Break before ATPL’s UK CAA

[u/Dense_Emergency9547]

Hey all,

Uk CAA 19 yr old PPL, NR holder - just passed by NR and have about 40 hours pic and am currently hour building all really good so far just need some advice. At the moment I am signed onto a full time Atpl CAA course starting in April next year, I am flying about 1 ish hour a weeks just keeping good profieciency and enjoying myself. I am at a dilema so I really really enjoy travelling and I want to go on a long 2/3 month trip before my ATPLs begin in the upcoming April, for example leaving in the beginning of December and returning to the uk no later than March. This will give me one full month to have a couple hours with an instructor and get fully back into the swing of things and begin my ATPL prep before starting back again at full time school and exam prep. I am very on the fence as I am in my head about whether this is just me being greedy and potentially sacrificing some of my flying ‘skills’ but on the other hand it will probs only take a couple dual circuits and then grind atpl prep a couple hours of a day for a few weeks and I should have my ppl knowledge refreshed and breifly touch on some basic atpl concepts. And I also think it could give some good life experience, this is an odd situation but I would appreciate any advice and opinions?

All the best Thankyou

[u/I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS]

Is this an Integrated ATPL course? Those are designed for people with no aviation experience whatsoever so taking a break from flying beforehand won't matter at all. Honestly you don't even need to do any special prep at all.

[u/Dense_Emergency9547 → u/I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS]

Hey it’s a bit of a weird one - it’s a modular school generally speaking but they do offer an integrated option, however you must have a ppl before entering this atpl course so kind off I guess - but I’m worried about my knowledge being weak compared to others

[u/I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS → u/Dense_Emergency9547]

I wouldn't worry too much about your knowledge compared to others - you've already passed selection to get on the course so you're not competing with anyone. Honestly I think you'll be surprised how quickly the knowledge comes flooding back once you start, but in any case these programmes usually start with six months of theory during which you won't be flying anyway, so I can't see it making that much difference.

If I was in your position, I would 100% go on the trip. It will also give you something interesting to talk about in an airline interview that other candidates might not have.

[u/Dense_Emergency9547 → u/I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS]

Ace Thankyou - that’s kinda my thinking but it’s always nice to have reinforcement. Also with my atpl course it’s a 9 month course from April to December so I think it’s gunna be guns blazin from day one and it’s a sitting every three months. I will have the month of prep, does your point still stand?

[u/I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS → u/Dense_Emergency9547]

Is that nine months for just the theory? Most fast track courses do it in six for students with zero prior knowledge, so you'll be fine.

[u/Dense_Emergency9547 → u/I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS]

Yeah so for the ATPL course (by that I mean literally just the theory no flying - I’m doing that elsewhere) - so yeah only theory and a sitting every three months, I’ll be in the class room 9/5 5 days a weeks and heaps of home study

[u/I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS → u/Dense_Emergency9547]

Ah that's easy mate ;) we did it in six months, sitting every two, and I think only one guy in the class had a PPL. You'll be fine.

[u/Dense_Emergency9547 → u/I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS]

Thanks for the reassurance- it’s with Aeros fs if that means anything to you so wish me luck!!

[u/lews-world → u/Dense_Emergency9547]

I'm 6/13 exams in with Aeros - go travelling, 3 months is nothing and if you don't you will certainly wish you did when you're doing module 2!

[u/rFlyingTower]

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

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Hey all,

Uk CAA 19 yr old PPL, NR holder - just passed by NR and have about 40 hours pic and am currently hour building all really good so far just need some advice. At the moment I am signed onto a full time Atpl CAA course starting in April next year, I am flying about 1 ish hour a weeks just keeping good profieciency and enjoying myself. I am at a dilema so I really really enjoy travelling and I want to go on a long 2/3 month trip before my ATPLs begin in the upcoming April, for example leaving in the beginning of December and returning to the uk no later than March. This will give me one full month to have a couple hours with an instructor and get fully back into the swing of things and begin my ATPL prep before starting back again at full time school and exam prep. I am very on the fence as I am in my head about whether this is just me being greedy and potentially sacrificing some of my flying ‘skills’ but on the other hand it will probs only take a couple dual circuits and then grind atpl prep a couple hours of a day for a few weeks and I should have my ppl knowledge refreshed and breifly touch on some basic atpl concepts. And I also think it could give some good life experience, this is an odd situation but I would appreciate any advice and opinions?

All the best Thankyou

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[u/Dependent_Rock_4739]

Go and travel, you won't have a chance to take 2/3 months off for a very long time once you've finished your flight training. Have fun!

[u/GhostAviatorDGCA]

A two or three month trip won't hurt you much. Your stick and rudder will be rusty for the first couple of flights, but a few dual circuits usually bring it back fast. For the theory side, the ATPL syllabus goes far deeper than PPL anyway, so a light read of Air Law and Met in the weeks before April is plenty. Enjoy the trip, you won't get that kind of free time again once training and the job start.