I did not use CATS but can tell you it took me a lot more than 15 hours per week.

A few examples of people I know.

Friend A. Studied part time after work weekends etc. using Bristol GS and completed first time passes in all subjects in less than 4 months.

Friend B. Studied full time at home using Bristol GS and completed with first time passes in 4 months.

Friend C. Started part time with some company that went bust, he had already sat and past some of them, changed school (CATS) got going again failed a couple, re-sat passed some more, ran out of time after passing 13, started again with CATS and passed them all in the end took about three years. :D

I have loads more examples but I'm sure you get the picture, I had to give myself a massive kick up the @rse! I'm glad I did.
If you are struggling getting going you have to make some changes to your life and be realistic, you need to cover the material and stop worrying about 15 hours a week or whatever! It will take what it takes :ugh: :mad:

JL.................

CATS Stage 1
 

I took OPS today and if I didnt pass it ill eat my notes!
It seemed all the questions were on their website

Spent ages studying as well

Did I do more than 15 h
I think I must have done but dont really know its a bit of a blur
Some subjects less eg VCOM and ICOM
Thursday does not look daunting at all
I expect to finish most early

Many nights did not do anything
Then had bursts of study at weekends

Met tomorrow so must go

Good luck coodem
and if you dont feel ready just take longer

I'm pretty sure you can't get the actual CAA papers but there are alot of question banks around which have the exam questions (or close enough) in. At the end of the exam lots of schools collect "Feedback" from the students. If each student remembers a question they can easily get the content of the exam. Bristol GS has a full database of past questions, might want to have a look at that.

Noted with thanks although the original question I asked seems to have vanished from this Forum!!!!!!

when to take exams?
 

i was just wondering how important is it to do the relivant exams just after doing the brush up course? only asking because im going to find it really hard to have 3 weeks off work all in one go, i was thinking that for the harder subjects gnav,met it would be best to hit them straight away but for easier ones such as comms and HPL could these just be done a few months later ?

im just trying to plan everything out before i start so i dont have probs later on

any advise would be great

Would I be correct in assuming you are doing a distance learning course? If so I would guess the 3 weeks "brush up" are split into either 3 x 1 week or 2 x 1.5 weeks - at the end of each "module".

Does that help / make it more manageable?

OC619

yeah im going to be distance learning with bristol, according to the blurb on there website the brush-up is 2 weeks and then the exams striaght after, so 3 weeks total at the end of each module, i was just wondering if its totally neccisary to do all the exams striaght after?

the total amt of time isnt the prob its just having 3 weeks off all at once

You can take the exams once you have done the BUC. Its a matter of choice but I found it 'easier' to have a short break after the course and take the exams the next month (time to absorb the info, fill in the gaps and also have a brainrest)

Have a look at cranfields atpl course. Three modules with a one week brush up after each. It's cheaper too!

JAA Tests
 

Hello,
I am studying for the tests and need to get in contact with someone who has done the JAA ATPL written tests recently. How close are the Bristol Question bank? Please send PM.
Thanks for the help!!

I've been told that the UK CAA and IAA have a reciprocal agreement whereby each authority will accept atpl theory exam passes from the other authority. I haven't found any reference to this on either authority's website. Does anyone know if this is definitely true and if so can you reference the relevant document? Thanks

UK CAA / IAA reciprocal agreement
 

This is the reply I received from a licensing officer at the IAA:

Dear XXX,

Thank you for your e-mail.

Under the Bi-lateral agreement set up between the UK CAA and the IAA in October 2005, should you sit and pass all 14 of the JAR ATPL examinations under the auspices of the UK CAA and intend to complete your practical flight training in Ireland, then the IAA will accept your examination results as part of your CPL IR training. Ireland will be the country of licence issue.

Regards

XXX

Aviation Executive
Examination Unit
Tel: 00353 1 6031169
Fax: 00353 1 6777484

Calculators in ATPL Theory Examinations
 

Hi there,

Today I sat ATPL Mass & Balance. Half way through the exam a gentleman walked in and announced that our scientific calculators we were all using were not allowed. We were made to use the standard windows calculator with no scientific functions. When a student challenged him saying he was wrong he raised his voice claiming "IT IS THE LAW".

As far as I am aware only graphic calculators are forbidden. How are we suppose to do calculations that require trigonomic functions without a scientific calculator? If anyone has any reference I can use or if anyone could tell me I am wrong I would appreciate it.

For reference the calculator I was using is a Casio fx-350MS. http://world.casio.com/edu/product/e...p_fx350ms.html

The (sorry excuse for a) JAA State was Greece.

Regards,

EpsilonVaz

The exam guidance notes provided by the CAA say that only non programable, non alphanumeric calculators are acceptable.

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/17/srg_fcl...n_briefing.pdf

Since it's JAA theory, I assume Greece works to the same rules?

As far as I recall one was only allowed to use a very basic calculator and tables were provided for the trig. calculations.

In the UK I believe you are allowed a calculator with trig functions... certainly 99% of people doing the exams at CAA HQ at Gatwick when I was there had calculators capable of doing trig calcs and no one provided any tables to me!

One of the Directors of my FTO was hot on the case and sorted it in no time :ok:

Cheers for all your info.

EpsilonVaz