How much comfort can you take from a PPL?
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: London
How much comfort can you take from a PPL?
Hello Everybody,
Maybe those of you who have achieved the transition from PPL to ATPL (or ATP in the USA) could provide some insight here.
I refer to the ground school exams and theoretical knowledge required.
Clearly ATPL level theory is much larger in scope and more detailed in content than PPL theory, but the basic principles must be the same?
My question is this; Upon gaining your PPL, how much confidence can you take from the PPL exam successes, that you will go on to succeed at the ATPL exams?
Or put another way: The knowledge you learn at PPL level, represents what percentage (10%?, 20%?) of the knowledge you need at ATPL level?
Thanks for any info!
Maybe those of you who have achieved the transition from PPL to ATPL (or ATP in the USA) could provide some insight here.
I refer to the ground school exams and theoretical knowledge required.
Clearly ATPL level theory is much larger in scope and more detailed in content than PPL theory, but the basic principles must be the same?
My question is this; Upon gaining your PPL, how much confidence can you take from the PPL exam successes, that you will go on to succeed at the ATPL exams?
Or put another way: The knowledge you learn at PPL level, represents what percentage (10%?, 20%?) of the knowledge you need at ATPL level?
Thanks for any info!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,876
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From: Here
Working on Superpilot's figures, the ppl ground school is a third of the ATPL ground school!
I suspect it's a MUCH smaller fraction than that!
For the original question - it's not a question of passing or not (anyone can pass any exam) - it's how long you need to study it. How dedicated to the study are you, etc...?
Sam.
I suspect it's a MUCH smaller fraction than that!
For the original question - it's not a question of passing or not (anyone can pass any exam) - it's how long you need to study it. How dedicated to the study are you, etc...?
Sam.
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,246
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From: EU
I'll be perfectly frank about this if you like?
At the time of doing my PPL I thought there was a lot of content but a fair amount of that content was common-sense or touched on subjects I am already familar with. I probably did 2-3 weeks of relaxed study in total and passed very comfortably.
The ATPL I am now doing requires a complete gear change. You have to take it seriously as the amount is massive in comparison and in far more detail. To give you an idea, I've done a third of the course in 2 months moderately intensive study and reckon I've easily exceeded the amount of effort I had to put into the PPL. Of course, it would help if I hadn't moved house twice in those 2 months, had all those days off flying, faffing, sleeping, hung over, more sleeping, more faffing...you get the picture.
Mind you, I am taking the ATPL far more seriously and studying more meticulously because the detail is complicated and because the exams are so far off I really need to bed-in the information. It sometimes also takes me a lot of pondering to work out what is going on! I suppose that's the disadvantage of studying by correspondence.
Edited to point out that it's 9:11 and I was supposed to start studying at 9:00...
At the time of doing my PPL I thought there was a lot of content but a fair amount of that content was common-sense or touched on subjects I am already familar with. I probably did 2-3 weeks of relaxed study in total and passed very comfortably.
The ATPL I am now doing requires a complete gear change. You have to take it seriously as the amount is massive in comparison and in far more detail. To give you an idea, I've done a third of the course in 2 months moderately intensive study and reckon I've easily exceeded the amount of effort I had to put into the PPL. Of course, it would help if I hadn't moved house twice in those 2 months, had all those days off flying, faffing, sleeping, hung over, more sleeping, more faffing...you get the picture.
Mind you, I am taking the ATPL far more seriously and studying more meticulously because the detail is complicated and because the exams are so far off I really need to bed-in the information. It sometimes also takes me a lot of pondering to work out what is going on! I suppose that's the disadvantage of studying by correspondence.
Edited to point out that it's 9:11 and I was supposed to start studying at 9:00...
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: South Wales
Alex from BGS said it was at least 30% in this post:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=302578
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=302578
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: エリア88
I have had good marks without taking my ppl exams too seriously and balancing it with school.
Good luck
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Bristol
Oxford Full Time and Bristol Ground School are sure fire way to get yourself through. In depth PPL knowledge will constitute the skinny side of 30% towards your ATPL exams, although other subjects are not even covered!
Learn your whizz wheel (CRP-5 not the -1) until you can use it so quickly an efficiently that smoke bellows from it! I'm still learning!
Best of Luck!
CR
Learn your whizz wheel (CRP-5 not the -1) until you can use it so quickly an efficiently that smoke bellows from it! I'm still learning!
Best of Luck!
CR
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 15
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From: Essex
I found the PPL books quite easy to understand, and only required me to go through it without major problems, and when it came to the exams, the question asked, by looking at the choices of exams it sort of jogged your memory, which made it easy to select the correct answer.
Now ATPL JAA, well that as mentioned above requires a high understanding, because even when you are asked a question it is so ambiguous, you think to yourself, "What the hell are they asking", the turn the most simple question into something that appears really hard, and to make matters worst, the answers they give you can really confuse, they also might give a statement and just change one word to catch you out, for example a statement may mention "AND" and the other mentions "OR" because you are under pressure, you can easily go off track.
It sad, but true that sometimes these subjects don't try to test your understanding but rather to catch you out.
For example in Performace or Flight Planning, reading off those horrible unclear graphs you could come out with an accurate answer of lets say for eg: 12.5M
Answers available are;
A) 12.3M
B) 12.6M
C) 12.4M
D) 13.0M
Now your answer appears in between 12.4 and 12.6M, the question is what is the correct answer.
Also be aware of the units aswell, as that can sometimes catch you out.
I don't mean to sound negative, but just to make you try and appreciate the jump between PPL to ATPL.
Good Luck.
Now ATPL JAA, well that as mentioned above requires a high understanding, because even when you are asked a question it is so ambiguous, you think to yourself, "What the hell are they asking", the turn the most simple question into something that appears really hard, and to make matters worst, the answers they give you can really confuse, they also might give a statement and just change one word to catch you out, for example a statement may mention "AND" and the other mentions "OR" because you are under pressure, you can easily go off track.
It sad, but true that sometimes these subjects don't try to test your understanding but rather to catch you out.
For example in Performace or Flight Planning, reading off those horrible unclear graphs you could come out with an accurate answer of lets say for eg: 12.5M
Answers available are;
A) 12.3M
B) 12.6M
C) 12.4M
D) 13.0M
Now your answer appears in between 12.4 and 12.6M, the question is what is the correct answer.
Also be aware of the units aswell, as that can sometimes catch you out.
I don't mean to sound negative, but just to make you try and appreciate the jump between PPL to ATPL.
Good Luck.
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: London
I think "RJ" and "118.50" are closer to the mark. It is hard work whatever way you look at it. The content isn't so tough, but the volume of work seems unreal at the time. Work hard, study hard as it worth remember as much as you can for a type rating. Sadly you've also got to learn the system as mentioned above.
Very best of luck
Very best of luck
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 63
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From: Dublin, Ireland.
In relation to what RJ said....
I have just recently completed all the ATPL exams and am working on my CPL. How difficult do people find the type rating?? I studied my ass off in a full time course to get the ATPL's done. Has anyone ever passed all the exams then struggled with the TR theory??
What has peoples experiances been??
I have just recently completed all the ATPL exams and am working on my CPL. How difficult do people find the type rating?? I studied my ass off in a full time course to get the ATPL's done. Has anyone ever passed all the exams then struggled with the TR theory??
What has peoples experiances been??
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 240
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From: Essex, UK
TR Theory v's ATPL
Well I just did a B737 Rating. I didn't find the TR theory more difficult, infact it was easier to understand, I just felt the volume of work was more for a shorter time scale.
A major difference this time round is you can't just hammer Bristol online questions and then tick all the right boxes, you have to understand the material as there is no question bank. (Well not at my TRO)
A major difference this time round is you can't just hammer Bristol online questions and then tick all the right boxes, you have to understand the material as there is no question bank. (Well not at my TRO)
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Horsham, West Sussex
I found the type rating ground school didn't require the level of commitment and hard work that the ATPL's did not to say it was easy, but I found a good foundation of knowledge gained from the ATPL's were definately an advantage for the TR g/s.
However like any aviation training a certain degree of the success of its students depends on the quality of the TR provider.
However like any aviation training a certain degree of the success of its students depends on the quality of the TR provider.
