Specialist Aviation Training ATPL Course Introduction
Tel: 01275 340 444 www.bristol.gs
ATPL Course Introduction
The course you have chosen is acknowledged as the most effective ATPL training system available.
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Welcome to the Bristol Groundschool EASA ATPL course. Completing the course is going to be hard work and you may find it comes to dominate your life for a while, the odd thing is that many of our customers seem to enjoy it! The course contains many advanced features. The next few pages describe the material and how you should use it. They also include important instructions to help you load and use the software that is included. Please take a few moments to read this through before you start.
The Course Structure There are fourteen papers to be taken for the ATPL(A) and ATPL(H) licences. The UK CAA allow the papers to be split into several sittings and require us to design a training programme which students on approved courses must follow. We designed the programme in three modules so that interconnected subjects support each other as far as possible. We have also chosen the subjects to take account of the CAA exam timetable so that, when you take the exams, you have breaks between the papers.
ATPL Course Introduction
The most effective and trusted ATPL training available The 1st & 2nd module contain four subjects. Module 3 consists of six subjects, two of these could be considered as ‘minor’. Each distance learning phase is followed by one week of compulsory classroom work and optional accelerator days to get you up to speed for the exams.
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Module 1
Module 3
• Instrumentation • General Navigation • Meteorology • Human Performance
• VFR Communications • IFR Communications • Mass and Balance • Operational Procedures • Principles of Flight • Performance
Module 2 • Radio Navigation • Aircraft General Knowledge • Aviation Law • Flight Planning
ATPL Course Introduction
What’s in the box? Module 1 of the course includes the manuals for the first four subjects, these are in two big folders, DVDs from which you can load the ATPdigital computer program, a Jeppesen Route Manual containing charts and plates that you will be referred to from time to time, and some UK CAA publications. For ATPL (A) courses these are CAP696 and CAP 697. For ATPL(H)/IR courses it is CAP 758. If you have purchased module 2 & 3 at the same time, you will have five addional folders containing the manuals and CAP698
What Else Will I Need? You will need a calculator, a mechanical navigation www.bristol.gs V2.1
computer and some drawing tools, a protractor and a ruler. These can be used in all the exams. EASA say the calculator must not be programmable and not have an alphanumeric keyboard, by which they mean it must not have either a QWERTY or mobile phone type keypad, just numbers and functions. Any mechanical navigation computer will be acceptable provided it gives wind solutions for airspeeds over 300KT. We tend to recommend the Airtour or Pooleys CRP-5 computer.
Training Material The course is an integrated learning system that uses resources on the computer, the internet and in hard copy. A central part of the course is the ATPdigital
computer program. The program presents the study tasks and progress tests to you in a sequence of lessons, your progress through the lessons is recorded and sent through to us. The ATPdigital program also allows you to revise the text and progress tests on the computer, to practise exam questions and provides links to a support forum and to our main website. Throughout your study you will also have access to the training material in hard copy because, no matter how sophisticated the computer program, it is always easier to read from a book than from a computer screen.
ATPL Course Introduction
Before you Load the Computer Program There are different versions of ATPdigital for PCs and for Macs. Your licence entitles you to install ATPdigital on two computers. If you want to do this, and the computers are not both PCs or both Macs, then you will need both PC and Mac versions; contact us to request a copy of the DVDs for the other version. In order to run on a PC ATPdigital needs Windows XP Service pack 2 or later. Flash Player must also be installed. Most PCs have this already, if not it can be downloaded free of charge from www.adobe.com .
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To run on a Mac ATPdigital needs Mac OS X version 10.5 or later. Flash player must also be installed. The hardware requirements are a 2GHz or faster processor, 2Gb of RAM and 10Gb of available hard disk space. ATPdigital will run on computers that do not meet these hardware requirements but some features might operate slowly. You will also need internet access to activate the program for the first time and whenever you wish to synchronise your results, or download updates.
ATPL Course Introduction Loading ATPdigital on a PC To load ATPdigital on a PC insert the DVD marked “Disc 1” into the DVD drive in your computer. The computer will detect the DVD and, within a few seconds, the start of the installation routine will appear. Follow the on-screen instructions.
6. Double click on atp6.dmg this will mount the image on your computer
7. Drag and drop ATP DIGITAL V6 into Applications folder.
Loading ATPdigital on a MAC To load ATPdigital on a MAC: 1. Insert Disc 1 2. Copy file called atp6.dmg into a folder on your computer 3. Insert Disc 2 4. Copy file called atp6.002.dmgpart into a folder on your computer. Note: this should be the same folder as in step 2. 5. Your folder should now contain two files:
8. Go to Applications and you will find ATP DIGITAL V6. 9. Double click on the application to run. 10. Note: Depending on your computer’s security settings you may be asked for your password.
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ATPL Course Introduction Activation From the Windows Start menu select All Programs then ATP Digital v6, then Run ATP Digital 6. The Licence Key screen (shown below) will appear when you try to run it. You now need to activate the application before you can use it. Copy & Paste (rather than type) the licence key you were sent when you purchased the course where indicated and press Verify. If you do not have a licence key, please contact your course provider.
Paste the Licence Key here and press ‘Activate’
You should see this message, select Continue.
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The next screen asks if you already have a registered account. If this is your first installation select No, if this is a re-install select Yes.
Select Register and you are taken to the login screen which, when you open the program in future, will be the first screen you see.
If you do not already have a registered account you will be asked to fill in your personal details before the first login. Enter a password that you are likely to remember.
Enter the e-mail address and password you used in the previous screen. Select Login.
ATPL Course Introduction The Home Page ATPdigital opens on the Home page. This shows the number of modules on the course you have purchased or, in some cases just the first module. You can adjust the start and end dates of each module by selecting Module 1, 2 or 3 as appropriate and then using the calendars to define start and end dates. Setting the start and end dates determines the target dates for the lessons and progress tests in the course. Your progress (in red) will be graphed against your target (in blue). If you wish to redefine the start and end dates of a module at any time you can do so. The exception to this is if you are studying as part of a class defined by your course provider. Normally this is for students on integrated courses only, not for distance learning students. If this is the case your module start and end dates and your target dates for the completion of lessons and progress tests will be controlled by your course provider. Select My Course
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ATPL Course Introduction My Course You will see you have all your purchased modules along with the maths and physics revision course. We recommend you work though the maths and physic module before commencing the rest of your course. If you feel confident about your maths and physics ability, you may go straight to the progress tests. If you pass these (≼ 75%) then the associated lessons will be marked as complete and you may move on. If you fail, you will need to do the lessons and pass the lesson quizzes before being able to resit the progress test(s). If you would prefer, you may study the lessons anyway before attempting the progress test(s).
Lessons Lessons are presented in a standard format with a title page, a list of syllabus objectives that apply to the lesson (a requirement for approval) and then the lesson content. Many subjects have introductory videos for each lesson and videos at the end of the lesson summarising the content. Animations and videos are included in the content, where relevant, to enhance the learning experience. All images, animations and videos can be expanded for easy viewing. Where required, such as for blank fuel plans that need to be completed, there is an option to print out the images.
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ATPL Course Introduction At the end of most lessons you are presented with a multi-choice quiz which tests your understanding of the lesson.You must complete the lesson quiz 100% correctly to record the lesson as complete; shown here is the screen with the results of a lesson quiz, this one must be retaken. Each time the quiz is taken the answer sequence is randomised. Once the test is complete the program exits to the ‘My Course’ page ready for the next lesson or test.
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ATPL Course Introduction Progress Tests Multi-choice progress tests are inserted after each topic; topics may comprise of several lessons. Progress test questions are either selected from the exam database or, are written specifically for the purpose. Progress tests are more difficult than the lesson quizzes and longer, often containing up to 60 questions. The pass rate is lower, at 75%. You may take the progress tests as many times as you wish to perfect your scores and consolidate your learning. The answers are randomised each time and the system records both your initial and most recent test scores.
Practise Questions and Exams In addition to the quiz and progress test questions, you can access a built-in database of exam questions that is designed to match the EASA post NPA-25 CQB as closely as possible. The options are either to search for a topic, to take a timed exam, to take an untimed exam or to practise questions. When exams are requested they are generated so that they contain the correct proportions of content from each syllabus objective. When practising questions most students will want to view all the questions that might apply to a subject, which may well be several thousand questions. The software allows you to start working through the questions and then return to the subject later to look at either the questions you have yet to attempt: those you got wrong, or all questions again. Database questions are provided with worked answers and explanations, including graphics where required. www.bristol.gs V2.1
Revision In addition to displaying the lessons in course sequence ATPdigital will display the lessons by subject to make revision easier. The lessons are only available for revision once they have completed through the ‘My Course’ page. Select Subjects to view the lessons sorted by subject.
ATPL Course Introduction Content Updating and Sending Results The content is routinely updated from the main database so that changes, new questions, videos and animations are downloaded within minutes of them being made available, always provided there is an internet connection. At the same time the results of any recent activity on your part are uploaded to the main database for analysis by your course provider. You will not need to do anything to update it: it happens automatically, in the ‘background’.
Studying How you use the course is up to you, and depends on your individual circumstances, but to get the best out of it use all the resources. Some students use the traditional manuals for the first run through the study tasks then switch to the computer program to formally complete the lessons and progress tests and to pick up any additional benefit from the animated sequences. Others use the CBT as their primary study aid. If you get stuck, tutors are available to help you on the phone or, if you prefer, by e-mail (or even fax!). The best place to post questions is on the ATPforum, accessible by selecting Forum on the top menu bar or directly at www.atpforum.eu . The forum also includes exam feedback and comments from other students and links to web resources on different sites.
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We assess your progress from the lesson and test results you complete on ATPdigital. If you are on an approved course the CAA require us to certify that you have completed all the study required. This means you must complete each lesson and test on the CBT in order to be signed off for the exams. In practice, of course, you will need to apply for the exams before you have finished the distance learning phase so what actually
happens is that we look at your work to see that you have satisfactorily completed a significant amount of the first module, sign you off, and then perform a final check that everything has been completed before you come on the revision course.
ATPL Course Introduction
iPad App The course is available on iPads, as well as PCs and macs. First you must activate your PC or mac copy as described in the preceding pages. Currently you cannot activate your ATPdigital account on an iPad. The free iPad app is available in the Apple App Store. Simply search for ATPdigital and download the app. When you open the app, you’ll be asked to enter your username and password; use the same details you used to create your account. There is a lot of data to download; there may be in excess of 500 ‘updates’ so several hours of synchronisation before you are able to use your course. These are not really ‘updates’; they are content files.
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Work you do on the iPad can be synchronised with your desktop or laptop versions. Whereas the PC and mac versions of ATPdigital synchronise automatically when you are connected to the internet, it is necessary for you to synch manually from the iPad app.
There are a few differences between the iPad and desktop/laptop versions of the app. These are due to the hardware limitations of iPads. However, they are minor differences, and may students study successfully using their iPads as their primary interface with the course materials. It is just personal preference.
On the ‘Dashboard’ you will see, in the bottom right corner of the screen, buttons for ‘Sync now’ and ‘Update content’. Get into the habit of updating the content at the beginning of a session and synchronising before you finish.
Generally, the layout and functions mirror those of the desktop/laptop app described in the preceding pages.
If you have more than one syllabus (most users do not), you will be able to access just your primary syllabus on your iPad as it can support only single-syllabus installations. If you would like your other syllabus to be displayed on your iPad, let us know by email to support@bristol.gs.
If you do experience any difficulties in getting up and running with your iPad app, in the first instance go to our website and look at the help page; there is a self-diagnosis tool there for the iPad and fault a reporting form.
ATPL Course Introduction
BGS Online As part of your course you get free access, for 12 months, to our industry leading examination practice website, BGS Online. You can, of course, access the same database of questions and explanations using the ‘exams’ function in ATPdigital which will allow you to take practice papers offline. However, there are more features available in the online version.
The best way to use BGS Online is to study your course first then, when you are preparing for your exams, practice papers on the website. There are far too many questions for you to attempt to learn by remembering the questions, and it is so much easier anyway if you have a sound understanding of the subject, which you can only gain my studying it.
To access your BGS Online account, merely visit the website bgsonline.eu and log-on using the same username and password you used to activate your copy of ATPdigital.
Finally, remember that the quality and integrity of BGS Online is dependent on the quality of feedback we get from out many thousands of students across Europe who sit EASA exams each year. So please provide us with your feedback as soon as you get out of the exams.
Your free subscription period will expire 12 months after you activate ATPdigital. However, you may renew it once for up to 12 months at a 50% discount on the usual subscription costs. www.bristol.gs V2.1
ATPL Course Introduction
Revision Courses and Exam Bookings Once you have decided in which month you are likely to take the exams go to our main website at www.bristol.gs.* Find out which revision course dates match your exam sitting. Each module runs prior to the examination dates, we recommend you go straight from the classroom into the exams, without a gap. If you call the office on +44(0)1275 340 444 our team will be able to tell you if there is room on your selected course, booking two to three months in advance usually assures you of a space. * Under the ‘Student Area’ tab select ‘ Book your revision course’ www.bristol.gs V2.1
That’s all for now, you can turn to the work programme in ATPdigital and start with the course.
Contact Us For technical support, please go to our website: www.bristol.gs/support
Once ready to book your exams you will need to register with the CAA and book your exams at least 72 hours before sitting your first one, although in practice the examinations are booked up months in advance.
For all other enquiries: By Post
Bristol Groundschool
Windmill Road Clevedon
You can visit our website which will guide you through the exam booking process.
Somerset BS21 6UJ
www.bristol.gs/easa-exam-information By Phone We hope you enjoy it!
By E-Mail
+44 (0)1275 340 444 info@bristol.gs
ATPL Course Introduction
Technical Support You are entitled to 12 months free e-mail technical support for ATPdigital from the date of purchase provided you register your application with us. We will also, at our own discretion, provide telephone support for students who need it.
As with all technical support we rely totally on your help and co-operation in accurately describing the problems you are experiencing and in following our recommended remedial actions. If you experience problems with ATPdigital please go to the ‘help’ tab of our website.
Your Entitlement to Additional Installations Our technical support department will do everything reasonably possible to help you to install and operate the ATPdigital program. However, we cannot help you with problems which are peculiar to your computer or which we believe are caused by peculiarities in your computer system’s set up.
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Your licence entitles you to install ATPdigital on two computers. However, we recognise that some students will wish to install the program on a third. In normal circumstances we will issue an additional licence key to registered students on request.
Your Entitlement to Free Upgrades ATPdigital is regularly upgraded in the background. The changes are usually minor. Occasionally we may make a major change, for example to the syllabus. If this is an optional upgrade we will contact you to see if you wish to receive the upgrade.
Your Licence to Use ATPdigital Your Licence to Use ATPdigital This end-user Licence Agreement is a legally binding agreement between you and Bristol Groundschool the provider of this software application. 1.0 Definitions 1.1. “Bristol Groundschool” means Bristol Groundschool Ltd and its subsidiary companies, servants and agents. 1.2 “ATPdigital” means the two software applications and their associated databases and files produced by Bristol Groundschool and supplied on DVD. 1.3 “Third party applications” means software applications owned by third parties and distributed under licence by Bristol Groundschool. 1.4 “Content” means all the text, images and video sequences produced by Bristol Groundschool.
2.2 This Licence grants the User the right to install a copy of ATPdigital on two computers. Additional copies may be installed with the permission of Bristol Groundschool. 2.3 The Licence does NOT permit the User to install ATPdigital on any form of network server or other local area distribution medium. In the event that permission for such an installation is required you must contact Bristol Groundschool to arrange a separate licence. 2.4 This Licence strictly forbids the copying, lending, leasing or resale of ATPdigital or the distribution of the ATPdigital by any means for the use of anyone other than the User. 2.5 This Licence forbids any attempt to reverse engineer or otherwise attempt to de-compile ATPdigital. 2.6 This Licence forbids any attempt to defeat, destroy, disable or otherwise circumvent the copy protection systems associated with ATPdigital or other included Third Party Applications. 2.7 The manufacturers of Third Party software retain in full their copyright and intellectual property rights.
1.5 “Licence” means this agreement. 3.0 Limited Warranty 1.6 “The User” means the original licensed purchaser of a copy of ATPdigital. 1.7 “Major Release” means a version of ATPdigital denoted by whole version number digits; for example Version 7.0 will be the major release following Version 6.0 1.8 “Minor Release” means a version of ATPdigital denoted by subsidiary number; for example Version 6.3 will be the first minor release following the issue of Version 6.2 1.9 “Training Provider” means the EASA approved training school with which the User is registered and/or the EASA approved training school from which the User purchased ATPdigital.
3.1 Bristol Groundschool warrants that ATPdigital will perform substantially in accordance with the accompanying User Guide for a period of 90 days from the date of receipt. 3.2 No other warranty or implied warranty is offered under the terms of this licence. 4.0 No Other Warranties 4.1 To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law Bristol Groundschool will not be liable for any damages whatsoever, including without limitation direct or indirect damages for personal injury, business loss or any pecuniary loss arising from the use of ATPdigital.
2.0 Software Product Licence 2.1 The Content is protected by copyright laws and international copyright treaties. ATPdigital is protected by international treaties and laws relating to intellectual property. ATPdigital and the Content is owned and is the copyright of Bristol Groundschool. ATPdigital is not sold to you but is licensed to you for your personal use within the terms of the Licence.
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4.2 In any event of costs associated with failure of ATPdigital to conform in accordance with the warranty the maximum extent of liability to Bristol Groundschool and your sole remedy shall be the greater of £30 or the actual purchase price paid by the User for ATPdigital.
5.0 Abuse and Misuse 5.1 If any costs incurred under Clauses 3 or 4 result from the misuse, misapplication, accident or abuse of ATPdigital then Bristol Groundschool shall incur no liability whatsoever. 6.0 Technical Support. 6.1 The user shall be entitled to receive e-mail technical support for ATPdigital from Bristol Groundschool for 12 months from the data of purchase subject to the following provisions: 6.1.1 Requests for technical support should be submitted via the form on the ‘Help’ page of www.bristol.gs 6.1.2 Bristol Groundschool’s responses to request for technical support will be made by e-mail. 6.1.3 The User will indemnify Bristol Groundschool from all consequences arising from any written or verbal advice given by Bristol Groundschool‘s technical support personnel. 6.1.4 Technical support will be limited to issues directly related to the installation and operation of ATPdigital. 6.1.5 Technical support will include access to any Minor Releases to ATPdigital or amendments to the Content as may be made available for download from our technical support web pages. 7.0 Extended or Enhanced Technical Support 7.1 Your Training Provider may purchase additional or enhanced technical support on your behalf. This may include entitlement to free issues of Major Release upgrades and/or an extended technical support period. 7.2 You may purchase extended or enhanced technical support directly from Bristol Groundschool.