As a VET (private) student, sweating it out with Starlux cadets for the same CASA CPL. Their relentless hustle sparks something in me, but I’m learning to balance that fire with a dose of chill. After 6 weeks of ground school, 3 external exams, here’s how it went.
Ground School Grind
Phase 1 ground school (25 Feb – 5 April, 2025) was a daily marathon, 0800 – 1630, 7 classes, Monday through Friday. We juggled Human Factors, Aircraft Systems, and Aerodynamics alongside Air Law, Meteorology, Navigation, and Flight Planning. It wasn’t like a neat one subject at a time for 2 weeks kind of deal, everything blended together. The last 4 subjects tested in phase 2 (late June – early Aug), gave us just enough to handle the flying phases.
From a biz ops point of view, the mixed schedule makes sense, different instructors juggle multiple courses, but the context-switching nearly fried my ape brain.
Heavy self-study was non-negotiable, forcing us to take charge of our learning. Still, I’m happy with this setup, it built a solid base for hopping into a DA40.
Exam
The exam timeline was kind of brutal: Human Factor on 11 March, Aircraft System on 25 March, Aerody on 5 April. I breezed through Human Factors and Aircraft Systems. But Aerodynamics? bruh. I crammed so hard like my life depended on it. It was so much panic, not enough disco. I wasn’t fully prepped, could’ve nailed it with just one more weekend, but passing’s enough now.
Sweet Spot
Studying with Starlux cadets, who chase 95+ like it’s oxygen lights a fire under me. My roots scream “Aim high, crush it” But my VET crew, with their Aussie “pass is pass” mindset are my chill pill. A 75 or 95 both gets you into the flying phase. This push-pull is like my sweet spot, i chase Starlux’s fire but could always lean on VET’s calm to stay sane. It got me wrestling with a big question, is success a top score or the guts to take flight? I’m learning to strive hard but fly free, and that’s shaping who I am.
Closing
I’m glad phase 1 ground school’s done. I’ll hit phase 2 self-study harder, promise. But first, let me fly.
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