As I am sure anyone who reads this blog knows, I am currently doing my ATPL theory with Bristol Ground School. This post is just a quick update on how I will sit my ATPL exams.
The default course from Bristol is 14 exams in 3 sittings. I tried to stick with this but I am finding this too much around a full-time job in IT and life in general. Even though Bristol suggest 3 sittings, you actually have 6 sittings and 18 months to pass all 14 exams. For this reason I have decided to try to complete the exams in 4 sittings which leaves 2 spare for resists if needed. I wouldn’t suggest trying to do your exams in any more than 4 sittings, as should you fail any exams I personally would want at least 2 more attempts at them.
I have spoken to someone who actually split it into 6 sittings and failed an exam in his final sitting, this is not a position you want to be in as he was left with no choice but to sit them all again!
I have spoken to many different trainees in the last month or two and it would seem that quite a few of us are struggling with some of these exams, with some people unfortunately just missing the 75% min score and others just about scraping over the line. Hopefully this will take of some added pressure and allow me to spend more time per exam.
My new ATPL theory course looks like this.
Mod 1 – January 2017
- Instrumentation
- Meteorology
- Human Performance and Limitations
Mod 2 – June 2017
- Radio Navigation
- Aircraft General Knowledge and Electrics
- Air Law
Mod 3 – September 2017
- VFR Communications
- Principle of flight (failed 70%)
- Mass and Balance
- Performance
Mod 4 – December 2017
- General Navigation
- Operational Procedures
- IFR Communication
Mod 5 – February 2017
- Principles of flight resist
- Flight planning and Performance
As you can see it is a bit more spaced out and also I can spend more time on the subjects.
I sat my first exams in January 2017, so I have until July 2018 to pass the rest. It is still a long way to go but hopefully this will make it just a bit easier.
Any idea about the way that i have to study the atpl exams as i failed in 1st to exams
Which exams were they?
I finished 13 subjects (CAA Greece) in my 4th sitting and i failed in performance 70% I studied and came back for fifth sitting again 70% I went and I came back for 6th sitting I scored 74%. I am the unluckiest guy of this planet. In each performance exam I was getting more than 12 graphs which were unclear because similar questions in bristol and Aviation Exam have different answers for the same questions. Plus in last exam I got one graph outside CAP, i asked for printed copy they told me to take my ruler and put on the screen and work accordingly (very hard job and time wasted) I don’t know what to do now. I don’t wish anyone to have my luck.
Oh wow Sarkis I am very sorry to hear of your difficulties, I can only imagine how you are feeling. Especially getting the 74% on the final sitting. Have you tried to appeal that? It’s got to be worth a shot.
Wow. That is harsh. I failed performance on my second sitting with 68%, this is the only subject I failed, scored 90+ on the others. Like you I had 12 graphs including several where I had to use my ruler on the screen :/ Luckily, when I came back for the third sitting I got a much “nicer” exam, only 4 graphs and 2 very easy tables. Still, i only had 3 minutes of time left when I handed it in. 92 % and finally finished with my ATPL studies ?