ATPL Module 1 results 

After months of hard studying I finally got ATPL Module 1 results.

First of all let me just say phew! What a stressful few weeks / months this has been.

There are two things I will say.
1. The ATPL’s are harder than you think and will take more time than you think. I compare the ATPL’s to having a full time job, so I have two full time jobs! If you can do these full time then do it. (This includes full time distance learning).
2. The exams are changing. Years ago it may have been possible to learn question banks inside out and pass with a 95% average. These days have gone however.
They are introducing 1500 new questions every year and reviewing another 2000.
For instance there is over 1600 questions in the met question bank, if you can remember all them then you are better than me. It’s easier to learn how to work it out!

I sat my exams are CATS Luton, which from their website you would think is a dedicated building but it is actually just 3 rooms in a managed building called Basepoint. So set your sat nav to find that.

My module 1 exams consisted of the following subjects.

1. General Navigation
2. Meteorology
3. Human performance and limitation
4. Instrumentation

First things, I decided about two months ago to move General Navigation to “mod 4” as it was taking far too much of my time. I am not a natural mathematician so I have to work hard on subjects like this. I feel I will be able to give it the time it deserves here.

So here comes the results.

1. Meteorology – 80% – This was the exam I was the most worried about as Meteorology is known as one of the hardest exams. Ironically I got a score of 80% in it which I am ok with as I put a lot of time into trying to understand the concepts.
If i had to have a resit on this i would have been gutted.
However as something you have to use all the time it’s worth trying to get your head around it.

2. Human Performace and Limitations-77% –
This subject has gone through so many changes in the last year.
You may hear people who did it a while ago talking about how easy it is. Forget that, this is not the same exam.
There are a lot of new questions that come up and new areas of study.

3. Instrumentation – 76% –Wow 1% over the minimum of 75%.
Another hard exam, there are a lot of concepts to get your head around and know. Quite a few new questions in the exam also.

While I would have liked to score higher, in the words of my instructor “A pass is a pass is a pass”.

3 down, 11 to go!

I have purchased module 2 and will get cracking on that next week, no rest for the wicked and all that!

Thinking of training via the modular route? Or started and still have questions? Then read The Essential Modular Flight Training Guide.