JAA ATPL Theory Study
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: London
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Finding Atpl study Time
Hi, I hope to start My ATPL Studies with BGS.
though work 9 - 5 in London. very busy.
To those who have faced and conquered the same challenges or in the same boat
How did you do it plan on doing , How many hrs a week did you put in how long did it take to pass the 1st Mod. Is it overambitious to to aim to complete both mods in a year.. Im just trying to get a feel for the realities of what im about to embark on..
cheers
Bilbob ....
though work 9 - 5 in London. very busy.
To those who have faced and conquered the same challenges or in the same boat
How did you do it plan on doing , How many hrs a week did you put in how long did it take to pass the 1st Mod. Is it overambitious to to aim to complete both mods in a year.. Im just trying to get a feel for the realities of what im about to embark on..
cheers
Bilbob ....
JETA1 ADDICTED
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: uk-greece
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ATPL
BILLbob HELLO!!!
Nothing is overambitious when you have the passion,motivation and courage to sit down and study!! The good thing about the ATPL is their variety and of course the content!! Everyday u elarn something new about the nature procedures and aircraft systems!! I f u really like or even better love these things you will not face any problem!!
Good time organization and following yourown schedule will give a first time good time pass!! Its not the eaiest thing but on the other hand is not rocket science too!!
EXAMPLE: im doing my ATPL GROUND in-house and i need roughly 2 hours a day self-study. if u can find 4 or better 4 1/2 you will be fine !! And make sure u make the most of your weekends!!
any questions?
have a nice start my friend!!!!!
Nothing is overambitious when you have the passion,motivation and courage to sit down and study!! The good thing about the ATPL is their variety and of course the content!! Everyday u elarn something new about the nature procedures and aircraft systems!! I f u really like or even better love these things you will not face any problem!!
Good time organization and following yourown schedule will give a first time good time pass!! Its not the eaiest thing but on the other hand is not rocket science too!!
EXAMPLE: im doing my ATPL GROUND in-house and i need roughly 2 hours a day self-study. if u can find 4 or better 4 1/2 you will be fine !! And make sure u make the most of your weekends!!
any questions?
have a nice start my friend!!!!!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: EGLL 270° 4DME
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ATPL Hardest Subjects?
Having made good progress so far through the groundschool frames...am wandering if any subjects stand out as being especially difficult? I've heard Met and Performance (haven't got to them yet)...would appreciate other views...
Cheers.
Cheers.
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: uk
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Agreed - Gen Nav & met. Really struggled with time on the Gen Nav exam, you have to work pretty quickly to get everything finished within the time allowed so keep an eye on the clock. Met I also really struggled with, found the subject interesting and thought I understood everything but the questions they ask you in the exam are a nightmare! Thought I was good at decoding TAFs etc but they are phrased in such a way they are difficult to decide which answer to go for, as someone told me - go for the least wrong answer.
As you have probably heard a zillion times before - use the briston question bank, also the oxford met CD I found really useful.
Good luck!
As you have probably heard a zillion times before - use the briston question bank, also the oxford met CD I found really useful.
Good luck!
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: London
Age: 51
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Definitely Met, it's such a huge and involved subject you really do need to have a pretty good understanding of what's going on and how it all fits together. I was lucky to have a legendary instructor for groundschool brushups. Gen Nav I don't find especially difficult, but everything's very time-consuming and I get the impression this is what gives trouble in the exam.
Anyway, we shall find out next week...
Anyway, we shall find out next week...
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Im having problems with all the calculations and graphs involved in flight planning. Performance graphs are also messing me up. It seems to be common consensus that Gen Nav and Met are the bad boys. At the moment I would rather take Gen Nav or met again than flight planning!!
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: THE NORTH
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I found most of the ATPL’s (except Comms) challenging in different ways.
I have listed them in order of how challenged I felt in preparing for each exam.
Flight Planning
G. Nav
Met
Performance
Principles Of Fright
Air Law (How Interesting!)
Instruments
R. Nav.
Operational procedures
Human Perf.
Aircraft Gen.
Mass & Balance
Comms
I and many of my fellow class mates found flight planning tough, you can pass as most of us did with almost full marks but you really must ensure there are no questions types you are not familiar with and do all the feedback you can get hold of. Failing that work through all, yes all of the Bristol online questions in order and ensure you can do 60 flight planning questions in less than two hours! You get three hours in the real exam but I found it was the quickest three hours in my life, seemed like 40 mins at the time - who said time flys when you are having fun!
General Nav - I had been warned about this subject before I ever picked the book up so was worried about it from the start, again time goes quickly but I found it OK with most of the syllabus covered but questions mainly more straight forward than I had prepared for.
Met - I was disappointed with the exam as the questions were mainly global climatology based with only one or two on icing, thunderstorms etc. Massive subject which you could spend years looking at on its own.
I found the graphs in Plight Planning & Performance hard work especially under pressure, again do as many As you can get hold of.
You can know the subject inside out but you really need lots of practice in how questions are asked and are quick in your decision on how to tackle the question and stick with your first answer.
I found studying until I lost them will to live did the trick! Study technique is key to these exams.
Good luck to all of you.
Cheers………
I have listed them in order of how challenged I felt in preparing for each exam.
Flight Planning
G. Nav
Met
Performance
Principles Of Fright
Air Law (How Interesting!)
Instruments
R. Nav.
Operational procedures
Human Perf.
Aircraft Gen.
Mass & Balance
Comms
I and many of my fellow class mates found flight planning tough, you can pass as most of us did with almost full marks but you really must ensure there are no questions types you are not familiar with and do all the feedback you can get hold of. Failing that work through all, yes all of the Bristol online questions in order and ensure you can do 60 flight planning questions in less than two hours! You get three hours in the real exam but I found it was the quickest three hours in my life, seemed like 40 mins at the time - who said time flys when you are having fun!
General Nav - I had been warned about this subject before I ever picked the book up so was worried about it from the start, again time goes quickly but I found it OK with most of the syllabus covered but questions mainly more straight forward than I had prepared for.
Met - I was disappointed with the exam as the questions were mainly global climatology based with only one or two on icing, thunderstorms etc. Massive subject which you could spend years looking at on its own.
I found the graphs in Plight Planning & Performance hard work especially under pressure, again do as many As you can get hold of.
You can know the subject inside out but you really need lots of practice in how questions are asked and are quick in your decision on how to tackle the question and stick with your first answer.
I found studying until I lost them will to live did the trick! Study technique is key to these exams.
Good luck to all of you.
Cheers………
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Surrey
Age: 43
Posts: 900
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Met and Gen Nav? are you guys mad!! lol. They are actually interesting and thats half the battle won!! Airlaw is the worst! It is just so mind blowingly boring that its just impossible to revise!
Thank god that the ATPL exams are just a distant memory lol. Starting MCC on thursday, can't wait
Thank god that the ATPL exams are just a distant memory lol. Starting MCC on thursday, can't wait
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: South Wales
Age: 48
Posts: 186
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
MET!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AARRRGGGGHHHHH.
Failed Met first time around. I quite enjoyed it as well but failed by 2%, on the other hand I found G-NAV the most difficult and passed with 92% (which I thought I'd failed)
Oh well, thank god its got nothing do to with the real world.
Failed Met first time around. I quite enjoyed it as well but failed by 2%, on the other hand I found G-NAV the most difficult and passed with 92% (which I thought I'd failed)
Oh well, thank god its got nothing do to with the real world.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Deepest Warwickshire
Age: 47
Posts: 932
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Some of your first-studied subjects are the hardest regardless of what they are. This is because you have to develop your brain into study-mode. I sweated over Ops and Instruments because of this, but looking back I reckon I would get better marks now.
I would say Air Law without the Question Bank would be nigh-on impossible. Jolly decent that the questions are therefore in the public domain
Met is one subject where you have to be able to recreate the picture in order to visualise then answer the question. Using Bristol's Question Bank will soon have you spotting commonly-asked subject areas. Crack these and you should get a pass.
Gen Nav is very mathsy. You need a good teacher also to show you the different chart projections, go through convergency and crack stereographs. After that the other elements are relatively easier. Work at it and the penny will eventually drop.
Perf/PoF are also concept based and it is one of those subjects where the UK exam setters seem to be, comparitively-speaking, actively introducing new questions. Two tough little nuts to crack.
Having said that Mass and Balance only has a few concepts to grasp and is nto that hard to pick up. However the total makrs on the paper donlt add up to much so you have a slim amount of questions to get wrong. On this account, I guess you could say M&B is a tough one. My lowest score so far (83%).
Flight Planning? Some M&B fuel/loading guff, PET/PSR formulae and chart techniquefrom Gen Nav, thereof you have most of the answers in the Jeppy manual
I would say Air Law without the Question Bank would be nigh-on impossible. Jolly decent that the questions are therefore in the public domain
Met is one subject where you have to be able to recreate the picture in order to visualise then answer the question. Using Bristol's Question Bank will soon have you spotting commonly-asked subject areas. Crack these and you should get a pass.
Gen Nav is very mathsy. You need a good teacher also to show you the different chart projections, go through convergency and crack stereographs. After that the other elements are relatively easier. Work at it and the penny will eventually drop.
Perf/PoF are also concept based and it is one of those subjects where the UK exam setters seem to be, comparitively-speaking, actively introducing new questions. Two tough little nuts to crack.
Having said that Mass and Balance only has a few concepts to grasp and is nto that hard to pick up. However the total makrs on the paper donlt add up to much so you have a slim amount of questions to get wrong. On this account, I guess you could say M&B is a tough one. My lowest score so far (83%).
Flight Planning? Some M&B fuel/loading guff, PET/PSR formulae and chart techniquefrom Gen Nav, thereof you have most of the answers in the Jeppy manual
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: EGLL 270° 4DME
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, I was beginning to feel confident there for a second until I read the posts! I am generally reading the notes, making notes, doint a set of Qs and hitting over 80%...but I've only done half of Insts, all of Hydraulics, and half of DC Elec...sounds like they're just the appertisers...
okay now I'm worried!!
Thanks anyway for the informative replies so far!!
okay now I'm worried!!
Thanks anyway for the informative replies so far!!
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: London
Age: 51
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When you've finished the material, get busy with Bristol - if you can do everything in there, you'll pass. Do it over and over and over again. Then do it a couple more times. Then do the questions you weren't sure about again. And again. You get the idea...
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: North West
Age: 41
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi
i only had GCSE grade C in Physics....i managed to pass all 14 exams first time with my lowest mark 86% i think off the top of my head....so in answer to your question...YES! its possible
however obv a more complex understanding of the subject WILL make it so much easier and simpler to comprehend. I found myself having to spend many extra hours compared to others to get my level of knowledge upto scratch!
As regards difficult subject...it depends how you approach them - if you are simply doing it from the books then for me Air Law is so boring i find it impossible to read and take in! haha
If however your doing a lot of feedback - ie Bristol or other means. I would have to agree that Gen nav and Met are very challenging.
(airlaw is much easier doing quesitons!!!)
adam
i only had GCSE grade C in Physics....i managed to pass all 14 exams first time with my lowest mark 86% i think off the top of my head....so in answer to your question...YES! its possible
however obv a more complex understanding of the subject WILL make it so much easier and simpler to comprehend. I found myself having to spend many extra hours compared to others to get my level of knowledge upto scratch!
As regards difficult subject...it depends how you approach them - if you are simply doing it from the books then for me Air Law is so boring i find it impossible to read and take in! haha
If however your doing a lot of feedback - ie Bristol or other means. I would have to agree that Gen nav and Met are very challenging.
(airlaw is much easier doing quesitons!!!)
adam
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: EGLL 270° 4DME
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ATPL Theory / Full-time Work
Question for anyone who has done ATPL theory whilst in full-time employment...how many hours study per weekday did you average?
Just looking for a frame of reference with which to guage my own progress.
Cheers.
Just looking for a frame of reference with which to guage my own progress.
Cheers.
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
atpl theory
A buddy of mine was working 8-4 and revising 6-12midnight. Said it was the most stressful 10 months of his life, proud to have got through it, but wouldn't again.
I suppose its down to natural absorbtion levels and time available. People have juggled work/family/atpls many times before, I feel that this is out of absolute necessity though.
Rossco
I suppose its down to natural absorbtion levels and time available. People have juggled work/family/atpls many times before, I feel that this is out of absolute necessity though.
Rossco
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Chasing Dreams
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I had always planned for 3 hours a night, but that just became impossible. I did manage between 1.5 to 3 hours a night more commonly 2. I was also working about 50 hour weeks at the office. Unfortunately it meant that I spent a good 6 hours on Saturday catching up. Hope that helps.
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: ESSE ATZ
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As Rosco said, you do it out of necessity. If you have a choise dont work full time and study, unless you know that you have SUPER DICIPLINE and a very understanding wife. I dont have the dicipline to sitt and study after a long day of work (but I do have the best womman in the world) so now I have to take a bite of the soure apple (swedish saying).
At the moment im working part-time to be able to finnish my exams in time and since part-time= half pay the next month wont be that much fun...
If you decide to work full time and do the ATPL I would recomend at least three hours a day and the whole weekend. Get a question bank from the start, it helps a lot.
Well, enough time spent on internet, back to Air Law...
D.
At the moment im working part-time to be able to finnish my exams in time and since part-time= half pay the next month wont be that much fun...
If you decide to work full time and do the ATPL I would recomend at least three hours a day and the whole weekend. Get a question bank from the start, it helps a lot.
Well, enough time spent on internet, back to Air Law...
D.
Join Date: May 2003
Location: uk
Posts: 713
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It is not the amount of time that is important but the quality of time.
When I started I thought three hours a night was fine. I soon found out that after a couple of hours the third hour was a waste of time because I was tired.
Try it out for yourself. Dont be too worried about counting the hours. If you worried about the Distance learning timesheet you need to complete then put any thing on it.
The aim is to learn and the time that takes varies with everyone.
When I started I thought three hours a night was fine. I soon found out that after a couple of hours the third hour was a waste of time because I was tired.
Try it out for yourself. Dont be too worried about counting the hours. If you worried about the Distance learning timesheet you need to complete then put any thing on it.
The aim is to learn and the time that takes varies with everyone.