Complete Guide: How Many Questions Are in the ATPL exams?
When embarking on the journey to becoming an airline transport pilot, understanding the examination process is crucial. This article will delve into the examination process for the ATPL theory subjects. We will cover how the examinations are scheduled, the scheduling rules, and the details of each subject. Let’s start by examining the scheduling rules set by EASA.
Examination Scheduling Rules
The rules are set by EASA for scheduling ATPL examinations and are the same in every EASA member country. Here are the key points you need to know:
- Completion Time: You must complete all ATPL theory subjects within 18 months of your first sitting.
- Number of Sittings: You have a maximum of 6 sittings in total.
- Attempts Per Subject: You are allowed a maximum of 4 attempts for a single subject. Failing a subject more than 4 times means you will need to retake the entire ATPL exams.
Based on these rules, you have some flexibility in scheduling your exams. You can decide how many subjects to attend per sitting and how many sittings to spread your exams across. Note that a sitting is considered an application for the exams and subsequently attending these exams. You can have 1 subject per sitting or all 13, but typically there are 3-5 subjects per sitting, and one sitting can last several days. For example you will choose 4 exams per sitting and your exams will be scheduled through 3 days. This is still considered as one sitting.)
Possible Combinations:
- 3 Sittings: Challenging but possible if time permits.
- 4 Sittings: Optimal balance between workload and time.
- 5 Sittings: Acceptable, but leaves only 1 sitting in case of a failed exam.
- 6 Sittings: Risky, as one failed test means no more sittings are available.
ATPL Exams: Duration and Number of Questions
- 010 Air Law: 44 questions – 1:00 hour
- 021 Aircraft General Knowledge: 80 questions – 2:00 hours
- 022 Instrumentation: 60 questions – 1:30 hours
- 031 Mass and Balance: 25 questions – 1:15 hours
- 032 Performance: 45 questions – 2:00 hours
- 033 Flight Planning & Monitoring: 42 questions – 2:00 hours
- 040 Human Performance & Limitations: 48 questions – 1:30 hours
- 050 Meteorology: 84 questions – 2:00 hours
- 061 General Navigation: 55 questions – 2:15 hours
- 062 Radio Navigation: 66 questions – 1:30 hours
- 071 Operational Procedures: 42 questions – 1:15 hours
- 081 Principles of Flight: 46 questions – 1:30 hours
- 090 Communications: 34 questions – 1:00 hour
Students often find that the allocated time for each examination is sufficient. However, the most critical subjects regarding available time are General Navigation and Flight Planning & Monitoring, as these involve numerous calculations. It is vital to train thoroughly in calculations during your studies to be proficient, fast, and accurate during the examinations. For almost all other subjects, well-prepared students usually have enough time to go through the questions again and recheck them.
Importance of Practicing with Question Banks
Practicing with ATPL question banks is essential for success. These question banks typically contain around 16,000 questions, reflecting the study amount students need to prepare for. While it is not necessary to see every question, the similarity between the question banks and the real exam is about 60-90%, depending on the subject and luck, as exam questions are randomly generated. Therefore, seeing and understanding as many questions as possible gives you a better chance to succeed in the real exam.
How to make your ATPL Studies easier
Given the vast number of available questions in the question banks, the preparation process can seem overwhelming. To assist students, we have designed the “ATPL Studying Tips and Tricks” guide. This guide teaches students how to use question banks effectively, optimize their studying to be efficient, and provides tips for real-life exams. Our guide aims to make the preparation process more manageable and ensure students are well-prepared for their exams. For more information and to access our guide, please visit this link.
By understanding the examination scheduling rules, knowing the details of each subject, and utilizing question banks effectively, you can navigate the ATPL exams with confidence. Good luck with your studies and exams!
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