ATPL Course Study Guide

The UK & Europe’s Leading ATPL Distance Learning Specialist ATPL Course Prospectus

Tel: 0844 478 0430 www.bristol.gs

What’s inside 01 Why Choose Bristol Groundschool?

02 The EASA ATPL 03 ATPL Course Structure 04 Industry Leading ATPL Learning Materials 05 ATPL Course Fees 07 Get In Touch

Bristol Groundschool is Europe’s leading specialist in distance learning and training for the EASA Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence (ATPL) theory exams.

Bristol Groundschool is Europe’s leading specialist in distance learning and training for the EASA Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence (ATPL) theory exams. Founded in 1992, we are the UK’s longest established and best trusted provider of quality ATPL theory training, offering blended learning courses with clear, well written printed manuals supported by a unique computer based training system, ATPdigital, which works on or offline and automatically synchs with the latest updates across multiple platforms (PC, Mac and iPad), which means that your ATPL theory training material will always be the latest, wherever you happen to be.

Bristol Groundschool students complete intensive revision and classroom training with some of the most experienced instructors in the industry at our training centre in Cheddar, Somerset. Most of our students come to us after personal recommendations from friends, colleagues or instructors who have trained with us in the past. With over 21 years in operation as the UK & Europe’s leading ATPL distance learning specialist, Bristol Groundschool has trained more airline pilots than any other ATPL theory provider.

As a result, Bristol Groundschool has a significantly better pass rate than all other FTO or ATPL training providers in the UK, and the feedback of our students, our clients and international partners speaks clearly for itself.

Our online ATPL question bank, BGS Online (www.bgsonline.eu), is one of the best EASA study aids available to ATPL students, whichever ATO you are training with, with over 12,000 fixed-wing and helicopter specific exam questions, practice exams, expert support, detailed explanations and tutorials. Students completing their ATPL with Bristol Groundschool and those using ATPdigital with our International Training Partners enjoy free access to BGS Online for exam preparation.

Bristol Groundschool also supplies pilot training schools both inside the UK and worldwide with turnkey training solutions and the world-class materials needed to operate effective ATPL distance learning or classroom-based pilot training.

Visit www.bristol.gs today to get your career in aviation underway!

Our graduates have gone on to secure excellent positions in every major European airline as line pilots, training captains, management pilots, as well as in international air freight, the oil and gas industry and the thriving executive jet market.

All aspects of Bristol Groundschool’s ATPL theory training have been carefully designed and are continually innovated to make the course as effective, intuitive and enjoyable as possible.

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THE LEADING ATPL DISTANCE LEARNING SPECIALIST 01

The EASA Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) is the highest level of aircraft pilot licence, required to command aircraft over 5700 kg or with over 9 passenger seats.

ATPL or CPL?

The EASA Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence is a common licence standard that has been agreed by 26 European countries. Bristol Groundschool is approved by the UK Civil Aviation Authority to provide EASA ATPL training in the UK, and our training material is also used in 15 other countries through our international partners.

Although other elements of training can be carried out in different states, all of your ATPL theory exams must be completed under the authority of one single member state. If you want to take your exams in Europe, please contact one of our international partners in the appropriate State.

Before you start the course you will first need a Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL) issued to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.

To hold an ATPL(A) you must pass flight and ground tests and have at least fifteen hundred flying hours, of which at least 500 must be on multi pilot aircraft. The ATPL(H) only needs 1000 flying hours, but also needs time on multi-pilot aircraft. Most people finish flying training with between 150 and 200 hours, so it’s unlikely that you will be able to hold an ATPL right from the start even if you do pass all the ground and flight tests.Normally your first qualification will be a commercial pilot’s licence, a CPL, which can be upgraded to an ATPL when you have sufficient hours.

The CPL together with an instrument rating and passes in all of the ATPL ground exams, is often referred to as a ‘frozen ATPL’.

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This is the minimum licence standard for airline employment in the fixed wing world – it’s an ICAO requirement that both pilots of multi-pilot aircraft over 5700kg hold ATPL theory passes, even if the first officer only holds a CPL. CPL(H) holders will find that more jobs are available which don’t require either ATPL theory or an Instrument Rating, because helicopters are lighter and fly mostly VFR. However, those qualifications will still be needed to fly the larger multi-pilot helicopters under IFR.

ATPL Course Structure

Your ATPL course with Bristol Groundschool will take around ten to thirteen months to complete, during which time you can build up your flying experience. Before you start the course you will first need a Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL) issued to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.

The Modular Course

The modular ATPL course with Bristol Groundschool includes a combination of distance learning and classroom work. There are fourteen exams to be passed for the EASA ATPL, some more difficult than others.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) allow the papers to be split into several sittings. To keep the course manageable our training programme has been designed to split the subjects across two modules. Interconnected subjects support each other as far as possible, and we take account of the CAA exam timetable to ensure you have breaks between the exam papers.

Each module has a distance learning phase followed by a classroom revision course at Cheddar just before the exams.

Distance learning can progress at your own pace, using the printed manuals and the state-of-the-art computer program ATPdigital, which you can run on PCs, Macs or iPads, or all three.

Module 1

The first module contains the following eight subjects: • Mass & Balance • Instrumentation • Flight Planning • General Navigation • Meteorology • Human Performance • VFR Communications • IFR Communications This might look like a lot but two communications papers are very easy and the remainder are quite manageable. The average student typically takes four to six months to complete the distance learning phase, before joining us for a two week revision course followed by the exams held at CAA venues over a further 4 days.

The average student would be fitting the distance learning phase around the demands of a job and often a family, if you don’t have these distractions you may be able to complete the distance learning phase more quickly.

Module 2

After the first eight exams of Module 1, you can progress to study the following six module 2 subjects:

All the lessons in ATPdigital must be completed before you can attend the revision course or take the examinations. Progress is recorded through a series of short quizzes for each lesson (which require 100% to pass), as well as larger progress tests to conclude each significant section. ATPdigital automatically sends us the results.

• Radio Navigation • Aircraft General Knowledge • Aviation Law • Operational Procedures • Principles of Flight • Performance

You will be carefully guided through the subjects as you follow the simple training programme. Our intructors are available throughout the process to provide any support you may need.

This module usually takes about a month less to complete than the first module. Again, the module is studied as distance learning and concludes with a two week revision course followed by the remaining exam papers.

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Bristol Groundschool’s ATPL blended learning system combines the best traditional training methods with modern ‘e-learning’ tools. It has a proven success rate far in excess of traditional classroom-based or iPad-only learning.

ATPL Course Fees

Bristol Groundschool’s distance learning ATPL course costs £2140 when bought as a package. This includes all learning materials and classroom courses for both modules, as well as all required CAA publications, Jeppesen student manual and exam questions from the database. There are no additional equipment to buy, no hidden fees, and all prices are inclusive of VAT. Students should budget for accommodation during their two 2-week revision courses in Cheddar, Somerset, and for exam fees.

Module Pricing

Most students prefer to pay for each module separately at the following prices:

What You Get With Bristol Groundschool • Industry leading ATPL learning manuals • ATPdigital, our state-of-the-art computer based training software with electronic testing and progress trackers • BGS Online, a database of EASA ATPL exam questions and answers with detailed explanations, with free access for Bristol students • ATPforum, Bristol Groundschool’s online discussion forum for ATPL students and an active community of over 6,000 students and instructors • Two 2-week classroom revision courses and intensive exam preparation in beautiful Cheddar, Somerset (near Bristol Airport) • Expertise and support from some of the industry’s best ATPL theory instructors, throughout your training and beyond

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ATPdigital for Mac, PC & iPad

ATPdigital is our state-of-the-art computer based training programme, containing all the information available in the ATPL manuals, enhanced with animated diagrams, video sequences and electronic tests with instant results and progress trackers.

Once activated, the software can be used on or offline, only using the internet to send results, download updates and synchronise your work between desktop and tablet, which means that you can work away from WiFi connections, even on an aircraft, and when back online simply synchronise your work over WiFi so that everything you have done is up to date on each of your devices.

The software automatically downloads updates to the course, and grants the user free access to our online question bank, BGS Online. PC, Mac and iPad versions of ATPdigital are available.

ATPdigital for iPad is a fully functioning programme, and definitely not just an ebook. It has all the functionality of the versions for the PC and Mac, and contains lessons, quizzes, videos, animations, progress tests and even a built-in question bank, all of which can be used offline. ATPdigital for iPad will work on any iPad with iOS.4.2 or later, and it is available from the App Store at no extra cost to our students and to the students of our partner schools.

Module 1 £1320 Module 2 £820

ELCAS Applications Module 1 £1320 or £1872 (with CAA exam fees) Module 2 £820 or £1234 (with CAA exam fees) Complete Package £2140 or £3106 (with CAA exam fees)

Exam Fees

Revision courses are run from our training centre in Cheddar, and you can check upcoming course dates on our website, www. bristol.gs. You can sit the exams at the CAA Exam Centres at Gatwick, Oxford, Shuttleworth and Glasgow. The southern centres usually fill up, although most candidates get their first choice. Our international training partners also offer examination venues outside of the UK.

Complete Package £2140

You should budget for exam fees charged by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The fees in the UK are £69 per paper, so total costs are as follows:

Buying Parts of the Course

14 x ATPL(A) exam fees £966

Most pilots require approved training, so must purchase the full course. If you are exempt approved training, parts of the course may be purchased as follows:

14 x ATPL(H) exam fees £966 Note: International exam fees are higher and different for each location.

Single subject £135 2 week revision course £485 ATPdigital (training software) £500 ATPdigital (training software) Online Only Courseware £550

THE LEADING ATPL DISTANCE LEARNING SPECIALIST 05

BGS Online, the original and best available online ATPL question bank by Bristol Groundschool BGS Online Question Bank by Bristol Groundschool

Established and maintained by Bristol Groundschool, the UK & Europe’s leading ATPL distance learning specialist, BGS Online is the original and best study aid available to you for the CAA ATPL exams, whichever ATO you are training with.

The BGS Online question bank is designed to closely resemble the official EASA Central Question Bank, is constantly monitored and updated by our Subject Matter Experts, and enriched with the feedback of thousands of the ATPL students that have studied with Bristol Groundschool.

As well as access to the question bank, you get help and support from our Subject Matter Experts and other students via ATPforum.

Find out more about subscription plans, find out what our users say about us, or sign up for our Question of the Day! Students completing their ATPL with Bristol Groundschool and those using ATPdigital with our International Training Partners enjoy free access to BGS Online for exam preparation.

If you are an existing user you can renew or extend your subscription from your user account or, if you are a new user, sign up for a new account. You may pay in Euros or Pounds Sterling by credit card or using your PayPal account. Subscriptions are available from 7 days to one year, starting at just £11. To sign up, visit www.bgsonline.eu

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What You Get With BGS Online • 12,000 EASA ATPL exam questions with detailed explanations

How To Register

To register for your ATPL with Bristol Groundschool, please visit our website, www.bristol.gs, to book and pay for your course online.

You can also register over the telephone by calling our Training Manager on +44 (0)1934 744 944.

Bristol Groundschool Lower New Road Cheddar BS27 3DY, UK t: +44 (0)1934 744 944 e: w: www.bristol.gs

• Fixed-wing and helicopter-specific questions • ATPL(A) and (H), CPL(A) and (H), IR and more • Excellent support and tutorial videos • Practice exams and progress trackers • PC, Mac, iPad or smartphone access

Ready to get started?

Still have questions?

Please visit our website at www.bristol.gs to complete a simple Training Enquiry form and our Training Manager will be in touch with you within 48 hours of your enquiry.

Connect with Bristol Grounschool

• Ability to filter questions by subject, topic, keyword, questions you’ve not attempted before and those you have got wrong the first time.

Marketing & Training Partnership Enquiries If your enquiry relates to marketing, events or training partnerships, please contact: Louise Wayham Marketing Manager t: +44 (0)1934 744 944 e: louise@bristol.gs

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For current information on our ATPL courses, fees and registration requirements please visit our website at www.bristol.gs While Bristol Groundschool always endeavours to ensure that the information contained in this brochure is accurate at the date of publication, it does not accept liability for any inaccuracies.

Where matters arise outside of the reasonable control of Bristol Groundschool it reserves the right to change or cancel its courses or services at any time.

Copyright Š Bristol Groundschool Limited, 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is forbidden without the permission of Bristol Groundschool.

@bristolgroundschool @bristolgs Bristol Groundschool Lower New Road Cheddar BS27 3DY, UK t: +44 (0)1934 744 944 w: www.bristol.gs