how confident were you when you took your exams?
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Hi Groo.
I was in a similar boat to yours, it seems. No brush-up course (no time, out committing aviation all the time). When I started mine JAR had not been in action that long and there were few books or questions, so I used a bunch of American, Norwegian, British and South African books to cover what was published as the syllabus and then did every single question I could get my hands on. Most were "old style" and not really the kind you'll see now but they helped me remember a lot of all the useless shyte that you forget the day you passed your first exams, but some were written down by guys who had just walked out of the exam room. I understand many of the better schools now have whole data-bases of these, so go root 'em out!
Bit depressing that these exams are so spectacularly unrelated to everyday flying that years of flying experience don't help a bit.
The best of luck to you.
Bug
I was in a similar boat to yours, it seems. No brush-up course (no time, out committing aviation all the time). When I started mine JAR had not been in action that long and there were few books or questions, so I used a bunch of American, Norwegian, British and South African books to cover what was published as the syllabus and then did every single question I could get my hands on. Most were "old style" and not really the kind you'll see now but they helped me remember a lot of all the useless shyte that you forget the day you passed your first exams, but some were written down by guys who had just walked out of the exam room. I understand many of the better schools now have whole data-bases of these, so go root 'em out!
Bit depressing that these exams are so spectacularly unrelated to everyday flying that years of flying experience don't help a bit.
The best of luck to you.
Bug
Join Date: May 2002
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Brush up considered essential
Hi Groo
I am currenlty studying Mod 1 at Bristol. I consider the Brush up to be a essential part of the overall course. I would suggest the time will be very well spent.
I think you should talk to Alex at Bristol if that is what you are considering. He is the person with the knowledge to advise you correctly.
Regards
Dave
I am currenlty studying Mod 1 at Bristol. I consider the Brush up to be a essential part of the overall course. I would suggest the time will be very well spent.
I think you should talk to Alex at Bristol if that is what you are considering. He is the person with the knowledge to advise you correctly.
Regards
Dave
Why do it if it's not fun?
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First of all the brush-up is not just essential, it's compulsary... at least, it is for those of us who are required to follow an approved course (i.e. most of us). Groo - I assume, since you're considering not doing the brush-up, that you're exempt from this by virtue of your experience?
Groo, I'm a bit worried by what you're saying. When I came to do the brush-up, I'd forgotten much of the course, that's true... but I certainly made sure I understood it when I was studying it. I don't believe you'll be able to pass the exams, with or without brush-up, unless you fully understood the vast majority of the course when you submitted your progress tests. I've found everyone at Bristol very responsive to e-mail queries - if there's something you don't understand, just send Noush an e-mail, she'll forward it on to the instructors, and you should have a detailed reply within a day - I can't see any reason why distance should cause a problem.
There is no database of questions in the same way as the FAA have a database. The "feedback" which you hear us talking about is feedback from students, who will often tell the schools what they remember about the questions after the exams. They will only be as accurate as the students' memories, and although you'll recognise lots of questions I doubt the feedback is complete. I don't know about others, but when I go to an exam I'm more worried about figuring out the answer than remembering the question. Don't get me wrong - feedback is an essential part of the studying, particularly with some of the more "obscure" questions whic the CAA have been known to ask. But you will need more than that to get you through the exams.
Bristol have a list of local accomodation, most of which is extremely cheap. Living expenses is not a good reason to not do the brush-up - it will be a tiny proportion of the cost of flight training.
Good luck!
FFF
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Groo, I'm a bit worried by what you're saying. When I came to do the brush-up, I'd forgotten much of the course, that's true... but I certainly made sure I understood it when I was studying it. I don't believe you'll be able to pass the exams, with or without brush-up, unless you fully understood the vast majority of the course when you submitted your progress tests. I've found everyone at Bristol very responsive to e-mail queries - if there's something you don't understand, just send Noush an e-mail, she'll forward it on to the instructors, and you should have a detailed reply within a day - I can't see any reason why distance should cause a problem.
There is no database of questions in the same way as the FAA have a database. The "feedback" which you hear us talking about is feedback from students, who will often tell the schools what they remember about the questions after the exams. They will only be as accurate as the students' memories, and although you'll recognise lots of questions I doubt the feedback is complete. I don't know about others, but when I go to an exam I'm more worried about figuring out the answer than remembering the question. Don't get me wrong - feedback is an essential part of the studying, particularly with some of the more "obscure" questions whic the CAA have been known to ask. But you will need more than that to get you through the exams.
Bristol have a list of local accomodation, most of which is extremely cheap. Living expenses is not a good reason to not do the brush-up - it will be a tiny proportion of the cost of flight training.
Good luck!
FFF
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