@Finners yes basically. But bear in mind the question bank has 4000+ questions. And each time I got one wrong I read the explanation so I would understand the topic properly. So it’s not as though the whole process takes 2 days. I reckon in total I spent 4 full days to get there.
I nearly fell off my chair reading that. Four days total is most impressive and probably a great tip for anyone contemplating a CBIR.
Bear in mind you won’t understand much with this approach, but you will pass
I spent a lot more than that ;-)
I thought the ground school had to tick a box to say you’ve spent 80 hours studying under their supervision and keep a record of progress tests they’ve given you along the way?
I would suggest 4 days indicates utterly exceptional intellectual ability.
I did the 7 JAA IR exams (the FAA IR didn’t give any credit towards the exams back then). Bought an Ipad and spent 1 or 2 months of evenings on the sofa going through an online QB (that company is defunct now). I got first time passes in all, but only just above 75% in some.
I also did 3 days ground school at an FTO at Bournemouth – didn’t have to do this but I thought it would help me with the exams. Well, it was a waste of time. The syllabus was distant from the 7 JAA IR exams, with a load of 1970s jet stuff and extremely boring classroom time with instructors who never flew a plane and were stuck in the 1970s. However back then one needed a ground school FTO to sign you off as ready to sit the 7 exams (basically you gave an FTO £1000 for a load of ring binders and if you had an ICAO IR they signed you off) and I think that was why I went there. As a consequence of doing that optional classroom time, I got caught up in having to do a load of homework which had to achieve a certain minimum mark and that was very time-consuming; I never did achieve that but they had already signed me off by the time they realised 
Nowadays most people seem to go to CATS (in the UK) because they have the most pragmatic classroom time / online study package. The exams can usually be sat in another country which is helpful to some.
Today’s CB IR is a bit easier (but there is still mandatory classroom time) and the conversion from an ICAO IR is much easier than it used to be (an oral exam with the IR examiner, and a checkride).
Where are the rules of the CBIR, I’ve already read quite a bit about it but missed the mandatory classroom time.
CATS at Luton would be a PITA to attend.
I’ve just finished my CB/IR theory, there is (still) a load of BS you need to learn, still I think it’s progress compared to pre 2014. I’ve taken my time and did one or two exams per session. I didn’t keep a record, but I’m sure I’ve spent more than 80 hours. My ATO didn’t care much if I showed up for the mandatory classroom time as they were busy with ATPL courses and did the CB/IR ‘on the side’ (with more or less the same pricetag, mind you…). I did just two mornings of instruction there, when I realised I was just there to warm a seat. They need to ‘release’ you for every exam, but they always did, classroom time or not, no questions asked. That was just fine with me. Beware that the Aviation Exam (AE) is very good help, but their questionbank is not the same as the questionbank they use for your exams. That used to be the case, so some posters will tell you that they memorised the AE questionbank and passed with flying colours, but at the time that is no longer possible.
CATS at Luton would be a PITA to attend.
Yes; the only good thing about Luton is that there is a direct train from Brighton (or Gatwick)
Beware that the Aviation Exam (AE) is very good help, but their questionbank is not the same as the questionbank they use for your exams. That used to be the case, so some posters will tell you that they memorised the AE questionbank and passed with flying colours, but at the time that is no longer possible.
I found that too, in 2011. I think the online QBs struggle to keep up to date with the constant small changes. Also a comment made by one of them is that the CBIR market is miniscule.
The main problem is that the only way to arrive at a CB IR QB is to take the ATPL QB and by reference to the syllabus have a go at removing inapplicable questions.
Seems as though this guy took the same approach as I did (CAPT then Aviation Exam) –
https://nickritterblog.wordpress.com/2015/09/17/completing-the-cbm-ir-my-experience/
