Week 31: ATPL Ground School Week 31

Yes I know, I've been MIA for 2 weeks since the last post. This delay is due to me waiting for all the results to return for my remaining papers before I conclude ground school altogether.

Yes, it has ended. Perf A was 80, Radio Aids 91 and Air Law 80. Receiving such results lifted a massively huge burden off my shoulders. I can finally tell myself I did it, I survived the rigors of ATPL; the crazily packed syllabus shoved down my throat relentlessly everyday for the past half year. I'm still alive, and how glad am I.

The result of Perf A came on the very next Monday, which was quite a shock to everyone as we didn't expect it to come so soon. Most of us cleared this time and you can almost hear a huge sigh of relief from everyone unlike the first paper when the mood was totally sombre upon the release of results. This gave us the all needed boost to handle the remaining ATPL papers later in the week.

It was Radio Aids and Air Law for me, and I did not really touch them at all since a month ago when I was studying for the first attempt. Quite worrying for me I must say. Thankfully the revision was pretty swift since Radio Aids is actually my strong subject. I shouldn't have failed in the first place, I probably underestimated it last time round. Lesson learned. I studied much more thoroughly this time round, covering every detail possible leaving nothing out. The result proved itself, but it was an easier paper than the first I must say.

After Radio Aids on Thursday, I had less than 24hours of revision for Air Law. Such a risk taker I am, a very bad trait for an aviator. But then, I knew where I stand and studied much better this time, sorting out all the confusion I had in the previous attempt. Luck was on my side I guess. I had expected myself to fail it again when I realised I had a lot of mistakes when comparing the answers with my mates. 8 incorrects was all I got, phew~~ The maximum is 10.

Looking forward to flight school in Australia currently but unsure of when is the departure date, I shall take this free period of time to recharge and recuperate the body. The weather over there is very cold now which is a worry for a person like me who has never experienced winter climate. It won't be easy fighting the weather, the learning, the independence to cook/clean myself. I'm glad I have my great course mates with me and I'm not alone. We will stick together and get through this as one.

Air Law, it is so thick and so sleep-inducing

All the study materials from the very first day. 31 weeks, THE END!!

Week 30: ATPL Ground School Week 30

A short week for us, revision class for 2.5 days, a final burst of study before we took the paper on Thursday. This paper somehow felt neutral as compared to the previous one although it's way easier as the questions looked more familiar.

That said, mistakes are bound to happen, and my count is already on three. That left me with only a buffer of two more mistakes before I'll succumb to the result of failure. Not feeling as good as the first paper I sat for, can I just pray for a pass? I'll hate to do Perf A again, seriously.

Putting it aside, preparation for Radio Aids and Air Law on Thursday and Friday respectively, is on the way. Giving it a final push, may the engines not burn out and lose thrust.

Going crazy over the graphs

Aviation is all about teamwork, can you work like an ant?

The night before the paper

Week 29: ATPL Ground School Week 29

Another week passed, with no lesson, just revision. I admit it is very hard to get the engine re-lighted and my level of discipline has been dwindling. Well I've always been the last minute kind of student, it is only then my productivity will increase exponentially as the deadline gets nearer. So this week I'm still dilly-dallying around without doing much. Actually, the sight of Perf A irks me to the core.

Some updates about the course, the first 5 cadets who manage to get a full pass will be leaving for flight school in Australia in the first week of June, and that is just 3 weeks away. I wish those who are retaking the remaining paper to clear it smoothly and move on to the next phase.

Ground school haven't been the least bit enjoyable, especially the Nav Phase. Good luck to everyone retaking Perf A paper this coming Thursday, including myself.

It is still rainy days and we're still on the ground

Week 28: ATPL Ground School Week 28

There are no more lessons but we still have to go back to do our revision work in class, so it's back to Seletar till end of May when the retakes will commence. The mood around the class has been somewhat sombre, made worse by the release of Perf A results. 18 of us and only 4 made it, with a bunch of us scoring a close 70, just one more question to pass the paper.

Sad to say, I'm one of them. Perf A isn't a subject you would want to retake, second to Meteorology. Perhaps my luck has been used up in the ATPL group. So ya, I'm another $66 poorer having booked the retake on 23rd May. I still can't believe I failed by one miserable question, damn it.

Study conscientiously and pass it I must, along with Radio Aids and Air Law. =(

Hi, not good to see you again

Week 27: ATPL Ground School Week 27

Finally it's all over, but only temporary. Took the Perf A exam on Friday and it's a "hit & run" thing. You have no idea whether you will pass it or not, everyone is experiencing that sort of feelings. With only 20 questions and with each weighing the same amount of marks, the maximum number of incorrects you can afford is a grand total of FIVE! The room for error is the smallest amongst all papers I've sat for.

Lucky or not to pass it, I shall pray for the better and hope for the best.

Right after we left the examination room, we received our results for the ATPL papers. I almost fainted when I heard that the CFI had emailed us the results. I was so afraid to take a look at it.

A batch mate told me what papers I need to retake straightaway without me looking at the email, and to my relief, it is a short list. I failed Radio Aids and Air Law, which is what I've predicted in my previous blogpost. I'm only 2 questions away from passing for Radios, but I guess this is good enough for me; the result as a whole.

Went down to CAAS to book the retaking papers, and I'm $333 poorer. Retake will be at the end of May.

ATPL group papers: $300 each
Human Performance Limit paper: $165
Air Law paper: $33

This is certainly not cheap.

This is the kind of graph u read in Perf A. This is just one of the 36 of them

Obviously I'm having big trouble with Perf A

A better meal to appease the tortured body after the paper

Could have been worse, so I'll take this result with both hands

Week 26: ATPL Ground School Week 26

How time flies, 26 weeks have passed since ground school started. That is effectively half a year gone. The syllabus has been so packed that I can barely breathe and it's hard to fathom that so many days, hours, minutes and seconds have gone by.

We start lessons on Perf A this week and it is a NIGHTMARE. Such technicalities should be left for the computers to sort out and not for humans like us reading the numerous graphs, 36 of them, to derive answers. I thought the 1976 Data 34 flight planning was bad enough and Perf A just proved me absolutely wrong.

I can now understand why people are having difficulty in passing it. It is unbelievably tedious and pitfalls are everywhere to catch you offguard. I have no idea how am I going to pass it. It simply looks impossible.

Oh I had my first major illness since the course started. Fell to a fever for 2 days and miss a day of lesson, which didn't help much considering how much I missed in just one day.

Things are not looking good at the moment.

Week 25: ATPL Ground School Week 25

I'm in quite a dire state considering how lack of confidence I am in some papers after the exams. Let's break this down by days.

Day 1: Navigation Theory & Flight Planning

The first paper was 2hours long, which is supposedly long enough to be completed on time if you do not dilly dally on the theory questions. Well the theory part was ok, but not a walk in the park. I hope I do not commit grave careless mistakes here. Then came the plotting, which was horrendous. Never have I had such a tough plotting paper. So many steps were involved that I got all mixed up and probably lost it. Threw away my basics and screwed it all up. My answers were all weird and not close to the options available, ended up I have to take gambles, which isn't exactly very assuring. I think I will fail this paper.

Had a simple lunch and then it was back to the room for the second paper lasting 1hour 45minutes. This is one paper which you HAVE to rush like crap. And again, I had trouble in some parts of the paper, slowing down my speed tremendously. Finding the waypoints was a bitch when the maps were two-sided and I almost tore it into pieces. The last 3 questions were 4 marks each, how despicable is that huh!! I lost marks in two of them as I can't find the info I want on the damn maps and time was running out. Searching for a needle in the haystack. Wad da fug. Pardon my language. So ya, 8 marks gone just like that. I only have 17 marks left to lose. May the gods bless me.

Day 2: Radio Aids, HPL & Meteorology Theory

As if Day 1 wasn't bad enough, the first paper of Day 2 was a shock. The questions all looked so new and unseen. Radios is one of my stronger subject yet I was totally stumped. I looked at the paper in disbelief, shaking my head as I proceed through the 30 questions in the paper. It's a lost cause. I will definitely fail this paper.

I felt like a broken man, taking a 15min break before sitting for the HPL paper, which wasn't easy either. Thank god I ran through some new question banks the day before after listening to the advice given by the seniors. 25 questions in total, 6 mistakes maximum, I should be able to pull through this one.

Lunch break, feeling quite down with how the whole exam had progressed so far. And the last paper for the day was my most dreaded and weakest subject. I had to refocus and readjust my mental state. Looking at the cover page of the paper on my desk was so terrifying; I had to fight the monsters underneath in those pages. Page 1 was alright, and I was so relieved, but there were 35 questions in total. Every flip of the page was covered in fear. Soon, I completed all questions. Wasn't as tough as anticipated, and if I'm lucky, this paper will pass, fingers and toes crossed.

Day 3: Instruments, Air Law & Meteorology Practical

After what I went through in Radio Aids, I have almost zero confidence in Instruments which is probably my weakest subject. 30 questions in all, made some costly mistakes on questions which were worth 4marks. I don't know how much luck I'm left with, but it felt much better than the Radio paper. I pray that I pass this paper.

Short 15minutes break and Air Law came. HAHA!! Absolutely dead, like most of everyone else in the class. It's either you know the rules or you don't, it was more of the latter for me, and this should be a confirmed failure. 40 questions in all, 10 mistakes isn't quite enough for me.

The final paper after lunch, one which needs to be rushed like Flight Planning paper. It was relatively easier than the practice papers we usually do in class, but there are ambiguities here and there especially with the mean temperatures and wind component. Sucky thing about this subject. So if I'm lucky, I should pass this subject.


It was all over yesterday, but that fulfilling feeling wasn't there. Out of the 8 papers, I will fail at least 3 of them if I'm lucky. How depressing. Sighhhhh. It is very draining and it will hit your confidence very hard if a partial pass can't be achieved. I am facing that prospect currently. Am I prepared for the worst? I am not quite sure if I can take the blow.

My dear helpers during the papers

Cool it down after all the papers

A little BBQ with the class to mark the end of it all

Oh, this isn't the end. There is still Performance A paper 2 weeks later, which I heard is a very tough subject and have seen many falter on it again and again without success. This sucks, totally.

Week 24: ATPL Ground School Week 24

This is it, the dreaded week is here. The real exams will commence this coming week and I'm feeling the butterflies in my stomach creating havoc.

I'm unsure about myself, even after two rounds of Mock Exam. Managed to pass all of Mock 2 except for Instruments which I failed by one question. I've since spent quite a considerable amount of time brushing up this subject but then I'm still worried.

Nav Phase is nothing like Tech Phase. 8 subjects vs 5 subjects. The amount of knowledge needed and memorization is exponentially more. What I can tell myself is I've been trying my best all this while and if I still  fail to pass all subjects in one sitting, I'd have no regrets.

My all I will give. Best of luck to myself.

Simplifying memorization

Milk improves memory?

Some tea to end off this week

Countdown to ATPL Exams 

Week 23: ATPL Ground School Week 23

Hello, I survived hell week and didn't end up in IMH!! It was a really crazy crazy week I had, along with my course mates. For the first time we have tasted the intensity of a full ATPL Exam. Eight papers in three consecutive days is not one to be trifled with.

I need to find a balance between the revision time of all subjects, keeping in mind that I need to have adequate rest to last the next day's exam papers as well as further revision for papers on the day after next. If you're not careful, you might end up burning yourself out and not being able to perform in some of the papers ahead. At the mean time, eat well, sleep well, shit well and also drink lots of water to cool down the overworked body.

As what HPL has suggested in the text, exposing one to a certain type of stress will allow the person to become more resistant to it over time. With this, the school has decided to up the game and conduct a second round of mock exam next week. This time, it shall be seven papers within two days, excluding Air Law.

Monday - Nav Theory, Flight Planning, Met Theory, Met Practical
Tuesday - Instruments, Radio Aids, HPL

Lovely isn't it? Actually, I'm kinda feeling excited about it since I'm more well prepared than ever. I love challenges and this is one hell of a challenge no doubt.

The more you're afraid of it, the more you have to face it, just like Batman.

Bring it on.

Some last minute mugging the night before the first day of exam started

HPL is not one to be taken lightly. 2 previous 96 scores made me think I can scrape through it by not studying. I was so close to failing it.

My downfall in Met Prac and Air Law. Lots of element of luck in the rest of the papers though. Will need to continue brushing up the concepts this weekend. I might not be as lucky the next time.

Countdown to ATPL Exams 

Week 22: ATPL Ground School Week 22

Another week of tests and revision. Good thing is that it was only a 4-day week thanks to Good Friday. The longer weekend allows us to catch up on whatever we've been lagging behind in. However, most of us still feel that time is not enough. I for one is feeling the heat real badly.

Unable to sleep in peace, the amount of work to catch up is bugging me 24/7, and it s a torture. I seem to have lost the ability to relax and unwind. Even food seems to be tasteless to me now. What I'm praying for is for the body to hold up and don't go haywire during this crucial period. I promise to take good care of it once this crazy phase is over.

We also started on Air Law this week. Two of half days was all it took for the instructor to teach us what's needed. It's good that it isn't a subject that needs much concept understanding. Memory work is the more preferred choice now with the brain in saturation mode and unable to digest anymore new material.

Coming week shall be the college mock exam. I doubt I can do as well as I will have hoped, but the best I will try without killing myself.

Wednesday - Nav Theory, Flight Planning
Thursday -  Radio Aids, HPL, Met Theory
Friday - Instruments, Air Law, Met Practical

Good luck to myself, n hope I won't end up in IMH.

HPL is fast becoming my favourite subject for its ease of scoring

Met Theory, still my weak point

Mugging for Flight Planning. We're all so stressed up.

Countdown to ATPL Exams 

Week 21: ATPL Ground School Week 21

Nothing much to mention for this week. We had only one test on Thursday which is HPL, and also completed the syllabus on Radio Aids and Instruments. More stuff was covered on Meteorology and Met Prac.

Slowly, we are sensing the closeness of the CAAS exam in mid April, and every single one of us is worried. This coming week will be the final of March as well as the final week for syllabus teaching. The following week will be our mock exam.

I'm still very empty in my brain. I guess the time has come to really load the info into my brain, bit by bit.

A fellow course mate's birthday.

May we all walk towards the same goal together

HPL wasn't tough, but it can be tricky. Complacency can kill.

Ending off the week at Astons Changi Airport

Countdown to ATPL Exams 

Week 20: ATPL Ground School Week 20

A week of tests, the necessary evil we all face every fortnight. Hasn't really been a good week based on the results I've achieved. Cramping so much info within such a short time isn't advisable; one gets all mixed up and select wrong answers during the tests.

I will need to brush up on my concept and work even harder. Such results do not breed much confidence to be honest, I better buck up.

Following week we will have two tests on HPL after one has been cancelled this week. Hopefully it can give me a reason to be happier in terms of results. Till next weekend, cya.

The Breitling team at Seletar airstrip

This looked like I've only studied for half the test

An interesting fact in HPL

Cumulus clouds. Meteorology is a very useful subject to pick up.

Not exactly very desirable results

Countdown to ATPL Exams 

Week 19: ATPL Ground School Week 19

We're almost finishing up on the syllabus with Navigation subject, with just about a little left in Plotting stipulated to be completed by this coming week. Covered two chapters each on Instruments and Radio Aids but feeling ever so empty like nothing went inside the brain for these two subjects.

Meteorology is as heavy as ever and we have started on Met Practical, learning how to read weather reports like experts deciphering code words and symbols. It is quite amazing the things we can do once we have picked the new knowledge up.

We had another progress test on HPL this week. After which, we realise that this subject isn't as easy as we have expected, with some of us caught off guard and attained less than perfect results for the test. That was quite a wake up call to remind us not to get too comfortable no matter how easy the subject may look.

Coming week is another hell week with four progress tests waiting for us.

Monday - Instruments
Tuesday - Meteorology
Thursday - Radio Aids & HPL.

As the chapters start piling up, it is only going to get exponentially harder to score, or even pass.

Weather report & forecast for Changi Airport

The HPL test that caught us off guard

Getting nearer to the tail end of the timetable

Countdown to ATPL Exams 

Week 18: ATPL Ground School Week 18

Tough week we had, with 5 papers and never ending revision which only stopped after school on Thursday when we have completed all progress tests. I managed to scrape through all except one; Radio Aids. Failed by one incorrect answer. No excuses though, I should be passing the tests with at least a score of 80% just to be on the safe side.

It was our first taste of how heavy the tests can be when being conducted on consecutive days. It was daunting initially, but I believe we will all be accustomed to it soon and be able to handle the load much better as time goes by.

Lessons this week were fewer with time taken up for the tests. Radio Aids and Instruments are really taking a toll on us due to the speed we have to digest the content. Navigation is on the last part of the syllabus which is Plotting, a topic which we found out isn't going to be a walk in the park even though it can be quite straightforward. We have to work a lightning speeds in order to finish the plotting. More on Plotting will be covered in this coming week.

On the final day of the week we had also started on another new subject called Meteorology Practical. What it does is to train us to decipher symbols and numbers, data which we can translate to weather forecasts. It is another memory intensive subject, and it definitely doesn't look easy.

Hectic, exhausting, draining. As of today, we are 45 days away from the first day of ATPL Exams.

It is getting scary.

Thank god plotting is being done on a small A4 sheet map and not the huge Jeppesen Charts I initially thought

人，最重要是找到属于自己的世界。

只要找到属于自己的世界，人生才有意义。

Week 17: ATPL Ground School Week 17

A pretty busy week with every subject in full throttle.We have started in Flight Planning using the Jeppesen charts, a very new experience in contrast to the usual theory based learning. The frustrating feature about the charts is the size and the absence of colour. Our poor eyes got really strained finding the minute waypoints.

We thought the charts were bad, until we went into fuel flight planning with all the small numbers and crazy interpolations on the data sheets. Our brains were totally fried with the tedious aspects of Flight Planning.

Away from Nav, instruments was ok but Radio Aids is crazy with the amount of info we have to UPLOAD into our brains' data bank. Let's not talk about Meteorology, another memory intensive subject.

This coming week will be the first week where we have progress tests for all the subjects.

Monday - Radio Aids
Tuesday - Flight Planning + Meteorology
Thursdays - Instruments + HPL

Hell week we call it. It won't be easy, but we will take it as it comes.

A breather during lunch time

Eyesight killing charts

Crazy data which frustrates us

Sharing of knowledge, doggie style

Week 16: ATPL Ground School Week 16

Very short week with only 3 school days due to the Chinese New Year holidays, therefore we didn't really cover much. Two progress tests were conducted; Nav and Met. Nav was pretty ok but Met was quite disastrous, I still haven't get a grip on this subject, which is not very assuring.

Oh, and the new instructor started teaching us this week on Radio Aids. Quite a lot of things to memorize from what I saw and that is also worrying. How much can the brain take before it starts losing data? We are roughly 60 days away from the first day of the ATPL exams. Looking at the amount of data we have yet to cover, it is very daunting.

Discipline in studying will be the key, along with consistency.

Charts given to us. Errrr, I'm lost.. haha!!

If you're good in Mathematics and is able to calculate fast, Nav should be ok.

Close shave, concept is weak

Week 15: ATPL Ground School Week 15

It has been another hectic week, especially with Navigation Theory lessons. I'm glad to say that this syllabus has been completed and we're now going to focus more on revision for this subject. Other subjects covered this week include Meteorology and HPL. News is out that Instruments and Radio Aids will start next week, and we will also have two progress tests next week.

Ever since the start of nav phase, we have been having mostly quizzes and only one progress test. So I guess our Chinese New Year is pretty much gone with the need to revise for the tests, just like our 2013 New Year's Day.

Well I'm not complaining, 'cause in the future, we will have no holidays at all, only off days.

Revision exercise booklets

The very last chapter on nav theory: TIME.

We have started the study of different kinda clouds in Met

In the midst of all the spring cleaning, I dug out this. It's a shame I was never called for a chance at their interview

Week 14: ATPL Ground School Week 14

Lessons are coming in flick and fast. Surprise tests now and then to keep us on our toes. I'm still coping alright for now, soaking up all the knowledge bit by bit. Meteorology has also been started this week. It's harder to understand but it's mainly memory work I must say, just like HPL.

I also turned 28 in age on Thursday. How time flies, and I didn't expect myself to be still studying at this age, but I'm very glad that this opportunity came along. If there is a birthday wish to be made, it will be to pass all crucial exams with my fellow batch mates, on the ground as well as in the air. This time next year, we will all probably be back in Singapore after our flight training in Australia.

T-tail aircraft at Seletar

A little exercise to show that we know the geography of the earth

Finally we have our own pantry. It's a life saver when we need a break

All of us paying full attention to our dear instructor

My super fantastic birthday cake courtesy of a great batch mate and his gf.