law, loads of facts and legislation to take in.

[ClintonBaptiste]

Which is the hardest?

For me it's Instruments. I've now passed 13 out of 14 and I'm on my final attempt. On a scale of 1 to 10 it's bicycle clip time!!

I'm not being pessimistic, but what exactly would happen if I failed? I know I have to retake all 14, but do you have to sign up for another ATPL course?

The most annoying thing is, I've passed most of the 14 1st time and I got a 74% - 1 silly mistake.

PRINCIPLES OF FLIGHT - Boring, but do it before Performance as it helps you understand what's going on.

METEOROLOGY - The problem with MET is that there is so much they can ask you. Had about 12 pages of diagrams, METAR's etc. in the exam. However you should know MET inside out as it one of only a few ATPL subjects you'll actually use!

INSTRUMENTS - ??????

HPL - This is one of the easier subjects, a lot of general knowledge and basic biology.

GNAV - Really enjoyed this, as it is something that doesn't have to be learnt parrot fashion. Mind you, we had a great teacher.

IFR COMMS + VFR COMMS - I wish I could buy the rights to these exams. A real money maker for the CAA. £55 for half an hour for these exams, if you take that long you should be taken outside and shot! ALL feedback and basic knowledge.

AIR LAW - God - This is dull! The London Feedback seemed to cover almost every question here.

OPS - Supposedly another money maker, but admittedly I found it a lot harder than I expected. Loads of Q's on Oxygen and Un/Pressurized a/c.

AGK - It all depends on your strength's and weaknesses. I'm terrible at electrics and powerplant, but the majority of Q's are supposed to be on Systems.

RNAV - Another dull one I'm afraid - Remember the frequencies / Emission codes and GPS. We had good feedback on this.

PERFORMANCE - As I said before POF really helps you out with this. When I started this subject, I hadn't a clue what sort of Q's we'd get - but again there is a lot of good feedback out there.

MASS AND BALANCE - Maths and good use of the CAP. There are even definitions of BEM and DOM given to you.

FLIGHT PLANNING - Know your Jeppeson and the CAP inside out. Really enjoyable subject, just a shame about the bloody long exam.

At the end of the day, it all depends on what subjects interest you already as to what you will find the hardest. All I can say is Good Luck. Just try not to get 74%, I think I'd rather fail with a pitiful mark than just be so near, yet so far!!

[timzsta]

tiram what is it about magnetic compasses you are having problems with? Send me a IM, and I will try and help.

[critical winge]

Hardest UK ATPL exam subject.

A quick poll if possible please. What 2 subjects on the UK ATPL Ground Studies do you think are the hardest? Thanks in advance.

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

mmm.......VFR and IFR communications .

I found Law hard going, simply because it was so dry.

[Send Clowns]

Not seen recent statistics, but nationwide it used to be that PofF had the lowest pass rate, Gen Nav second. Personally I would say Law, but I hate learning of dry facts without any logic or coherence.

[3legs]

For Me it was Gen Nav, failed it four times causing me to go around again Since Passed it in May!! After Gen Nav its a close call between Instruments and Met!!

All the Best

3Legs

[hooters]

For me Instruments was my down fall.
Failed it 4 times and like 3legs I'm in go around mode.
What hurts is that I already had 13 passes under my belt.

[3legs]

Hooters,

I too know what its like to feel the pain of the kick after getting 13 and then failing....Going around!

Worse still I was about to start my IR training!

How far have you got now? I think i'm turning base to final now! got 10 passed and 4 left to do next month

Good luck with your Exams.....

3Legs

[hooters]

3legs,

I'm on the upwind leg turning crosswind. Getting ready for 7/8 exams in November.
Instruments being one of them.....

Was getting ready to go to the USA to do my ME/CPL and part of the IR...JAA style when that A4 fell through the door.

Wish you a smooth landing with the remaining 4 and Good Luck next month.

[EGAC_Ramper]

Well only sat 7 so far at Oxford and most certainly have to say MET is a tough one,well at least for me and Gen Nav is going down the same lines !!


Regards

[helicopter-redeye]

Gotta be Gen Nav. All of the other subjects you can brief on and get a good feel of the QB. But GN is too easy to produce another 50 questions on or switch the order of the answers round.

h-r