Boeing 767 Cockpit
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Thankyou for your interest in the SECOMBE AVIATION ATPL Courses. Passing the ATPL exams will open new opportunities for you, including the possibility of an airline career. These courses are available both as ‘full time’ classroom courses or as correspondence courses. They have been specifically prepared for the current ATPL (A) syllabus by Gavin Secombe, an ex RAAF pilot who is a registered theory provider with CASA and has been teaching ATPL theory professionally for the last fourteen years. Each subject is a complete course, with logical, easy to follow structured texts. In it you will find the various procedures explained and worked examples so you can easily see how the procedures are applied to each problem. It has been designed to provide you with an effective and systematic approach to prepare for each of the ATPL (A) examinations. This ensures that you cover the syllabus and develop the understanding so that you pass each examination and secure your future career. I'm certain that you will find our ATPL courses suit you. They are indeed excellent courses which allow you to achieve exceptionally high exam results because you learn and understand what each subject is about.

 

 

 

CLASSROOM COURSES

 

Does a correspondence course not appeal to you? Secombe Aviation now offer intensive seven week courses that will equip you for the ATPL(A) examinations in a purpose-built environment located at Bankstown Airport. As a special celebration of our growth over the past eleven years, these classroom courses are offered at exactly the same price as our correspondence courses! You will have all the advantages of our comprehensive texts, whist being taught by Gavin Secombe ‘face to face’. This intensive course will include our practice examination packages with answers, so you can see exactly which questions need further clarification.

 

As with the correspondence course, bookings may be made for individual subjects or for the full course. The question is “Do I complete my studies with Secombe Aviation in the classroom or by correspondence?” That may be the hardest decision you need to make. If you are unable to commit the time for the classroom course, then you can still complete all your studies at your convenience by correspondence in a time frame that suits YOU!

 

2004 CLASSROOM COURSE DATES

 

ATPL(A) Course # 1 / 2004

19JAN04    - 5MAR04

ATPL(A) Course # 2 / 2004

15MAR04    - 30APR04

ATPL(A) Course # 3 / 2004

10MAY04    - 25JUN04

ATPL(A) Course # 4 / 2004

5JUL04      - 20AUG04

ATPL(A) Course # 5 / 2004

30AUG04    - 15OCT04

ATPL(A) Course # 6 / 2004

25OCT04    - 10DEC04

 

The four major subjects;  Navigation,  Flight Planning, Performance & Loading and Aerodynamics & Aircraft Systems; costs only $1507. A substantial saving over any of our competitors and may be completed in a convenient 5˝ week block.

 

 

CORRESPONDENCE COURSES

 

Classroom course are great for those who are able to give themselves into a ‘full time’ study situation. However, for many people ‘full time’ studies are not possible. Perhaps you live in a remote part of Australia or are overseas. You may be too busy to allocate time for a classroom course. Our ATPL(A) correspondence courses enable you to complete all of your studies without any classroom attendance. You work through each subject at your pace, when it is convenient for you. There are no set dates - you can start at any time and fit your studies into your schedule. You may work as quickly as you like or take a more leisurely approach. It is your choice!

 

How does the correspondence course work? Each subject has the necessary information, explanations and procedures within it. The information allows you to learn how things work. As you work through each section, you’ll find questions for you to complete. You then send in your answers (and if appropriate working) by pre-paid envelopes, fax, e-mail whatever means is easiest for you at the time. Clearly the more of your work we see, the greater the opportunity we have to help you. After marking, everything is returned to you along with any corrections, comments or suggestions that we feel will help you to learn more about that topic. Sometimes we’ll include our solutions or ask you to call us on the help line to discuss your answers directly with you. This way we know that you are kept ‘on track’ for all of your studies.

 

As you approach the end of a subject, we then send you our practise examination package. This final package of questions are in multiple choice format like the real exam. Being multiple choice questions, we pack the answers, along with many hints & tips in a separate envelope, so that as soon as you finish a quiz or an exam you can mark it and see how well you have done.

 

Throughout all of your studies, should you have any questions, difficulties or wish to discuss points, our support network is there for you. Call us on 1800 636 830 e-mail help@atpl.com.au and you’ll soon have the answer you’re seeking.

 

Bookings may be made for individual subjects or for the full course, just like our classroom course. The question you need to ask yourself is, “Do I complete my studies with Secombe Aviation in the classroom or by correspondence?” That may be the hardest decision you need to make. If you can’t make the time for the classroom course, then you can still complete all your studies at your convenience by correspondence.

 

BENEFITS OF THESE COURSES

Tremendous "First attempt" pass rate! Most students pass all subjects on their first attempt, including Flight Planning. Be confident that you too can pass these examinations. Even if you do "drop a subject", the help and support are still in place to ensure that you do pass the next time.

Active HELP and SUPPORT are included with your purchase. Throughout your studies, you may wish to use our FREECALL "1800 Help Line" to check an answer or two or to overcome any difficulties that you encounter. Alternatively, you may use our facsimile or E-mail facilities, this way you get the help you need, when you need it! The support we provide means that you get those results that other pilots can only dream about - with us, you achieve them!

Practise examinations WITH answers are included for each subject as part of the examination package, so you will be thoroughly prepared for the real examinations.

A flexible timetable allows you to work as fast as you like or whenever is convenient for yourself. You choose how fast you want to work - the pace is NOT set by a lecturer but by you. You can work quickly through the sections that you find easy to do and slowly through the more difficult sections, to ensure that you gain the necessary understanding.

Keep working while you study; in fact you may be able to complete some of the course whilst at work during quiet periods or on charters and keep your holidays for holidays.

You can complete the course entirely from home, you do not have to travel to, and find accommodation in a major city such as Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne where the full time courses are available. If you move, then just take the course with you, even overseas!

You are given professionally developed texts from which to work. You don't have to copy any notes. These volumes have been specifically written to guide you through each subject in easy, simple stages. Each subject includes the formal text for the learning phase, questions, practise quizzes and exams WITH answers. It is a complete package!

All amendments are included, as everything in aviation is subject to change, so too are our courses. Included with your course purchase is our amendment service FREE of charge. This means that you don't have to worry about the course going out of date, or what changes CASA may make to the syllabus or the exams. Keeping the course current is our responsibility, all you have to do is to concentrate on learning the material we provide for you. You do the work, you get the results. Amendments and support are included for 12 months where you purchase individual subjects or for 24 months if you purchase the full course. Support is available for even longer if required.

THE COURSE COMPRISES

Volume 1

Navigation

Volume 2

Flight Planning

Volume 3

Meteorology

Volumes 4 & 5

Aerodynamics & Aircraft Systems - Includes Gas Turbine Engines

Volume 6

Human Factors & Air Law

Volume 7

Performance & Loading


You study each subject at your convenience whenever, wherever you wish. This way you are not left behind by the set timetable of a class room or getting bored waiting for someone else to catch up. You study at your pace all the way. As you progress through each Volume, you will find a series of questions and practise examinations to ensure that you have learnt the material covered. These you send back to SECOMBE AVIATION (all postage is included) for marking and comment. This confirms your understanding of the theory and that you are correctly applying the procedures to solve the problems presented. As you complete each subject, a practise examination package will be sent to you to assist you to maximise your marks in the real examination.

 

WHAT YOU NEED

To complete our correspondence course you will need to study one hour per day, most days each week. At this rate, you can expect to pass all your examinations in about eight months. Put aside more time and you can have all your passes much sooner. We are quite happy for you to complete your studies on a “full time” basis if you wish. The faster you work, the sooner you see your passes come in. We assume that you already hold a CPL (A) and have available:

Aeronautical Information Publication

Boeing 727 Performance and Operating Handbook

Calculator (+, -, x, ÷, and memory)

Civil Aviation Orders - CAOs 20 - 95

Civil Aviation Regulations - CARs 1988

DAPS East and West

En-Route Charts for all of Australia, High, Low, PCA and Terminal Charts

Plotting equipment, protractor, compasses, dividers, a long ruler (15-18’ or 40-50 cm)

  
At no stage should you feel that you are studying alone. We include lots of help and support, including our FREE 1800 HELP LINE, E-mail, telephone/fax and of course conventional mail. Many students find that E-mail is often the easiest and fastest way of getting that extra bit of help, be it for marking of your work or to answer any questions. You are most welcome to use whichever method suits you.

Secombe Aviation specialises in ATPL and only ATPL studies. Since we do nothing else, it is clearly in both our interest and yours to ensure that we provide you with the very best ATPL course possible. It is because we specialise that we are confident that our courses are indeed the best! Not only do we believe this, but our student results show us that this is indeed the case. Our students regularly achieve the highest exam results possible, including 100% in Flight Planning! Student average results in excess of 85% with all subjects passed on first attempt is not unusual. This is one course that performs! Our courses have been used by pilots from all backgrounds; general aviation, airlines, the military and those completing university degrees to supplement their studies. It works for them, it will work for you too.

A pass in the ATPL (Aeroplanes) examinations can open many new opportunities for you. This course has proven itself by helping hundreds of pilots obtain their passes. Why not you? The future and career that you have dreamed of is possible! Take the next step, call 1800 636 830 and place your order or complete the forms at the end of this letter and forward them with your payment to Secombe Aviation Pty Ltd and start turning your dreams into reality. Let us help you pass the ATPL examinations and secure your future career. Together we can do it!

Gavin Secombe

PS. Remember, by far the majority of our students pass each examination on their first attempt.

You can too!

Buy Online or call 1800 636 830

ATPL COURSE CONTENT


NAVIGATION - $AUD 330

Navigation leads you through the shape of the earth and how maps are developed into CPs (or ETPs), PNRs and LPSDs for all situations. There is an extensive section on basic pressure instruments and airspeed mach number theory including plenty of questions to practise on. From there it extends your understanding of conventional navigation aids; NDB, VOR, DME and ILS and goes onto explain how area navigation systems operate.

Next on the list is radar, covering basic principles of radar systems. Differences between primary and secondary radar, pulse and continuous wave radar are covered along with definitions of radar terminology. Airborne weather radar earns a section in its own right and shows the value of an iso-echo function to determine not just where the water concentration is greatest in a cloud, but also where turbulence is most likely to be found. Radar altimeters are also covered in the course, but under the altimetry section.

To finish Navigation, is a discussion on search and rescue, the criteria used to determine a search and the types of search patterns commonly encountered. Having participated in many searches, some good, and some bad, I’m sure you will find some of the tips in this section may prove useful, and hopefully help you to have a more successful search. Included at the end are four practise examinations to confirm your understanding of the principles taught within this Volume.

 

FLIGHT PLANNING - $AUD 550

Flight Planning is broken into two sections, “Using the Boeing 727 Performance & Operating Handbook” and “Application of Planning Techniques”. Using the 727 Handbook takes you through each section of the 727 manual, covering take-off, climbs, cruises, descents, landing performance and fuel policy. This basic use of the manual must be mastered before you can successfully apply the planning techniques.

Application of Planning Techniques introduces you to the terms “Suitable” and “Acceptable” aerodromes and how they effect trip planning and alternate decisions. The use of estimates in trip planning are addressed leading into planning for a typical trip in a Boeing 727. Having completed the whole trip scenario, planning of PNRs (both on-track and off-track) are covered which will allow you to plan for any PNR for any condition including changes of wind and cruise techniques. This is extended to be able to plan for the worst case situation, ie maximum headwind component or the minimum tailwind required to be able to complete a trip.

Lastly, a dual cruise technique is covered. This allows you to plan for a change in cruise conditions and still continue on to your destination. This dual cruise planning is handy as you can determine at what point the aircraft could lose an engine, or depressurise and not have to turn around and go back (that is a PNR type situation) but can continue and finish the trip to your planned destination.

To assist you with Flight Planning, five practise examinations are included. These have graded solutions from complete, worked solutions with explanations and answers for the first examination; progressively reducing the amount of detail in the solutions until examination number five where you are then solo. Our students have had great success with Flight Planning, some gaining the fantastic result of 100% on their first attempt!

 

METEOROLOGY - $AUD 165

Meteorology covers all the basics that you probably know already, the atmosphere and heat transfer, winds, thunderstorms and icing. How well do you understand stability, jet streams, upper level met reports? Can you really decode TAFs correctly? It might surprise you, but from past experience I find most students cannot consistently and correctly decode a TAF. An extensive section on decoding is included, this I'm sure will eliminate any troubles that you may have.

Included at the end of Meteorology is one practise examination to confirm your understanding of the principles taught within this Volume.

 

AERODYNAMICS & AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS - $AUD 440 (Includes Basic Gas Turbines)

Volume 5 covers a variety of topics including, aerodynamics and flight control systems. Hydraulics, landing gear, brakes and aircraft steering get extensive treatment and includes the CASA diagrams for systems where appropriate. Aircraft electrical systems get a workout as well and pressurisation, air conditioning and ice protection are also covered. It then moves in to the cockpit, that area that pilots really should know about and covers Flight Management systems, auto-throttles and a variety of flight instrument displays, both conventional displays and the electronic variety, EFIS, EHSIs, Flight Directors and Auto-Pilots. Master Warning and Caution systems are covered, as are Traffic Collision and Avoidance Systems and Ground Proximity Warning Systems. To finish off, we have a look at cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders.

 

BASIC GAS TURBINES - (Included as part of Aerodynamics & Aircraft Systems)

The examination syllabus requires an understanding of Gas Turbine engines, their operations and limitations. This volume was designed for someone with no knowledge of gas turbines. It introduces you with basic principles of propulsion and the need for engines of greater power output than can be obtained from a piston engine driving a propeller. After introducing some terms used, the volume follows the air path through the engine, down the intake, through the compressor and diffuser, into the combustion chamber, out through the turbine and exhaust nozzle. It then examines noise and noise suppression as well as how thrust can be increased using water injection and afterburning. What about reverse thrust? Yes it’s covered too as are the fuel and oil systems, starting and ignition systems and bleed air services. The book finishes with a look at typical installations for a turbo-prop, helicopter and an Auxiliary Power Unit.

This is one volume that I’m sure you will find easy to read and understand, whether you already operate turbine engines or not. Two Gas Turbine Engine examinations are included as part of this volume. While there is no separate gas turbine examination, an understanding of their operation is examined as part of “Aerodynamics & Aircraft Systems”.

 

HUMAN FACTORS - $AUD 319 (Sold with Air Law or $165 by itself)

These notes are a combination of material written specifically for the ATPL syllabus and Aviation Medicine notes which are produced with permission from the US Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration and are some of the best notes I have ever found for pilots to read. Simple and easy to follow. They start, quite predictably with the atmosphere and its composition, but this time looking at it from the medical side. It includes the gas laws, Boyle’s Law, Henry’s Law, Charles’ Law and a few more. It looks at the process of respiration, both external and internal and what use is breathing if the blood doesn’t circulate around the body? So circulation comes in as of course our old adversary "Hypoxia" in all its different forms. Having Hypoxia in the course means that Hyperventilation must also make an appearance as do the consequences of high altitude flight, decompression sickness, trapped and evolved gases.

Aviation Medicine is much more than just trapped or evolved gas problems. What about visual problems, noise, vertigo and sensory illusions? All these are covered, as is oxygen equipment, and a variety of stress causes; alcohol, drugs, smoking and some recommendations about what you should do. A small section on physical fitness and survival is included and a brief description of a typical decompression chamber flight. Now a ride in a chamber is something DIFFERENT! If you ever get the chance to do one, take it! Even if it costs money to do it, it would be money well spent. An altitude chamber flight gives a whole new understanding to hypoxia, oxygen and much of this aviation medicine that you learn from a book. First hand experience is a GREAT teacher. 

Among the many other topics discussed are disorientation and illusions, types of behaviour, cockpit gradients, personality types, decision making processes and the effects of accelerations on the human body. All designed to help you gain a better understanding of how people function, both individually and as part of a team. A great learning tool as part of your preparation for your future career.

 

AIR LAW - $AUD 319 (Sold with Human Factors or $176 by itself)

This part of the course is perhaps the most frustrating section that you will do. Not because it is difficult, but because it requires you to spend time reading those thrilling books, the AIP, CAOs and CARs. You will find 125 multiple choice questions will get you thinking about a variety of aspects that perhaps you should know more about. To help get you going, a CAO Index is included. This Index, unlike that which you get with the CAOs is arranged into a logical alphabetical order and has cross references into the CARs and AIP where appropriate to help you find the answers quickly. It has proven its value many times and is sized so that you can trim it to fit into the front of your CAOs so that it is always available.

 

PERFORMANCE & LOADING - $AUD 187

Your knowledge of the performance requirements is extended to include; take-off and landing requirements, obstacle clearance requirements and other problems. Mainly from CAOs but the explanations make it easy to know that you are planning a flight legally. A sound understanding of Range and endurance is essential for this examination and so it is covered in depth. This includes a discussion of the effects of various factors which alter range and endurance, such as weight, temperature altitude and cruise techniques.

Weight and Balance! On a large aircraft like the Boeing 727, it is surprisingly easy. Actually quite similar to that of a light aircraft, but of course with a few changes and one or two novel differences. This section discusses the effects of shifting the centre of gravity on the aircraft and its performance.