ATPL question bank alternative
A Bristol Groundschool question bank alternative for EASA ATPL
Looking for an alternative to the Bristol Groundschool question bank? Welcome to SkyStudy. It is an independent EASA ATPL question bank with 31,032 questions across every subject, and the bank is free to use while we are in beta. Below is an honest, side-by-side comparison so you can decide what fits your study.
The question bank is free during the beta, no card required. The demo runs without an account.
What Bristol Groundschool is known for
What Bristol Groundschool is known for
Bristol Groundschool is best known as a distance-learning ATPL theory provider. Its BGS Question Bank, as listed on bristol.gs in July 2026, offers more than 15,000 EASA and UK CAA ATPL, CPL, IR and PPL questions with explanations, illustrations and progress tracking, and is also included with its full distance-learning course.
SkyStudy vs Bristol Groundschool, side by side
Compared on objective, verifiable points. Competitor figures are as listed on their own site or store in July 2026 and cover different scopes and editions, so they are not strictly like for like.
| Feature | SkyStudy | Bristol Groundschool |
|---|---|---|
| Questions advertised | 31,032 questions across every EASA ATPL theory subject | More than 15,000 EASA and UK CAA ATPL, CPL, IR and PPL questions |
| Coverage | EASA ATPL focus: the full theory syllabus (010 to 100) | ATPL, CPL, IR and PPL; UK CAA and EASA (2016 and 2021 options) |
| Price to start | Free while in beta, no card required (ATPL subscription tiers planned after beta) | Paid subscription, also included with their distance-learning course |
| Platform | Web app, installable as an offline PWA | PC, Mac, iPad and smartphone |
A SkyStudy question, in full
A question count tells you nothing about whether the questions are any good. This one is taken straight from the General Navigation (061) set, answer and reasoning included.
General Navigation (061)
The rhumb-line track from A (45°N 020°W) to B (45°N 020°E) is 090°. The initial great-circle track from A to B is:
- 075.9°correct
- 090.0°
- 104.1°
- 080.0°
Why A is right
Conversion angle is half the change of longitude times the sine of the mean latitude: half of 40° is 20°, and 20 times sin 45° is 14.1°. Flying east in the northern hemisphere the great circle starts poleward of the rhumb line, so the initial track is 090° minus 14.1°, which is 075.9°.
The trap
Option C, 104.1°, is the same conversion angle applied the other way. It is the FINAL great-circle track at B, not the initial one at A. The examiner is testing whether you know which end of the leg you are standing at, and reading the question for the word initial is most of the marks.
Go deeper: Great circle against rhumb line, and conversion angle
Why students pick SkyStudy
- A larger advertised question set: 31,032 questions across every ATPL subject, versus the more-than-15,000 the BGS Question Bank lists (July 2026).
- The question bank is free to use during the beta with no card required, with no course purchase needed to access it.
- Independently authored revision questions, not exam dumps and not the official ECQB.
- If you only want a question bank rather than a full distance-learning course, SkyStudy is a focused, free-during-beta option.
When Bristol Groundschool is the better buy
Pick Bristol Groundschool if what you actually need is a course, not a question bank. They are a distance-learning provider first: the theory teaching, the structure and the course itself are the product, and the question bank comes with it. A question bank cannot teach you a syllabus you have not studied, and no amount of practice questions substitutes for approved training when your route to the exams requires it. Their bank also spans CPL, IR and PPL and covers UK CAA as well as EASA, which SkyStudy does not. SkyStudy is a revision tool for someone who is already learning the theory somewhere.
What you also get with SkyStudy
Features included with SkyStudy today, beyond the question bank.
What you also get with SkyStudy
Features included with SkyStudy today, beyond the question bank.- Spaced repetition built in. An SM-2 spaced repetition queue brings questions back at the right interval, so revision targets what you are about to forget rather than what you already know.
- Free aviation tools for everyone. Free METAR, TAF, NOTAM and SNOWTAM decoders, plus flight calculators for wind component, density and pressure altitude, ISA deviation, Mach number, true airspeed and unit conversion. No account needed.
- Free pilot aptitude practice. A set of free pilot aptitude practice tests for airline selection, open to anyone without signing up.
- Installable, works offline. Install SkyStudy as an app (PWA) and keep practising offline. Your progress syncs back when you reconnect.
- Community and progress tracking. Community explanations, votes and seen-on-exam reports from other students, plus streaks and progress tracking to keep daily revision consistent.
- Try it before you register. A free live demo lets you work through real questions before you create an account.
Bristol Groundschool alternative: common questions
Bristol Groundschool alternative: common questions
Is SkyStudy a good alternative to the Bristol Groundschool question bank?
Do I need to buy a course to use SkyStudy?
How many questions does SkyStudy have compared with Bristol Groundschool?
Try SkyStudy before you decide
See the 31,032-question bank, spaced repetition and timed practice for yourself. Free during the beta, no card required. Open the live demo or create a free account, then compare it with Bristol Groundschool on its own merits.