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how confident were you when you took your exams?

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how confident were you when you took your exams?

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Old 7th Jan 2003, 16:57
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how confident where you when you took your exams?

Hi everyone.

I am coming to the end of studying module 1 ATPLs and just wondered, after looking back through what I have done and getting quite scared. Some of the stuff that I have ticked off as "done" on the frame plan sheet, I can't even remember! I look trhrough it and can't remember a single thing about it. I have been 4 months at module 1, and like I said, am coming to the end.

I do have the 2 week course still to book but how long do you think I should leave it before i finally book it. I don't feel that confident to tell the truth. How confident where you when you went for the brush up?

Or...am I just being too scared!? There sure is an awful lot to remember
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Old 7th Jan 2003, 17:21
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I'm in exactly the same boat as you OBK!

Just finished the module 1 material, and have booked myself onto Feb brush-up. Yes, I agree looking back at it all is quite intimidating, but my plan is to revise revise revise, and do as many feedback papers as possible to highlight any gaps in my knowledge. Hopefully the two week brush-up should provide the final 'polish'.......hopefully.

Good luck.
Iain
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Old 7th Jan 2003, 17:42
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Hi OBK!

I know how you feel - I am on Frame 10 of module 1 with Bristol. Looking back is quite daunting. That's why I don't look back too often!

I have planned to work through each frame, doing the progress tests as I go along. I then plan to go through all the frames again and make notes. If you've been able to do the progress tests then your doing fine - you have the knowledge somewhere in your brain, you now have to devise a revision mechanism to trigger a retrieval. (If your familiar with computer programming, then consider it the same as a 'pointer', i.e. you have to manage it carefully or you lose the data you were referring to).

It's up to you how you make this 'pointer'. Personally, I find bullet point notes useful. I am still hour building at the moment, so what I try to do is incorporate what I have learnt from Bristol in my everyday flying. For example, I couldn’t for the life of me remember the different relationships between aircraft weight types in the weight and balance frame, i.e. Dry Operating mass, Traffic load etc.. so I used MS Word to make a weight and balance sheet/PLOG to use with my hour building. Sure you get a few funny looks when Instructors see you calculating your disposable load in a PA28, but screw those who take the p!ss - it means I am practising it on a regular basis.

I try to do the same with many other subjects i.e. met, flight planning and navigation. If it can't be used (like a lot of the instruments stuff) then I make notes.

I also plan to keep going through the progress tests till I cry with boredom

Good luck, remember there are others in exactly the same boat (or plane). I'm sure you'll be fine.

Bodie
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Old 7th Jan 2003, 18:49
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Thanks ppl! I'm glad to see that there's other ppl in the same position. I will also be going on the Feb course. I might book it tomorow infact, hope ther's still a place available!

Might see you there iainpoll!
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Old 7th Jan 2003, 19:18
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It's easy for me to say don't worry but ........ don't worry. The guys down at Bristol really know there stuff and as long as you have put the work in beforehand they will teach you what you need to know to pass the exams. Try to complete the frames a week before you go to the brushup and use that week to revise the basics. I managed to pass all of mod 1 first time so they can't be that bad
Good luck
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Old 7th Jan 2003, 20:25
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Feb is full

I tried in Mid December to book on the Feb Bristol course and Noush said it was full. There was already one person on the stand-by list for Feb.

Good luck!

Dave
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Old 7th Jan 2003, 20:28
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Ahhh! Bagga. Looks like March then! Oh well cheers for the inside.
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Old 7th Jan 2003, 20:37
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Check PM

OBK

Please check your PM
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Old 7th Jan 2003, 22:25
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Did Mod 1 ground school in Nov. Passed all eights exams.

I had 5 weeks before brush up, too long I could have done with 3. That was after about 3 months full time to do the 14 frames. I then went back through the whole course and did the tests on my pc, kept doing them until I got good passes on them all. If I didn't know the answer I looked it up. That isn't cheating its making sure you know the answer, cos you still get some wrong.

Like the other guys say the instructors at Bristol really know there stuff. Plan on working 7-midnight every night plus both weekends. I can't wait until March for Mod 2 brush-up

dmdrewit send me a PM, where are you flying from?

You guys should be studying not checking the latest PPRUNE posts! Tee Hee
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Old 8th Jan 2003, 07:22
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Yeah don't overstress OBK, I actually don't think anyone ever feels 100% ready to do the exams and I remember having the exact same thoughts when I was trying to decide when to put in for them.

As long as you get through all the material before going for your brushup, you'll be amazed how much is crammed into the two weeks at BGS ! Put it this way, don't plan too much for your evenings whilst down there !

If you can maybe spend a week or two going over all the material again (or as much as you can) before going back to BGS as I did, that helped, but if not, don't stress as the team will go through it again. It really does bring you upto speed for the exams. Worked for me anyway on both modules.

Good luck.

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Old 8th Jan 2003, 08:01
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Bristol Brush Up - March

Well, thats 3 of us on the March Bristol Course.

OBK!
dmdrewitt
TheDream

Anyone else booked on the March course (Mod 1 or 2) and want to send me a pm. Then there wont be 22 strangers there!

Dave
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Old 8th Jan 2003, 09:22
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Can't agree more with the posters who said don't worry - this is normal.

Book yourself onto the brush-up as soon as you've got a reasonable idea when you're finished - about 2/3 of the way through the module worked for me. Try to do the brush-up as soon as possible after you finish the module - there's no point sitting around forgetting things for any longer than necessary.

But once you get to Bristol, you'll find that it all comes back pretty quickly. The instructors are superb, and the course is entirely geared towards people like us, who learnt the stuff recently but don't remember any of it right now! You'll cover absolutely everything at lightening speed - too fast to be able to learn it from scratch, but ideal as a refresher if you can't remember any of it! You'll also get more practice papers than you can shake a CRP-5 at, and by the end of the two weeks you'll be totally ready for the exams. Hopefully!

Good luck!

FFF
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Old 8th Jan 2003, 10:15
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Wow this thread is VERY re-assuring! i'm on the Jan 20 course (mod 1) at BGS. The nerves are approaching a peak!

Anyone else going to be there??
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Old 8th Jan 2003, 10:32
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Thumbs up confidence?

for what it's worth, i'll put my two cents in.

i know how you feel. and i can honestly say that even when i walked out after taking the tests, i still didn't have any confidence. primarily anger at being subjected to such an insane useless process.

but as i passed meteo, ops procedures, the two comms and mass and balance, in the Dec tests, and earlier air law, and human remains, i can breath.

i went through small panics right before the tests, and right before opening the notice.

just took performance, principles of flight and instruments this week and have no idea whether i passed or not.

looking back, get the feedback questions by heart and in my humble opinion, all you need to really understand, is enough of the theory to understand fully the feedback answers.

all that other reading i did actually was a waste. you can know the subject, but their questions are such oblique, slanted plays on words, that one really has no idea what they are asking sometimes!

i am using Bristol and it has worked thus far. it is not easy, but really not rocket science either. they are worth their weight in gold. they will go through the insane process with you. just calling Noush and hearing her voice on the phone will raise the dead and make you feel that you can conquer the world.
Jacqueline will melt the fears away as well. Alex will put up with a student's insanity and Ken will open the principle of flight clouds that might be in your head.

but i am in a different category than most. 5000+ hours in the left seat B737 actually is a detrement in this case. in the real world of flying, you deal with real things. but these tests are unreal and totally disconnected with the actual events.

so treat it like another game. learn the questions and the answers.

back to the books for me now.
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Old 8th Jan 2003, 11:46
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Poontang,

Yes, I'll be there... but I'll be on Mod 2.

FFF
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Old 9th Jan 2003, 17:30
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Hi OBK.

Know the feeling. Had to write the JAA ATP while flying full-time on a validation - not fun. Can only agree with Mr. Vane: do as many feedbacks as you possibly can, never mind the books at this stage. You'll do fine.

Regards,

Bug
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Old 9th Jan 2003, 18:44
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Thanks everyone for your support! Just had a confidence boost aswell, got some high scores in some progress tests.

Cant' wait now! lol.
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Old 9th Jan 2003, 21:39
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the best I guess is to do the questions/ answers at a regular time.1 to 2 h per day.
send the question for correction. try to understand where u were wrong. 2 weeks before brush up, reopen ur binders, go fast from page 1 to the the end, and on a sheet of paper, report main key points.

if you have problem on calculations of wind correction, drift..., take back your computer and fill the gaps in your mind.

I dont know, if I am right.but when I did my US ATP and my cfi license, I used these sytem and I pass all tests from privat to ATP.

module 2 is much easier than mod 1.
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Old 10th Jan 2003, 00:00
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OBK!
I know exactly how you feel. I'm also with BGS and will add to those already in praise. I finished Mod 1 exams today and felt that we had all been very well prepared in the brush up. I say 'felt', we'll see what's in the brown envelope in 10 day's time!

Best of luck, you'll be fine.
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Old 12th Jan 2003, 02:23
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Wink

Hi there,

I'm sort of in the same situation as the rest of you.

9400 hours TT. Canadian and FAA ATPL, Canadian A-320 Type Rating.

In the wilds of frozen Canada, struggling to get through module 1 of the Bristol Groundschool course. With a UK work permit on my passport as motivation


My main thought at this point is "I'm trying to think, but nothing's happening". However I'm starting to believe I'm normal in that respect. You folks have rebuilt a certain amount of my faith and I thank you for it. Plus I've done well in distance learning in the past.

The distance is a bit of an obstical. It's not like I can drive over to Bristol and get some moral support.

So, I'll borrow a philosopy from Sun Tzu which states "all battles are decided before they are ever fought".

I know there are only a very limited number of multiple choice questions on the exams. My though is that the examiners cannot get very esoteric lest they be forced to omit core materials. So it really boils down to what questions are on the exam.

Is this is where the "feedback questions" I've seen references to come in?

If there is a reasonably accurate and complete database of these questions then my best strategy is to do the basic course, then come over and do the brushup course.

On the other hand, if I can do the course and have a reasonable chance of passing it without doing the brushup couse, I can save myself considerable money. There are limited facilities for doing the exams in the U.S., I'd save 2 weeks time and living expenses.

So, I guess my core question might be as follows. Do you think I'd have a reasonable chance of passing the exams without doing the brushup course?

Any other comments or suggestions would be welcome.

Cheers

Norm...who's thinking of booking himself onto the March brushup course. Hope there's still room.
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