JALS CBT feedback required
 

Hi all,

Does anybody have any feedback in respect of using Bristol GS's JALS computer based training package?

I'm certain I would do well using his method of distance learning if it was good (at least as good as the manuals).

Obviously, Bristol GS give it a very good write up (and it seems very good from what I have read), but does anyone here have anything good or bad to say about it? Does it cover everything...is it kept up to date...etc.etc. I could just ask Bristol GS of course...

Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Rob

I'm just about to give up on Bgs. So far I've found that some of the material not written very well and with a few typo's which have been time consuming trying to discover what it actually meant. Now my biggest problem is that I am studying with an overseas CPL background knowledge. Even with ICAO there is big differances in training material between countries. If I had a UK licence back ground, then all the stuff that you should know prior to undertaking the course would be there. So again I'm spending so much time trying to understand stuff that I should know but have never come across before and of course there isn't an explaination! I'm getting very frustrated with the whole thing. I find myself wanting to phone them every hour that I study.
Now I'm not trying to slate BSG at all. They have been very pleasant and tried to help as best as possible. I'm sure things would be much easier if I had done UK aviation study prior to starting.
I'm going to do a residential course now instead so that I can put my hand up and ask questions!!!!

There are some neat animations in the CBT eg. with gyros and some of the more obscure hydraulic/pneumatic devices that sometimes help illuminate the paper notes. The text (AFAIK) is identical between the paper notes and the CBT.

Updates are released regularly onto the website (they've just re-written HPL around revised feedback), so I think they're pretty up to date. Personally I find paper notes easier though. You can read them anywhere (including sadly the lobby at Gatwick), make notes inline and remember page numbers !

I think the differentiating factor between schools now though is the quality of their feedback, brush up courses, student support and instructors. Notes have become something of a commodity eg. Bristol are contracted to maintain the notes for several other schools.

Feedback is pretty much a numbers game, the more students you put through, the better feedback you have, thus creating a virtuous circle. Support for the distance learning process is essential though and the jals forum is excellent for helping you along as you can see.

I passed all 14 exams first attempt with flying colours. I am no grade A student but what I did do was prepare!!! No course will cover everything that is asked in the exams.

I followed Bristols CBT package and used the texts as well, as I prefer to read, highlight ,and scribble my own notes as well. Whenever I had a question it was promptly answered by the BGS staff. Then a couple of weeks before the exams all I did was practice exams. I also searched for any non-BGS practice exams. If I made any errors I would find out what the correct answer was, and find out WHY it was so.

I highly recommend BGS, their product and service are number one in my book. Feel free to pm me if you like. :ok:

Many thanks for the responses.

I agree that the materials are going to be fairly standard wherever you go. There appears to be a lot of pretty good posts about the quality of BGS training & results which helps.

I've been using the online question bank which is pretty good, so I'll probably give JALS a go just to consolidate what I'm already learning.

Thanks again,
Rob