JAA ATPL Theory equipment
 

In the JAA ATPL theory exams are we allowed to use caluculators. Also in Navigatin do we have to use a non-electronic nav computer or is an electronic allowed.

cheers,

planeshipcar

Electronic calculators are allowed, non-programmable and non-alphabetic.

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/175/srg_fc...n_briefing.pdf

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/175/srg_fc...candidates.pdf

Unless your old school calculator was particularly fancy, it'll do fine. You only really need a minimum of sine, cosine, tangent and square root.

Cheers dude, appreciate that, however I'm still unsure whether I can use my electronic nav computer

Its essentially a programmable calculator so I suggest not, but in practice I've seen them in the exam room. Just depends how thorough the invigilator is really.

Also buy the Pooleys CRP-5, it seems to be the one the examiners used when devising the papers. However for some reason whatever you get will always be 3 degrees out, 4/6 knots over or under, etc. :sad:

Sorry mate, obviously I didn't RTFQ!

I've heard electronic nav computers are emphatically not allowed but I haven't seen anything written down. Bear in mind that whatever calculator you take in can be taken by the invigilator and replaced with a tuppeny-ha'peny effort that came out of a christmas cracker. There's no real alternative to getting back up to speed with the wind side of a whizz wheel...

ATPL Practice Questions
 

Can anybody recommend any online ATPL practice question banks?

Preferably free!

Cheers

Bristol Ground schools online question bank is well worth the £70. I know a few lads who have just used this to pass the dreaded ATPL's.

http://213.48.96.23/atponline/jalo/index.asp

The best of luck!

www.aerosolutions.be - they were spot on!!!! can really recommend them - they have bulletin board for all the questions - so people ask questions about them - remember dont just remember the answer is b , but why is it b!!!
best of luck on the mutiple choice fun......

Electronic flight computers are definately NOT allowed, you must use the CRP-5 or equivalent. A caulculator with a DMS (degrees,minutes and seconds) button is a must.

You also need a protractor, compass and a jepp student manual.

Evening ATPL classes (structured)
 

I know this has been done before, but I'm struggling to understand why no certified current or ex ground instructors have ventured into this area. Given that most Distance Learning students are the full time working type you would think there is a good market for evening classes. I work in London and have far too many commitments to leave work. At present I'm studying about 1 hour during lunch and a couple in the evening. After speaking to a few people it appears I'm not the only one asking this question. Any thoughts? :confused:

This sounds like a really good idea to me, I would sign up to a course like that.

A group of Instructors tried to do exactly that, albiet mainly on weekends for the Dist. Learning student. Sadly, there was not enough people out there who either who wanted it, or were willing to risk a new school. Alas, it didn't last despite the best efforts of those who did give it a go. Pilot Ground Training (PGT) was the company, try a search on here for the name.
Nice idea, but the only people who could afford to satisfy that demand is an already existing school, and a reputable one at that.

Where were the weekend classes held?

I know about 3 others who would be willing to enroll if such classes were set up in/around the London area. Must be more on here? I could do weekends, evenings or even a couple of days during the week. I think you're right about only an existing school being able to satisfy this demand. London Met instructors, you there! ;)

Evening or weekend Classes
 

Superpilot,
Pugzi is correct about PGT and we did give it a go but i guess our marketing was not on the boil at the time. I dont know of a provider who is offeriing evening and weekend tuition at the moment.
Anyway that said if ever you feel the need for private tuition Pm me as i am still in contact with all the guys who used to work for me at PGT.
Cheers Steve Tindle
ex director of PGT

The simple answer is that there just isn't the number of people to support a night school nor for that matter another training organisation sadly.

A search of the CAA website will yield that during 2004-2005 (only data I could find) there were 963 CPL's issued. Lets assume that 90% of these did the full ATPL's and not the cut down CPL version. That leaves us with 867 people. Now lets take out all the people on integrated courses - say about 200 for arguments sake? Thats just a plain guess out of thin air. What about other people on fulltime modular with the likes of BCFT, Cabair (both schools), Oxford, Coventry. Shall we take off another 200 say? Then that leaves us with 467 people spread throughout the UK and presumably Europe or the rest of the world. The problems of targeting these 467 are:

- how many would actually want a night class? Many people are quite happy trundling along at their own pace.

- where do you locate it?Your in London but another poster who thought it a good idea was in Leeds. So you already are thinking that 1 location isn't going to suit everyone?

- what do you teach and in what order? Some will be with Bristol following their "frame" based approach, others with GTS, others with Cabair, some with London MET, Naples, Glasgow, Coventry.... Each school has their own running order for the subjects which hampers any logical order for running the night classes.

- and the crunch one of how much would people be willing to pay which has to be balanced against the instructors getting a buck out of it. Finding a cheap location in London for example would not be easy. Most instructors tend to be outside of London in anycase and live close to places like BOH, Oxford etc so they would have to commute and make it worth their while at the same time.

I agree with your sentiments and at times I have often thought how great it would be to go get some structured lessons but as stated above it just isn't economically feasible. At the end of the day though your school is only a phone call/email away. Many have forums where you can post queries. Then there are the online databases with the ACTUAL JAA questions to help you out and get you over the finishing line. Good luck and keep at it.

Actually, there is a helicopter distance learning school about to start - and evening/weekend classes are on the list - it won't be too much trouble to include fixed wing guys on the common subjects, maybe even extend them.

We will be doing other courses (CRM etc) anyway so it won't be too much of a problem if there's a bit of a market. At Booker, or possibly Kemble, maybe both! Redhill is a possibility too, if I can get classrooms

Will be at the aero expo in June for enquiries

Phil

If you did it in central London I would be keen... but getting to booker or Redhill etc after work is a bit of a nightmare!

Other than that I think it is a top idea... oh and I can recommend Mr Tindle's private tuition.

Start ATPL theory right after PPL?
 

Hi there

I apologise as I'm sure this must have been asked before, but a search didn't turn up any results.

My question is, I've just finished my PPL, with all of almost 46 hours TT. Would I be able to start my ATPL theory studies (with one of the distance schools) at this time, or do I need a certain number of hours, or any other requisites before I can tackle that?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

you only need an ICAO PPL, i started with BGS with a 45 hour PPL.

Wow, that was a quick reply sir :) Thanks.