How to plan and organize the study in Distance learning
 

Hi guys,

i started yesterday the ATPL in distance learning ( with Bristol GS).
I'd like obtaining from you some suggestions about how organize and divide the subjects during the study at home, before the first exam (i think in February).
During the day, i have a full time job, so i have 3-5 hours during my day to dedicate it.
I started with Air Law.
What do you think about it?
Do you have some subjects to follow first, or did/do you study each subject in casual way, one after one?
Thanks in advance.

I'm sure Bristol will have briefed you on which way you need to study. Why have yo paid for a course without looking into what's involved? Furthermore I hope you're not of the type of person who pays no then expect to be hand fed. Phew!

Ehi Phew, i requested just a suggestion.
Do you have it? If yes, you are welcome, if not, please don't comment and take your business ;)

Really?
 

Asking questions after spending £'s go figure, been there got the proverbial.

The provider ( BGS) didn't send any explanation or tips to how organize the study at home.
I'd like to know any advice from any student that has done the Distance learning.
So, dear Phew, i say you again..Do you have any suggestion about it or you are only an arrogant ?

I didn't study with Bristol. I decided to go elsewhere for financial reasons. However I know from fellow students that Bristol are very serious about the best way to study and more importantly the regimen involved. Let Bristol guide you. They are so respected in the ATPL course, you would find it difficult to find another provider who really understands what you're going through.If you have any doubts or questions,go to the course provider. I wish you the very best, it's a lot of stuff you will never need (perhaps)but it's the hoop you need to jump through!

I use BGS but my school isnt Bristol.They use this provider.
Have a nice evening.

If your using bristol ground school, follow the syllabus , as they advise....

3-5 hours study per day after working a 12 hour shift , probably a little to much

I started to organize myself after realizing that after 3 months, I was not really moving forward (yes, Slow Learner #1 here). So I decided on a goal when to be finished with the online theory ie. 10 months, with 600 hours to go = 60 hours/month which in turn, meant 2 hours/day. After 9 hours working in the salt mines, 2 hours of concentration was not possible, but 1 1/2 would be. So 5 hours during workweek and 3.25 per day on the weekend would get me there. And stick to your plan. Also, group subjects together that fit. OPs & Air Law, FP & W&B, etc.

Part of the studying is learning how to learn. It's not just the studying of the facts, it's refreshing them that is the key. It's rather like being a spy in a foreign country :) - it's not enough just to assume a new identity, you have to live the part and that means getting information into long term memory and making it stick there. Making notes is a major part of the process, as is not overdoing it. A sure sign that things are wrong is the last minute cramming just before going into the exam.

We also recommend doing the consolidation earlier rather than later.

Each school has its own order of study, and you should probably stick to that from yours, but for the curious, if you cannot take all the exams at once (also recommended), this grouping covers much of the crossover:

Module 1

Human Performance
Airframes & Systems
POF
Systems
Engines
Instruments*

Module 2
Law
Ops
Performance
Mass & Balance
Radio Nav
Communications

Module 3
Navigation
Meteorology
Flight planning


*Maybe take the exam with navigation, because Inertial Navigation is misplaced in this subject and requires some knowledge of lat & long. Less of a problem if you have a PPL and have been properly taught ;)

inabw Bristol GS will divide subjects into modules and you take one module at the time. The first module in Bristol consists of the following subjects:
022 – Instrumentation
061 – General Navigation
050 – Meteorology
040 – Human Performance and Limitations

It sounds like you have bought a course from a third party provider (school), so it's best to ask them what way they expect you to complete things.

I did the course directly with Bristol and the way I did it was I was focusing on the 4 subjects at hand and doing bits and pieces from them as I go, pretty much following ATPDigital pattern

GreatQuestion
 

Hi

Not with BGS but think this is a great thread and full of great advice already. I am looking at starting with Bristol also and think I did ask a similar question as you on the back of someone else's thread and was told that following the ATPDigital is one way or subject at a time.

So does the software on IPAD Not give you a subject a day from the module you're studying like Martin_123 said?

I always wondered is it better to do a little of each of the subjects in a module or do one subject like MET and then the next?

Paco- Sounds like you have some great tips on how to study this material so how many hours a day would you suggest to put into it? I know everyone learns at different speeds (think Id be in the extremely slow bracket)

Thanks

obviously there's no right answer and what works for one might not work for someone else, but if you approach subjects sequentially, by the time you do your first exam sitting, you will have forgotten everything about the subjects #1 and #2 already.. Having my ATPLs done and dusted I honestly think you have to follow the modular approach - tackle 4-6 subjects at a time and do them in parallel, taking bits and pieces from each subject at a time..

as for the time lines - it's whatever you can afford. I'm in full time employment + I wanted to throw hour building in the mix too. Around winter time I spent around 2-3 hours a day, bout 4 days a week.. in the summer time there was less studying and more flying. done them all, first time passes, in 18 months time

your mileage will vary.

I am in my first module with Air Law, Operational Procedures, HPL, Met & Gen. Navigation.
Te first two are horrible. Some people say that those are easy because you only have to 'learn by heart'. I prefer the other type of subjects.

Good luck!

Odd, I thought I posted on here earlier but its gone. Depending on ATO they should have the course arranged into modules or at least a study sequence within one large module.

EASA allows the subjects to be grouped into modules so you study, say, 3 subjects then do the exams, study 4 more then do those exams etc.

Unfortunately not all States have absorbed that and some require you complete all the study in all the subjects before you take your first exam. I think Poland at least might do this.

If this is the case for you, and you cannot split the course into modules, then you have a larger problem because of the problem of retaining all the knowledge from all subjects at once, and as Martin says that is hard. My advice would be to complete all the study as best you can to get the exam entry qualification, then revise subject groups in your own 'modules' before taking the exams in three or four sittings.

An alternative option is to take your exams with a more compliant State, and many use the UK for this purpose because, as much as we moan about them, the UK CAA are proactive and competent compared to some Authorities. In order to do this your ATO would have to be prepared to sign you off for the exams module by module, which is common practice in most EASA States.

Kevin - we base our stuff around 3 hours per day, but it depends on your own circumstances. 1 hour per day is better than 5 on Saturday!

My advice for study is a little and often. I would study on the commute from work and to work and for half our in my lunch break (so about 2 hrs a day before I got home). In the evenings would study about two Hrs. Wouldn't study Friday evenings or Sunday. Study on Saturday for about four to five hours. Studied subjects I was interested in for example in module 2 p of f, performance and stuff that was boring to me such as Operations and air law left to the end. Hope this helps!

I've finished BGS last year. I did it in parallel with my full time job, some flying and two small kids. It was tough (6h of sleep as average) but I managed. First I was confused about some subjects as they are similar but not close to each other in learning syllabus but than I realized that this would be good learning check for some subjects. I've learned as syllabus took me (from air law to comm), lesson by lesson. I did learning schedule and tried to stick to it. One or two lessons per day as minimum, depending on lesson complexity and size. Some days I've did just one, some days up to 6-7, never made larger gaps than a week. Also I took notes from each lesson, that helped me as quick reminder. Some days I spent an hour, some up to six hours learning, depending on my daily duties. As a result I've managed to finish all chapters for 8 months. I also scheduled brush up course few lessons before end so I did brush up and than got CCC from school. That way revision was another learning check for me. Once I've started to prepare exams I than grouped subjects by similarity and took them together. I've used just BGS qbank not to be confused by other qbanks/learning methods. As a result I finished all 14 in three sittings, 7 in first, 4 in second, and 3 in third, all from first attempt and average 88% which is not high but considering a fact that I have full day job and that I need to travel to foreign country to pass exams I think is good. In total learning plus exams took me 16 months (started may 2015, last exam September 2016), in meanwhile I booked 100h of hour building. Regarding preparation for exams, as RomeoVictor said you will know that you are ready for that exam if you score average of 85% on that subject (mock up). I first scanned whole bank, reading all questions, subject by subject, topic by topic as I prepare particular exam. Than I did mock up which simulate real exam (time and distribution) and tried to score 85%+. Than I knew I'm good to go. I hope this will help. BTW once in exam phase you should check every day for new questions coming up on BGS forum as this can alter your real result on exam.

This of course depends on your work life situation, I had 12hr shifts 4 days on 4 days off. Of which 2 days and 2 nights

On work days (Day Shift):

0430 - wake up

0600 - 1800 - work

2000 - 2200 - 2hrs study

Transitioning to (Night Shift)

0500 - wake up

0600 - 0800 - study
0900 - 1100 - study

1200 - 1400 - study
1500 - 1600 - study

1800 - 0600 - work

(Night Shift- 2 nights)

Just revision 1 -2 hrs, studied nothing new.

--------------------------
4 Days Off

Day 1
- Rest and organize life, no revision or studying

Day 2 - 4

0500 wake up

0600 - 0800 study
0900 - 1100 study
1200 - 1400 study
1500 - 1700 study
1800 - 2000 study

after 2000, anything goes, enjoy the evening, do what you like, before going to sleep at 2200 for a 0500 wake up.

Thank you, Paco your input and knowledge is brillant.