Is there anyone out there.....
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Is there anyone out there.....
.....who is studying by distance learning and slowly losing the will to live?!
I am finding it increasingly lonely and difficult and was wondering how many of you wanabees started by distance learning and decided to go residential instead? If so, did going residential get you the results you wanted?
Any comments anyone has gratefully received
Cheers
CM
I am finding it increasingly lonely and difficult and was wondering how many of you wanabees started by distance learning and decided to go residential instead? If so, did going residential get you the results you wanted?
Any comments anyone has gratefully received
Cheers
CM
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It happens to most of us!
You need to take a week off - literally lock the books out of sight and go away.
Not far away, even stay at home, but take a break and go to airports. Stand on the perimeter roads near the threshold (you might get moved on but in my experience they will leave you alone); let the Airbuses and the Boeings and turboprops pass over your head; smell the fuel; go inside the terminal and be an anorak for a few days; check out the pilots; watch them walking to the planes; see them on the flightdeck - that's where you want to be!
You went down this road for a reason: now go back and remind yourself WHY you did!!
You're almost there, mate!!
You need to take a week off - literally lock the books out of sight and go away.
Not far away, even stay at home, but take a break and go to airports. Stand on the perimeter roads near the threshold (you might get moved on but in my experience they will leave you alone); let the Airbuses and the Boeings and turboprops pass over your head; smell the fuel; go inside the terminal and be an anorak for a few days; check out the pilots; watch them walking to the planes; see them on the flightdeck - that's where you want to be!
You went down this road for a reason: now go back and remind yourself WHY you did!!
You're almost there, mate!!
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Thanks Farrell and Rubber Dagger, thought I was losing my mind but it seems I am not the only one out there! Yes, I need to remind myself why I'm doing this, a trip to Manchester International Airport is definately on the cards for this weekend, without anorak of course!
Out of interest, did you both do distance learning, and where are you up to now? The lack of social contact with like minded individuals is the hardest part of distance learning I think!
Cheers
Out of interest, did you both do distance learning, and where are you up to now? The lack of social contact with like minded individuals is the hardest part of distance learning I think!
Cheers
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.... losing the will to live is even worse when you dont want to sit on the flight deck but be a middle aged flying instructor.
Its hard going through the high speed flight stuff in PoF and the Jet M & B when you only want to help someone learn to fly a Cessna or the like.
Its hard going through the high speed flight stuff in PoF and the Jet M & B when you only want to help someone learn to fly a Cessna or the like.
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Capt M
We can all relate to your situation and Farrell offers sound advice about reminding yourself 'why'. I've kept my sanity by occasionally going flying.
I've been DL since last November on top of full time job, a child who wakes up 2 or 3 times every night, an over 30 something memory loss, a very understanding wife who tries not to let the fact that I want to take a pay cut get to her, and everyone I speak to saying they have never used what they learnt. It has been a long long slog. However, I've got 10 first time passes, a very respectable average (well above the BA reqt) and sit my last 4 exams next week. And here's the bizarre thing, I think I am going to miss studying every single night and weekend. Not!
We can only hope it's all worth it. Chin up.
We can all relate to your situation and Farrell offers sound advice about reminding yourself 'why'. I've kept my sanity by occasionally going flying.
I've been DL since last November on top of full time job, a child who wakes up 2 or 3 times every night, an over 30 something memory loss, a very understanding wife who tries not to let the fact that I want to take a pay cut get to her, and everyone I speak to saying they have never used what they learnt. It has been a long long slog. However, I've got 10 first time passes, a very respectable average (well above the BA reqt) and sit my last 4 exams next week. And here's the bizarre thing, I think I am going to miss studying every single night and weekend. Not!
We can only hope it's all worth it. Chin up.
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.... losing the will to live is even worse when you dont want to sit on the flight deck but be a middle aged flying instructor.
Its hard going through the high speed flight stuff in PoF and the Jet M & B when you only want to help someone learn to fly a Cessna or the like.
Its hard going through the high speed flight stuff in PoF and the Jet M & B when you only want to help someone learn to fly a Cessna or the like.
So yes, I DO understand about losing the will to live!
Cheers
Whirls
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Rob's dad
Thanks for your words of encouragement, sounds like you're well on the way to getting all 14 in the bag first time, well done! Yes, even though I've only been doing it for 2 months I realise I have a long slog ahead of me, losing the will to live for sure BUT not the will to one day be where I want to be!
To all who've replied to my thread, thank you!
CM
Thanks for your words of encouragement, sounds like you're well on the way to getting all 14 in the bag first time, well done! Yes, even though I've only been doing it for 2 months I realise I have a long slog ahead of me, losing the will to live for sure BUT not the will to one day be where I want to be!
To all who've replied to my thread, thank you!
CM
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You just have to want it, and work like ****
I started distance learning July 2004, Nov 2004, March 2005 you get the picture, its absolute torture! I would have still been distance leaning but realised my 60-80 hour working week was not helping, I made some changes and started full time ground school April 2006 and will be finished by Dec.
Full time has been ok for me there is no magic, 30 hours of lectures a week - range from excellent to complete waste of time and you still have to go back to a very small room every night and attempt to memorise facts and figures (sorry consolidate!) The main advantage for me so far with full time is that someone else tells me the exam dates, we fill out some forms, pay a lot of money for them and I ensure I pass them (so far anyway!).
I think you can do it distance learning and I know a lot of people who have done it that way, I think you need some support and to pick the pace up, you can not learn it all, scan the material, do as many question papers as you can, learn how the questions are asked, this was a shock for me in the first series of exams I sat subjects like Met, POF, M&B etc. I knew the subjects had done "some" questions, passed them all but can not emphasise enough how important it is to learn the style of how the questions are asked and favourite areas of questions from different subjects.
I have also being surprised by the amount of repetition, all subjects go hand in hand with at least one other subject and when you get in the exam you will also find this, I had performance questions in my POF exam and others.
Bottom line is don't try and learn everything (you can't), try and find someone who is interested in your studies a fellow student at a similar stage (preferable sharper than oneself for explaining things) or even an instructor who can run through a few thing to break it up a bit, get as many feedback/example questions as you can - start now!, get your brush-up/ exams booked now!
Best of luck
JL..............
Full time has been ok for me there is no magic, 30 hours of lectures a week - range from excellent to complete waste of time and you still have to go back to a very small room every night and attempt to memorise facts and figures (sorry consolidate!) The main advantage for me so far with full time is that someone else tells me the exam dates, we fill out some forms, pay a lot of money for them and I ensure I pass them (so far anyway!).
I think you can do it distance learning and I know a lot of people who have done it that way, I think you need some support and to pick the pace up, you can not learn it all, scan the material, do as many question papers as you can, learn how the questions are asked, this was a shock for me in the first series of exams I sat subjects like Met, POF, M&B etc. I knew the subjects had done "some" questions, passed them all but can not emphasise enough how important it is to learn the style of how the questions are asked and favourite areas of questions from different subjects.
I have also being surprised by the amount of repetition, all subjects go hand in hand with at least one other subject and when you get in the exam you will also find this, I had performance questions in my POF exam and others.
Bottom line is don't try and learn everything (you can't), try and find someone who is interested in your studies a fellow student at a similar stage (preferable sharper than oneself for explaining things) or even an instructor who can run through a few thing to break it up a bit, get as many feedback/example questions as you can - start now!, get your brush-up/ exams booked now!
Best of luck
JL..............
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I started my distance learning with Bristol in September 2001. I did this whilst still working full time doing shift work. A 50-60 hour week with 5am starts and some midnight finishes was normal for me. About a year into it, I stopped studying for a year as I was getting demoralised with not doing as much as I would like. I use to come home from work at teatime somedays and fall asleep on the sofa. When I woke up, I would be in no mood to study plus I was probably due to be back up at 4am for work the next day.
I decided to go to the bank and borrow some cash so as I could stop doing all the overtime that I had been doing in order to survive and just did basic my hours. I also took all my days off when able to do so. I completed all 14 exams in December 2004. So from beginning to end was 3 years with a 1 year break in the middle of it.
One bit of advice. Have a spare A4 size ring binder and take out of your study pack the chapters that you are currently studying and put them into the separate folder whilst you read them and do the progress test. Once you have passed that particular progress test, put the chapters back into you study pack and move onto the next chapters for studying. This way you will not get demoralised so easy. Take one chapter at a time and don't look to far ahead. You will be surprised how quick you will get through it all.
I left school with poor exam results. This did not stop me eventually passed all 14 exams. Gen Nav on the 3rd attempt. Its your CPL and IR flight test you want to try and pass first time. That's what counts.
Bristol are great and I would not have done any other way. I have a wife, daughter and mortgage to think of so was unable to give work up. Don't give up and keep going forward. You will get there if you keep going. I cant believe I got through all that stuff.
I have never read a novel in my life but read every single word in the Bristol stuff from beginning to end. I remember the day their stuff arrived in the post. Nearly had a heart attack. But I got through it.
Check your PM Captain Melly
Sorry for the poor grammar, just got in off nightshift.
I decided to go to the bank and borrow some cash so as I could stop doing all the overtime that I had been doing in order to survive and just did basic my hours. I also took all my days off when able to do so. I completed all 14 exams in December 2004. So from beginning to end was 3 years with a 1 year break in the middle of it.
One bit of advice. Have a spare A4 size ring binder and take out of your study pack the chapters that you are currently studying and put them into the separate folder whilst you read them and do the progress test. Once you have passed that particular progress test, put the chapters back into you study pack and move onto the next chapters for studying. This way you will not get demoralised so easy. Take one chapter at a time and don't look to far ahead. You will be surprised how quick you will get through it all.
I left school with poor exam results. This did not stop me eventually passed all 14 exams. Gen Nav on the 3rd attempt. Its your CPL and IR flight test you want to try and pass first time. That's what counts.
Bristol are great and I would not have done any other way. I have a wife, daughter and mortgage to think of so was unable to give work up. Don't give up and keep going forward. You will get there if you keep going. I cant believe I got through all that stuff.
I have never read a novel in my life but read every single word in the Bristol stuff from beginning to end. I remember the day their stuff arrived in the post. Nearly had a heart attack. But I got through it.
Check your PM Captain Melly
Sorry for the poor grammar, just got in off nightshift.
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Hello,
I was several time in the same situation than yours.
I even stopped my distance learning during one year,
too much stress added by a complex family life and
a stressfull job.
But after a 6 month period of employement and thousand
questions latter I decided to restart my training.
(I realised it really want to be a pilot)
But to cope with the cost of an expensive training, I
needed a well paid job and I was in the same stress
than before my fisrt crash but with my convictions.
Now I still have 5 certificates to pass in December and
when I need to cope with difficulties I spend some time
in the Orly Paris airport to see planes, pilots from around
the world and then I feel better.
Good luck my friend and
"don't give up because you have friends".
A+MD
I was several time in the same situation than yours.
I even stopped my distance learning during one year,
too much stress added by a complex family life and
a stressfull job.
But after a 6 month period of employement and thousand
questions latter I decided to restart my training.
(I realised it really want to be a pilot)
But to cope with the cost of an expensive training, I
needed a well paid job and I was in the same stress
than before my fisrt crash but with my convictions.
Now I still have 5 certificates to pass in December and
when I need to cope with difficulties I spend some time
in the Orly Paris airport to see planes, pilots from around
the world and then I feel better.
Good luck my friend and
"don't give up because you have friends".
A+MD
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I started D/L with Naples Air Centre and took time off to study, being sat in the house with a fridge and tv near bywas a disaster, just couldn't get into and went residential at Glasgow Nautical College, being in class with others pushed you along as you didn't want to mess up the tests and be left behind also having the exam dates set by the course gave you someting to aim at, passed all 14 in jig time 92% average. Would recommend full time personally.
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Hang in there mate,
I staryed distance learning under the old CAA system without the benefit of all the feedback there is around now. I gave up and came back to it full time some years later. I regret that decision because although I now have my licence, I'm also pretty ancient. Full time will definitely be easier, but what ever you do, devote yourself to aviation and do it sooner rather than later.
I can help you with any subjects you're finding hard.
Good luck.
I staryed distance learning under the old CAA system without the benefit of all the feedback there is around now. I gave up and came back to it full time some years later. I regret that decision because although I now have my licence, I'm also pretty ancient. Full time will definitely be easier, but what ever you do, devote yourself to aviation and do it sooner rather than later.
I can help you with any subjects you're finding hard.
Good luck.
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Hello again Captain Melly,
I did my ATPL's with Oxford by DL. I know exactly what you are going thru, and do thousands of others, it took me a solid 12 months to get them cracked, i was fortunate enough to pass 13 out of the 14 at the first attempt, slipped up on flight planning, cracked it the second time. I was and still am in full time employment as a fire-fighter with Greater Manchester, i now instruct on a part time basis, spreading myself very thinly between Lancashire Aero Club at Barton and Manchester School of Flying at EGCC.
Just keep going, you will get there in the end.
Good Luck
PM me if you think i can be of any help.
I did my ATPL's with Oxford by DL. I know exactly what you are going thru, and do thousands of others, it took me a solid 12 months to get them cracked, i was fortunate enough to pass 13 out of the 14 at the first attempt, slipped up on flight planning, cracked it the second time. I was and still am in full time employment as a fire-fighter with Greater Manchester, i now instruct on a part time basis, spreading myself very thinly between Lancashire Aero Club at Barton and Manchester School of Flying at EGCC.
Just keep going, you will get there in the end.
Good Luck
PM me if you think i can be of any help.
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even if you study 10 minutes a day, it is still 10 minutes !
everyday, read a least a chapter! this will keep your mental focused.
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Fail to understand this bit:-
quote "I left school with poor exam results. This did not stop me eventually passed all 14 exams. Gen Nav on the 3rd attempt. Its your CPL and IR flight test you want to try and pass first time. That's what counts." unquote Why is this what counts?
Just pass the things. If it takes you more than once, so what? Ok, it's more expense! You ask a lot of people if they passed the IR first time, I bet quite a few didnt.
The CPL test is basically an extension of your ppl to stricter tolerance, but if you hour build sensibly, instead of bashing the cct every weekend, then you'll do fine.
As for the Distance Learning, good advice from those above. Take a break from it and even a week of no study, really helps you get focussed again.
ps, I didn't pass my IR test first time!
Just pass the things. If it takes you more than once, so what? Ok, it's more expense! You ask a lot of people if they passed the IR first time, I bet quite a few didnt.
The CPL test is basically an extension of your ppl to stricter tolerance, but if you hour build sensibly, instead of bashing the cct every weekend, then you'll do fine.
As for the Distance Learning, good advice from those above. Take a break from it and even a week of no study, really helps you get focussed again.
ps, I didn't pass my IR test first time!
Better red than ...
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Dump the books for a week and go do some flying to remember what its for.
On which subject, holding at 4000ft on the Sheffield NDB on Thursday night You could see York it was clear.
PS KMS, JG sends regards this AM.. e
h-r
You could see York it was clear.PS KMS, JG sends regards this AM.. e
h-r
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My CV does not say how many times I attempted to pass each ATPL exam and on all on line application, I have never been asked this. What does keep coming up is "On what attempt did you pass your IR skills test"
This is what counts in application more than those poxy ATPL exams. I meet pilots everyday in my job and if I had a pound for everytime a pilot tells me he has forgotten most of that stuff and that they don't use it any how, I would be as rich as an Emirates Pilot.
Just get through the progress test, get on the 2 week brush up course and do your best. Try not to have to re sit all 14 exams again if you cock up.
Try and convert a room at home into some sort of study and have good soft music playing on the computer. The number of times I would go up to my study mid evening and the next thing you know, it was 4 am. That happened quite often. The time flew by.
And I repeat what I said earlier, never read a novel in my life but quite enjoyed reading every single word in the Bristol Books.
And I did very badly at English and maths at school. Trigonometry, could not remember that from school. If I can do it, anyone can.
Polar Stereographic Scale Alterations ?????? (cannot remember if this is spelt correctly) What's all that about.
Other bit of advice. When you are doing Climatology, buy a world map that is laminated and get red, blue and green marker pens. Then mark on the map all the hot and cold sea currents onto it. Mark all the winter and summer high and low pressures onto it. Mark onto it as neatly as you can all that bull**** about the weather monsoons in India and it will help you remember some of it. The Labrador Current and all the other markings are still on mine on my study room wall.
Just concentrate on the chapters you need to do for the next progress test that you are aiming to do,take one step at a time and you will be fine. Through out all your training, never look to far ahead or you will get demoralised.
August 1999, PPL Welshpool in 4 weeks.
March 2000, Bought a share in a Cessna for hour building.
September 2001, Start Bristol Ground School
August 2004, Last ATPL exam done.
Jan - May 2005 CPL
May - Sept 2005 IR
Oct 2005 MCC.
Oct 2005 to present, looking for that first job.
Rome was not built in a day for a modular guy who cannot afford to give up work.
Never give up and keep going in the right direction and remember, there is always someone behind you in their dreams, wishing they were in your shoes with regards their training or the job you are in.
This is what counts in application more than those poxy ATPL exams. I meet pilots everyday in my job and if I had a pound for everytime a pilot tells me he has forgotten most of that stuff and that they don't use it any how, I would be as rich as an Emirates Pilot.
Just get through the progress test, get on the 2 week brush up course and do your best. Try not to have to re sit all 14 exams again if you cock up.
Try and convert a room at home into some sort of study and have good soft music playing on the computer. The number of times I would go up to my study mid evening and the next thing you know, it was 4 am. That happened quite often. The time flew by.
And I repeat what I said earlier, never read a novel in my life but quite enjoyed reading every single word in the Bristol Books.
And I did very badly at English and maths at school. Trigonometry, could not remember that from school. If I can do it, anyone can.
Polar Stereographic Scale Alterations ?????? (cannot remember if this is spelt correctly) What's all that about.
Other bit of advice. When you are doing Climatology, buy a world map that is laminated and get red, blue and green marker pens. Then mark on the map all the hot and cold sea currents onto it. Mark all the winter and summer high and low pressures onto it. Mark onto it as neatly as you can all that bull**** about the weather monsoons in India and it will help you remember some of it. The Labrador Current and all the other markings are still on mine on my study room wall.
Just concentrate on the chapters you need to do for the next progress test that you are aiming to do,take one step at a time and you will be fine. Through out all your training, never look to far ahead or you will get demoralised.
August 1999, PPL Welshpool in 4 weeks.
March 2000, Bought a share in a Cessna for hour building.
September 2001, Start Bristol Ground School
August 2004, Last ATPL exam done.
Jan - May 2005 CPL
May - Sept 2005 IR
Oct 2005 MCC.
Oct 2005 to present, looking for that first job.
Rome was not built in a day for a modular guy who cannot afford to give up work.
Never give up and keep going in the right direction and remember, there is always someone behind you in their dreams, wishing they were in your shoes with regards their training or the job you are in.
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It can be done
Capt M
Thought an update on my earlier post might give you some further motivation: found out this morning passed all 14 exams first go with a 94% average (apologies if this sounds like blowing my own trumpet - not meant that way). It's been a roller coaster of a year, but all the sacrifice has finally paid off. So, it really can be done - keep the faith!
RD
Thought an update on my earlier post might give you some further motivation: found out this morning passed all 14 exams first go with a 94% average (apologies if this sounds like blowing my own trumpet - not meant that way). It's been a roller coaster of a year, but all the sacrifice has finally paid off. So, it really can be done - keep the faith!
RD