ATPL Exam Day: Complete Checklist and What to Expect

The Week Before Your Exam

Stop learning new material 3–4 days before. At this point, new information is more likely to confuse you than help. Instead:

• - Do light SRS reviews only (30 min/day max)
• - Revisit your most-missed questions
• - Sleep 7–8 hours every night — memory consolidation happens during sleep
• - Avoid alcohol the night before

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What to Bring

Required documents: - Valid photo ID (passport or national ID card) - Candidate number / booking confirmation - Any documentation required by your ATO (Aviation Training Organisation)

Allowed equipment (varies by CAA — check your specific authority): - Non-programmable scientific calculator (CAS/CAA approved list) - Pencils and eraser (usually provided) - Ruler (for chart questions) - Your ATO's navigation log/form for Flight Planning

Not allowed: - Mobile phone (must be in locker/bag outside exam room) - Smart watches - Any notes or study materials - Programmable calculators

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Exam Format

• - All questions are multiple choice with 4 options — one correct answer
• - No negative marking — always guess if you don't know
• - Time limits vary by subject (typically 1–2 hours)
• - Questions are drawn from the ECQB (European Central Question Bank)

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Time Management Strategy

1. Do a fast first pass — answer all questions you know confidently (~30–40% of time)
2. Second pass — tackle questions that require calculation or more thought
3. Third pass — return to flagged questions and fill in any blanks

Never leave a question blank. With no negative marking, a 25% random-guess score is always better than zero.

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Common Mistakes on Exam Day

Misreading the question: ATPL questions often include a correct statement disguised as a trick. Read every question twice.

Unit errors: Always check if a question asks for feet vs. metres, knots vs. km/h, etc.

Calculation errors: Write out every step. Use your calculator deliberately — don't do mental arithmetic for complex calculations.

Overthinking: If you've been scoring 80%+ in practice, trust your preparation. Exam anxiety causes overthinking — your first instinct is usually right.

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After the Exam

Results are typically available immediately or within 24 hours via your ATO's portal or your CAA's candidate system.

• - Pass (75%+): The result is submitted to your CAA and logged
• - Fail: You can resit after a mandatory waiting period (typically 10–14 days, depending on your CAA)
• - Total attempts: EASA allows maximum 4 attempts per subject; if you fail 4 times, you must restart the full theoretical course

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Post-Exam Recovery

Whether you passed or failed: - Take a rest day before diving back into study - Review the questions you weren't sure about (from memory — you can't take notes) - Update your SRS reviews for weak topics - If you passed: keep your SRS reviews going for subjects already passed — you'll need that knowledge in integrated phases and oral exams

Good luck — you've prepared well.