My name is Charlotte and I completed my ATPL theoretical knowledge exams by distance learning through Bristol Ground School before going on to flying the Boeing 737 Max as a First Officer. I experienced the course from both sides: being able to study full time initially and then balancing exams with a full time job. I hope by sharing what worked for me and the mistakes I made, I can help make your ATPL journey a little smoother.
Studying for your ATPL exams through distance learning gives you something many full time classroom courses can’t: flexibility. You can continue working, hour building and fit studying around your life. That freedom is one of the biggest advantages of distance learning, but it also means that you need to be disciplined enough to keep yourself on track.
Like many students, I started off with a plan. I wanted to complete my exams in 6 months and initially, I was studying full-time from home, cafes and libraries. Having a clear goal kept me motivated, and seeing my progress through each module made each milestone feel more achievable.
One of the biggest pieces of advice I’d give is to set realistic goals. Whether it’s completing a certain number of lessons each day or booking your next exam sitting to give you a deadline, having something to work towards makes it a lot easier to stay motivated. At the same time, don’t be afraid to adapt your plan. Life changes, work commitments appear and sometimes your original timeline simply isn’t realistic. I had to change mine many times!
When I first started my exams I wrote detailed notes for each lesson. While it helped me to understand the material initially, I soon realised that I was spending more time writing than learning. Everyone studies differently, but for me the breakthrough came when I focussed less on notes and started using the question bank alongside each lesson. Applying knowledge through practice helped not only to absorb the content but also to identify weaker areas much more quickly and improved my information retention.
If I could give one practical recommendation, it would be to start using practice questions earlier than you think. Don’t wait until you’ve completed the module before starting the bank. Working through the questions as you learn each subject reinforces the material and helps you understand how the knowledge is tested in the exams.
I completed my first two exam sittings within four months of initially receiving the material from BGS so I was on track to my target of finishing in 6 months. I then had to return to full time work which suddenly reduced my time available to study dramatically, and I had to change my approach. Adaptability is key, and I learnt that I needed to utilise my time more efficiently.
Balancing a full time job with studying is probably one of the biggest challenges many distance learning students will face, but it is definitely achievable. There were plenty of evenings where the last thing I wanted to do was open the books and start studying! Staying consistent became much harder but more important. For me, making steady progress each week with a reduced “number of lessons” goal was much better than just finding that perfect time to sit down and study.
One mistake I made was losing sight of my overall plan. When work became busier, I didn’t replace my original 6 month goal with a new timeline with a new realistic target. Without that structure it was easy to let studying slip down the priority list.
Ironically, taking a complete break is what reignited my motivation. At the time I had around 50 hours left to build, so I hired an aircraft and spent a few weeks flying around Europe. It reminded me exactly why I was doing this and the ultimate goal of being a commercial pilot. It gave me a break from work and studying so that when I came back it was a fresh start and I had my motivation back! Sometimes stepping away for a short period of time can be far more productive than trying to force yourself through.
When I got back, I yet again changed my strategy. I had five exams to finish and initially considered taking them all together. Instead, I split them across two sittings. It wasn’t necessarily the best approach, as it left less room for error in case I needed to do a resit with only one spare sitting left, but for me it meant I could focus on fewer subjects at a time and prepare much more thoroughly. It suited the way I learned, and that’s an important point: there isn’t a single study method that works for everyone. Experiment and find what works best for you.
In the end, it took me 18 months from opening my first ATPL lesson to completing my final exam. It wasn’t the six months I’d originally planned, but I wouldn’t change anything about my ATPL journey. I achieved a stronger overall average than I’d expected, and BGS provided excellent support and content throughout the entire course.
Looking back, I realised that ATPLs taught me much more than aviation theory. They taught me discipline, adaptability and how to study independently – skills I have continued to use throughout my career, from my type rating, to everyday life flying an airliner.
Bristol Ground School gave me the flexibility to complete the course in a way that suited my circumstances, and that’s exactly what makes distance learning such a valuable option.
ATPLs are demanding, but they are absolutely achievable. Stay consistent and be prepared to adapt. Remember that everyone’s timeline is different, and progress can’t be measured by speed. Every student follows a different path, but the important thing is reaching that end goal. ATPLs are both an aviation lesson and a life lesson!
