Ground School

Apologies for the lengthy and boring nature of this post, but I was asked a question about what I actually have to learn during Pilot Training. I'm now three weeks in and havn't actually revealed what Pilot training entails, so I thought that I would give you a run down of the course here at CTC. 

There are 14 ATPL (Airline Transport Pilots License) theory exams, the material for which is taught during the ground school phase over the first five months. The material is delivered via the classroom and the previously mentioned CBT (computer based training).  The topics are:

• Aircraft General Knowledge
• Principles of Flight
• Instruments
• Air Law
• Meteorology
• IFR communication
• VFR communications
• Mass and Balance
• Flight Planning
• General Navigation
• Flight Performance
• Operational Procedures
• Radio Navigation
• Human Performance 

Yesterday we started the Instruments topic, but only after we had all filled in our exam registration forms.  It's quite scary thinking that in six weeks we will have completed half of the ground school.  It's also amazing to think that in that time we will have consumed all of this knowledge.

Time for some more advice, when it comes to academia, always try and do things that you enjoy.  It will make a massive difference to the outcome of your learning.  I spent three years at University and really didn't enjoy my course, and as such I achieved a relatively poor grade at the end.  Now I'm here studying for what I have wanted to do for such a long time, I find it so much more enjoyable and as such I find it significantly easier to study long hours and learn all of the material.  That said, ask me again around exam time and I will probably tell you otherwise.