JAA ATPL Distance Learning Ground School
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Dublin, Ireland
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ATPL Theory Study
LH mate, currently in the same boat so to speak though a little bit further down the road.
I'm on the distance learning route and to be honest it's really about you making some quiet time wherever and getting down to the subjects pretty much on your own.
I have found getting signed up to a good online Qbank and after reading the required coarse work, battering into the questions again & again & again, pays dividends.
Of course it helps to be able to ask questions of instructors at your FTO but honestly if you keep plugging away and back it up with referal to the Q-banks you'll pull through all right. It's not pleasant but neither is it rocket science (Turbines yes -Rockets no).
Some of the exams are lighter than the rest i.e VFR/IFR Comms, Human Performance. But some are truely rough going and as with everything understanding the subject matter is THE way to learn rather than by rote.
Good luck to you and bear in mind what Turbine says, your attempts are limited and finite. Look at the whole course, decide what you can lump together (preferably 7 at a time) and should you fail some on first attempt carry them forward and repeat with the second 7.
All the very best.
I'm on the distance learning route and to be honest it's really about you making some quiet time wherever and getting down to the subjects pretty much on your own.
I have found getting signed up to a good online Qbank and after reading the required coarse work, battering into the questions again & again & again, pays dividends.
Of course it helps to be able to ask questions of instructors at your FTO but honestly if you keep plugging away and back it up with referal to the Q-banks you'll pull through all right. It's not pleasant but neither is it rocket science (Turbines yes -Rockets no).
Some of the exams are lighter than the rest i.e VFR/IFR Comms, Human Performance. But some are truely rough going and as with everything understanding the subject matter is THE way to learn rather than by rote.
Good luck to you and bear in mind what Turbine says, your attempts are limited and finite. Look at the whole course, decide what you can lump together (preferably 7 at a time) and should you fail some on first attempt carry them forward and repeat with the second 7.
All the very best.
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: The sunny south coast
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LH2
As turbine king said you have a maximum of six sittings and 3 attempts at each subject so unlike the ppl you cant sit one at a time, also to apply to write an exam you have to be enrolled in some form of training establisment be it distance or full time and then signed off by the CGI.
You have my sympathy with regards fitting in around your job I tried distance learning and had the same problem eventually gave up and went full time. You could break the exams up into 3 sets which would ease the work load.
Turbine king good luck next week bud im sitting all of module one next week as well.
As turbine king said you have a maximum of six sittings and 3 attempts at each subject so unlike the ppl you cant sit one at a time, also to apply to write an exam you have to be enrolled in some form of training establisment be it distance or full time and then signed off by the CGI.
You have my sympathy with regards fitting in around your job I tried distance learning and had the same problem eventually gave up and went full time. You could break the exams up into 3 sets which would ease the work load.
Turbine king good luck next week bud im sitting all of module one next week as well.
Join Date: Dec 2000
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As turbine king said you have a maximum of six sittings and 3 attempts
TB
Join Date: Nov 2005
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There is no best way. It all depends on factors outside of the realms of these boards such as the aptitude of the person concerned, time to study, how his/her ground school runs their courses etc etc.
The only decent bit of advice on this subject is that you are better off taking as many as you can and not wasting a sitting just for the odd 1 or 2 exams. You never know you could luck out and get an easy paper even though you might be fearing the worst. Also get onto the BGS database and do as many practice papers as you can and I would be surprised if you ended up failing any in anycase. There is a reason why so many of us who have been through the torture of sitting the exams bleat on any using the database and parting with 50 quid for 3 months. It will be the best money you ever spent!
The only decent bit of advice on this subject is that you are better off taking as many as you can and not wasting a sitting just for the odd 1 or 2 exams. You never know you could luck out and get an easy paper even though you might be fearing the worst. Also get onto the BGS database and do as many practice papers as you can and I would be surprised if you ended up failing any in anycase. There is a reason why so many of us who have been through the torture of sitting the exams bleat on any using the database and parting with 50 quid for 3 months. It will be the best money you ever spent!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Galway Ireland
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Hey Everyone
Im just wondering about the requirements for commencing a distance learning course with say Bristol. I now i need a PPL to start with but must it be JAA? Ill have an FAA PPL soon and am wondering will i have to convert it.
Im just wondering about the requirements for commencing a distance learning course with say Bristol. I now i need a PPL to start with but must it be JAA? Ill have an FAA PPL soon and am wondering will i have to convert it.
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Midlands
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You'll be fine with the non-JAA version 
See the attached. . .
HW
http://www.bristol.gs/licence_first_...al_licence.php
See the attached. . .
HW
http://www.bristol.gs/licence_first_...al_licence.php
Join Date: Apr 2007
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Full time ATPL (A) theory with Atlantic Flight Training, Coventry
Is anyone able to give me some advice on the quality of the full-time ATPL theory course at Atlantic Flight Training (Coventry)? It costs c. £4000 and whilst I've seen cheaper, do the students at Coventry achieve good pass results? It's just that Coventry is close to home so commutable and thus saves me accommodation costs. Cheers
AUW
AUW
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: between the books
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Hello mates
I am entering University soon and would also like to start ATPL ground school followed by CPL and hopefully FI(R). Does anyone have any opinions about studying at university and doing the ATPL gs at the same time?
Regards
I am entering University soon and would also like to start ATPL ground school followed by CPL and hopefully FI(R). Does anyone have any opinions about studying at university and doing the ATPL gs at the same time?
Regards
Join Date: Dec 1997
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AUW: - Atlantic Flight Training
PPL152: The quantity of work required for the ATPL exams is way too much to consider attempting while you're also studying for a degree. The only way I'd consider doing this would be if the ATPL was part of the degree course, as it is on one or two courses. Otherwise. keep the two things separate or you'll screw up both of them.
Scroggs
PPL152: The quantity of work required for the ATPL exams is way too much to consider attempting while you're also studying for a degree. The only way I'd consider doing this would be if the ATPL was part of the degree course, as it is on one or two courses. Otherwise. keep the two things separate or you'll screw up both of them.
Scroggs
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Hi Clifford,
Be aware that if you select to do a course via distance learning means, the CAA class this as part-time.
I was in a similar situation to yourself (working P/T) and hoped to be able to get around 25-30hrs per week of study in at home. However, I was told by the head of groundschool at Atlantic Flight Training (who I can recommend) that I could only be credited with 15hrs per week, with the possibility of extending that to a maximum of 20hrs with evidence of the employment situation.
I'm pretty sure he said that the limit was imposed by the CAA - would definately be worth checking out, as the 600-odd hours you need can take a lot longer to do if you are only credited with 15-20 hours per week as opposed to 35 hours or so.
Regards,
Blueskyrich
Be aware that if you select to do a course via distance learning means, the CAA class this as part-time.
I was in a similar situation to yourself (working P/T) and hoped to be able to get around 25-30hrs per week of study in at home. However, I was told by the head of groundschool at Atlantic Flight Training (who I can recommend) that I could only be credited with 15hrs per week, with the possibility of extending that to a maximum of 20hrs with evidence of the employment situation.
I'm pretty sure he said that the limit was imposed by the CAA - would definately be worth checking out, as the 600-odd hours you need can take a lot longer to do if you are only credited with 15-20 hours per week as opposed to 35 hours or so.
Regards,
Blueskyrich
Join Date: Oct 2004
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I have only studied with one, so my opinion can't be fair.
Bristol provide a straight to the point ground course, their books are easier to study than Oxford's (have used some of their books), but less detailed!!
The 2 weeks crammer course, before the written, are provided by top notch instructors (ex military and airline pilots) and most students are surprised by how they are ready when the exam come.
And last but not the least, their ATP online database is the best tool to finish preparing you for the exam and most atpl groundschool in the UK invite their students to use it, or that's what i was told by such students during the exam at Gatwick.
One free advice would be to get the Oxford Meteorology CD (great tool) whatever your choise.
Good luck in your study and good flight.
Bristol provide a straight to the point ground course, their books are easier to study than Oxford's (have used some of their books), but less detailed!!
The 2 weeks crammer course, before the written, are provided by top notch instructors (ex military and airline pilots) and most students are surprised by how they are ready when the exam come.
And last but not the least, their ATP online database is the best tool to finish preparing you for the exam and most atpl groundschool in the UK invite their students to use it, or that's what i was told by such students during the exam at Gatwick.
One free advice would be to get the Oxford Meteorology CD (great tool) whatever your choise.
Good luck in your study and good flight.
Join Date: Nov 2005
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Why make it any harder than it needs to be. Go to Bristol, sign up for the website and go through every question at least 3-4 times until you are getting at least 90 odd percent in their mocks. Then at the brush ups you can actually concentrate on learning a few things as you will more than likely know all the answers anyway from the online database. If you get less than 90% in any of the CAA exams then I would be mightily surprised.
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chicago USA
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Howdy, I’m looking into this whole FATPL thing and I was talking to the good people down in Naples and I was told the books altogether was roughly $2500 and what I thought was wired, is that they are Jeppesen (American company) shipped from Germany and are written in the kings English. Has anybody ever heard of a way to get these books on a CD? also has anybody heard of a place called eastern european flight training or something like that/??
Join Date: Jun 2007
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ATPL (A) Distance Learning
I have a JAA-PPL with 150 hours , complex singles
I have just signed up to London Metropolitan University to do a distance learning course for ATPL (A) . I want to create a study group for people in London , so that some study can be done together...
I would like your thoughts and anyones thoughts as you are currently doing this course....
Cheers
Dave
I have just signed up to London Metropolitan University to do a distance learning course for ATPL (A) . I want to create a study group for people in London , so that some study can be done together...
I would like your thoughts and anyones thoughts as you are currently doing this course....
Cheers
Dave
Join Date: Aug 2007
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Prices and Course Dates correct at 02 Apr 07
Course Fees
The entire course costs £2100 when bought as a package. This includes both distance learning phases, both classroom phases, all the manuals, CAA publications, the Jeppesen student manual and all the software. Most students prefer to pay a Module at a time, in which case Module 1 is £1300 and Module 2 £800.
Military Bridging courses for RN and RAF fixed wing pilots and AAC Islander pilots cost £820, Bridging courses for Military helicopter pilots cost £700.
Exam Fees
You should also budget for exam fees charged by the CAA. The fees in the UK are £62 per paper and, as there are fourteen exams in the full ATPL(A), that means £496 to be paid directly to the CAA when the first exams are booked and £372 some months later for the Module 2 exams.
Booking Exams
The closing date for exam bookings is usually 14 days before the sitting. You will need to download the appropriate application form from the CAA's website, fill it in, add your credit card details on the last page then send it to us. We will stamp it and send it on to the CAA.
Exam Venues
You can sit the exams at the CAA Exam Centres at Gatwick, Oxford, Shuttleworth and Glasgow. The southern centres usually fill up, although most candidates get their first choice, Glasgow always has space.
Course Dates
Because the first phase of each Module is undertaken by distance learning you can start the course at any time. The two week revision courses at Cheddar are run just before the exams, which are held monthly. You will need to book revision courses about two to three months in advance. The dates for revision courses and exam dates for 2007 are:
Course Fees
The entire course costs £2100 when bought as a package. This includes both distance learning phases, both classroom phases, all the manuals, CAA publications, the Jeppesen student manual and all the software. Most students prefer to pay a Module at a time, in which case Module 1 is £1300 and Module 2 £800.
Military Bridging courses for RN and RAF fixed wing pilots and AAC Islander pilots cost £820, Bridging courses for Military helicopter pilots cost £700.
Exam Fees
You should also budget for exam fees charged by the CAA. The fees in the UK are £62 per paper and, as there are fourteen exams in the full ATPL(A), that means £496 to be paid directly to the CAA when the first exams are booked and £372 some months later for the Module 2 exams.
Booking Exams
The closing date for exam bookings is usually 14 days before the sitting. You will need to download the appropriate application form from the CAA's website, fill it in, add your credit card details on the last page then send it to us. We will stamp it and send it on to the CAA.
Exam Venues
You can sit the exams at the CAA Exam Centres at Gatwick, Oxford, Shuttleworth and Glasgow. The southern centres usually fill up, although most candidates get their first choice, Glasgow always has space.
Course Dates
Because the first phase of each Module is undertaken by distance learning you can start the course at any time. The two week revision courses at Cheddar are run just before the exams, which are held monthly. You will need to book revision courses about two to three months in advance. The dates for revision courses and exam dates for 2007 are: