The 13 EASA ATPL theoretical-knowledge exams every airline-track pilot in Europe (and the UK) must clear, broken down subject by subject.
The subjects, codes, pass marks and attempt limits below reflect commonly reported information from ATPL training providers, not a direct reading of EASA Part-FCL or your national CAA's own published material. Syllabus editions (ECQB), exact question counts, and procedural details change — treat this page as a starting point for study planning, not a registration reference, until it's been checked against the official source.
Each subject is examined separately and passed independently — there is no averaging across subjects. Codes shown are the standard EASA subject numbers.
Subscribe for ₹299 and get a fresh set of practice questions every day for two months.
| Code | Subject | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 010 | Air Law | ICAO annexes, airspace classification, rules of the air, licensing, air traffic services, aerodromes, search & rescue. |
| 021 | Airframe & Systems | Airframe structures, aircraft systems, electrics, hydraulics, powerplant fundamentals. |
| 022 | Instrumentation | Flight instruments, avionics, automation and system-monitoring displays. |
| 031 | Mass & Balance | Loading, centre-of-gravity calculations, and their effect on performance and handling. |
| 032 | Performance | Take-off, climb, cruise, descent and landing performance calculations. |
| 033 | Flight Planning & Monitoring | Route and fuel planning, flight plan documentation, in-flight monitoring — calculation-heavy. |
| 040 | Human Performance & Limitations | Physiology, psychology, and human factors relevant to flight safety. |
| 050 | Meteorology | Weather theory, charts, hazardous phenomena, and their operational impact. |
| 061 | General Navigation | Charts, plotting, great circles, dead reckoning, and core navigation principles. |
| 062 | Radio Navigation | Radio and satellite navigation aids and systems used in flight. |
| 070 | Operational Procedures | Standard operating procedures, abnormal and emergency procedures. |
| 081 | Principles of Flight | Aerodynamics — how and why an aircraft flies, at a theory level. |
| 090 | Communications | Radiotelephony phraseology and procedures for VFR and IFR operations. |
Computer-based, multiple-choice exams drawn from the European Central Question Bank (ECQB), sat at an approved examination centre under your national competent authority (CAA). Commonly cited pass mark: 75% in every subject, with each subject passed independently — passed subjects are banked and don't need to be re-sat.
A theoretical-knowledge course at an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) is a prerequisite before you can be entered for the exams. Commonly cited limits under EASA Part-FCL (FCL.025): up to 4 attempts per subject and 6 sittings in total, with all 13 subjects to be passed within an 18-month window from your first attempt. Once complete, the theory credit is commonly cited as valid for 36 months toward the skill test / licence issue.
Work through each subject's topics with structured ATO ground-school notes or a course.
Question-bank practice by topic to catch gaps early, before they compound.
Timed, subject-specific tests once you've covered the material once.
Full-length timed papers that mirror the real 75%-pass-mark exam format.
Use your mock-exam breakdown to target the topics costing you marks — especially the calculation-heavy subjects like General Navigation and Flight Planning & Monitoring.
Practice questions, topic tests and mock exams are planned for the Exam Preparation Center in V2 — this page currently covers structure and subject content only.