CPL / IR theory exams vs ATPL groundschool

[Happy Wanderer]

Originally Posted by mcgoo

well put it this way, it took me a week and a half to pass all the PPL exams, its taken me 9 months for the ATPL exams

McGoo, I assume you must have studied for weeks/months beforehand, and then taken all seven exams in 10 days?? Or did you learn the Confuser back to front without picking up a theory book. Perhaps you went down the FAA route and did the one exam you apparently need to do States-side. . .

The PPL exams aren't easy and in my experience take time (weeks/months) if you want to learn the subjects thoroughly. I'm about four weeks into the ATPLs via distance learning, and the principal differences are ones of breadth and depth; underlying principles are identical, there's just loads (and I mean LOADS) of it.

Just to reiterate what others have said on this point; if you plan on doing the ATPLs, then make the PPL exams count. The more you learn at PPL stage, the easier it is to understand the big stuff when you come to it.

HW

[mcgoo]

no, I did JAA, I didn't use the confuser, just hard work, excellent evening classroom tuition (thanks echomike), computer based training.

[XL319]

have to say i didnt find them as easy as i thought i would, failed one or 2 the first time. Easiest i found was the Nav, Met and A/C perf, however Mass & Balance is evil! I would have even equated the PPL theory exams as being of AS Level. Would people say the ATPL are degree standard?

[Happy Wanderer]

I've heard people say the ATPLs are roughly A Level standard. It's not the complexity that's the problem, it's the shear volume of stuff that needs to be learned - and presumably remembered

HW