Aeroplane ATPL Theory Tuition
Information for Prospective Students

Thank you for your enquiry regarding studying ATPL theory with Ruth King through the Australian College of Aviation. 

Why should you choose the Australian College of Aviation for your ATPL theory training?

Our success rate in respect of first-sit passes is well above the Australia-wide average, and very high scores have been achieved. We have a proven track record in remedial tuition for candidates who have experienced problems passing ATPL exams.

Tuition is conducted in small groups or one-on-one for personalised attention. Tuition proceeds at your own pace, according to your time constraints (within reason) and a mutually convenient schedule. Both fixed-fee courses and hourly rates are available.

Ruth is an experienced ATPL tutor who cares about getting pilots through the demanding ATPL exam series. She has been teaching and tutoring all ATPL subjects since 1994.

Tutoring is available during weekdays, weekends and evenings at mutually convenient times.

Course notes are of a very high quality and comprehensive. Access is provided to 
videos, slides and other training aids. Advanced Flight Theory practice cyber exams are included 
in the revision program.

The fixed course prices include free remedial tuition, should you be unsuccessful in the 
examination after completing that subject with us.


The ATPL Examinations

The ATPL examination is available by internet delivery, which is the only means of attempting these exams. Information on the ATPL CyberExams can be found on CASA's website www.casa.gov.au and through the link to Assessment Services P/L's website, who are the exam deliverers. Bookings can be made on-line or by downloading and faxing the examination application form. 

We strongly advise candidates not to book an exam prior to obtaining tuition in that subject as it will impose an unneccessary time constraint which may be difficult to meet without a lot of stress and effort. Exams can be booked once your tuition is nearing completeion and you can be assured of meeting the deadline comfortably. If you have already booked when you first enquire about tuition eg because a subject will expire, you must let us know as this will heavily influence the study program.

Apart for the change to the mode of delivery, no other changes to ATPL exam syllabus, content or format have occurred. The seven examinations can be sat in any order and combination. Candidates are credited with a pass in each subject separately. When all the subject parts have been passed, a candidate will then be awarded a pass in "The ATPL Examination". The pass mark for all subjects is 70%, except for Air Law, which is 80%. There is no requirement for a minimum aggregate score.

All the subject parts must be passed within a three year period from the first attempt (successful or otherwise) at any part, or credits will be lost. In addition, Air Law must be passed within the twelve months prior to the actual issue of the ATPL examination pass. The ATPL credit (all subjects passed) will remain valid indefinitely .

The individual subjects are:

• Flight Planning 
• Performance and Loading 
• Aerodynamics and Aircraft Systems 
• Navigation 
• Meteorology 
• Human Factors
• Air Law 

Course Formats

Due to the increased demand for flexibility in course delivery, the wide range of subject combinations which candidates wish to study and the difficulty in adopting the "ideal" full or part time course schedule, ACA plans to conduct tuition in ATPL theory in small groups or on a one-to-one basis in 2002. This approach gives maximum flexibility regarding course duration and timing and suits both first-time students and those requiring remedial work.

On receipt of your "Expression of Interest" Form, which carries no obligation, Ruth will contact you and discuss your requirements in detail. A study plan will be formulated which takes into account your time constraints and availability, mutually convenient study times, and the rate at which you would like to progress. Whilst it is impossible to predict with complete accuracy how long any individual will take to get up to speed for an exam, general guidance can be given which can be modified if necessary once tuition is underway.

Generally, most study sessions cover a half-day or evening with homework and reading assignments in between. Where possible, students will be grouped with one or a small number of others who are studying the same material. This increases the frequency of study sessions when there are many students training in parallel. 

Should you wish to proceed with a fixed price course, you fill out an enrolment form and pay a deposit, which secures you a place, subject to arranging specific study times.


Prerequisites 

It is a CASA requirement that you hold a pass in the Commercial Pilot Licence (Aeroplanes) Examination (or CPL overseas air law conversion examination) in order to sit the ATPL(A) exam. We regard a pass in instrument rating theory as a necessary prerequisite for ATPL Air Law, Flight Planning and Navigation. Depending on individual circumstances, a pass in IREX may not be required if IFR theory has been studied recently.

When deciding the best time in your career path to attempt the ATPL examinations, please take into account the flexibility of the examination system and the ability to spread your studies over a period of time. Whilst it may not be easy to take time off from a hard-earnt job in GA later on, it is generally true that the more aviation experience a candidate has, the better they cope with ATPL studies. Candidates who attempt ATPL theory straight after CPL theory may well be in "study mode" and have time on their hands, but in our experience may find it difficult to breach the gulf between CPL and ATPL with little practical experience, particularly in instrument flying and commercial operations.


Venues

Study sessions are conducted either at the instructor's house or at our Moorabbin Airport classrooms, as numbers warrant. Alternative venues may be arranged if numbers warrant but a travelling fee may apply.


Tuition Fees

Tuition fees may be either fixed price or an hourly rate plus a fixed cost for materials. In general, students studying a subject with little or no previous preparation should enrol on a fixed-fee package. Hourly rates may be appropriate for candidates who have previously studied the subject but have experienced difficulty passing the exam and require remedial work ("trouble-shooting"). 
o Fixed-price Courses

Tuition fees for fixed price courses depend on the exact combination of subjects to be studied. The greater the number of subjects to be studied, the more economical the total cost. The complete price structure is too detailed to reproduce here, but the following are representative.

For example, if the only subject required is Flight Planning, the cost for this in isolation is $1000. Similarly, Aerodynamics and Systems in isolation is $800, but the two in combination is charged at only $1480. The "Big Four"; Flight Planning, Systems, Navigation and Performance is charged as a group at $1980. The cost for all seven subjects (studied in any order) is $2480.
You will be informed of the appropriate fee structure when you speak with the course instructor subsequent to your expression of interest. When you complete an enrolment form you will be invoiced for the specified fee and payment is due no later than the first study session. GST is applicable to all ATPL courses and is additional to the prices discussed above.

Should you decide to enrol for only one subject initially, you will be charged the full fee for that subject in isolation. If you go on to study more subjects with us, the sliding fee scale will apply and you will pay a bridging amount to bring you up to the usual total for that subject combination. Should you eventually take all subjects for example, the most you will pay is $2480 (plus GST).

Fixed course fees include charges for notes, practice questions, trial exams and required texts. A small discount applies if you already have a copy of a required text. Once a fixed course fee has been paid, any remedial tuition is conducted at no further cost, should you be unsuccessful in the examination. Fixed course fees do not include examination fees, nor do they include cost of operational documents or charts, which are to be supplied by the student.


Hourly tuition rates

As an alternative to fixed-fee courses, students only requiring remedial training may elect to pay on a session-by-session basis at a rate of $45 per hour plus GST. Such an arrangement will attract an initial fee for materials which varies from $60 to $120, depending on the subject, plus GST. The materials charge includes notes, practice questions and "paper" trial exams but not required texts. Required texts are available through ACA at retail prices but candidates for remedial training are assumed to already have them (ie B727 manual, Human Factors prescribed texts). AFT's practice cyber exams are available for a small additional fee.

Students paying on an hourly rate are invoiced at regular intervals. The initial invoice is payable at the first session and covers the material fee and the initial assessment /tuition session. 
Materials provided initially are notes and relevant practice questions. Trial exams are only supplied when an appropriate course of training/revision has been completed. Please respect ACA's reputation as a quality theory training provider, not a cheap source of practice questions alone.


Accommodation

If you require assistance with obtaining suitable accommodation for the duration of your studies, please mention this with your expression of interest. Comfortable, relatively inexpensive accommodation is available at Moorabbin Airport. Other options include caravan parks and billeting. If planning to stay with family or friends, you would be wise to ensure there is a suitable area for you to study and that you will be relatively free of distractions.


Pre-study

Pre-study materials are provided for most ATPL subjects for students commencing a subject from scratch. Pre-study is sent to you when you enrol, if there is sufficient time before your study sessions commence, otherwise you will receive it at your first session.

Things to bring

The following documents and equipment are required to be supplied by course participants.

Flight Planning: IFR charts inc ERC(H), nav computer, calculator
Navigation: IFR charts, nav computer, calculator, DAPs, AIP, protractor
Performance and Loading: ERSA, CAOs, AIP, calculator
Air Law: IFR charts, ERSA, CARs (1988 and 1998), CAOs, DAPs, AIP
Meteorology: AIP

All subjects: Writing equipment, including highlighters; tags for documents and notes, spare writing paper punched for four-hole binders

NB: The required navigation computer is a Jepessen CR-2 or CR-3; the larger CR-3 is preferred. Calculators should have basic functions only, as required in the exam. IFR charts should be the whole Australia package. If you have previously attempted ATPL examinations and failed, please bring your knowledge deficiency report(s) along to your first session.


Australian College of Aviation: a background

Australian College of Aviation and its parent company Aviation Consulting and Training Services (AVCATS)are part of the Civil Group. ACA provides theory tuition for BAK, PPL, CPL, Instrument Rating and ATPL theory. ACA also produces theory workbooks for BAK, PPL, Instrument Rating and CPL theory. AVCATS provides a consultancy service to aviation companies, both GA and airline, which includes writing operations manuals and dangerous goods manuals, and provides correspondence Dangerous Goods courses. In 1995 ACA won an inaugural Flight Safety Award for its "outstanding contribution to flight safety".

Ruth King is the ATPL instructor. She has been teaching ATPL theory since 1994 and has an established reputation as a ground instructor and author of numerous publications and articles. She is a commercial pilot who has travelled extensively around Australia and also has a background in other scientific disciplines. Other lecturers and specialist consultants have also made contributions to course content.

ACA retains its close associations with airlines and the training industry and its senior staff are involved in numerous projects, including RAPAC, the Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators and the Australian Flight Safety Foundation. Ruth King has written numerous articles for aviation magazines and is a registered aviation theory provider.


Bookings and Further Information

If you are interested in ATPL tuition, please complete the obligation-free Expression of Interest form and fax or post it to ACA. The instructor, Ruth, will contact you on receipt of the form and discuss suitable tuition arrangements. Once a tuition structure has been agreed upon, your tuition can commence. For fixed fee tuition an enrolment form is completed and the specified fee is payable upon commencement. Hourly rate students will be invoiced as discussed above.

Should you change your mind and elect to discontinue a course, full refunds minus a service fee are only available if no tuition or study materials have been received. Partial refunds may be available after commencement of tuition/receipt of materials depending on circumstances and the extent of tuition undertaken to date.

For further information or to register your interest, please contact us as follows.

Telephone (03) 9587 2242 Facsimile (03) 9580 4629 

Email ruthie@netspace.net.au

Postal Address Australian College of Aviation 
PO Box 2750
Cheltenham 3192

ACA is a trading name of AVCATS Pty Ltd, ABN 59006279134.

If you would like further information about ATPL tuition, specific to your needs, please complete this form (click here) and post it to the Australian College of Aviation PO Box 2750 Cheltenham 3192 or fax to (03) 9580 4629. This form imposes no obligation on the inquirer.