I started my EASA ATPL journey in November 2023 with CATS Aviation and finished the school in February 2024. The course was extremely flexible and affordable (I paid £999 at the time), which made it an easy choice. Now I understand they’re more strict.
Right after finishing, I scheduled my exams with the Romanian CAA and completed all 14 ATPL exams across March, April, and May 2024 – in just 3 sessions.
This is exactly how I did it.
My ATPL Study Method (What Actually Worked)
Once I finished the school, I treated each subject the same way and followed a very structured process.
First, I watched the video explanations from ATPLClass on YouTube (huge thanks to Grant — by far the clearest explanations I found). This helped me understand the concepts before jumping into memorization.
Then I moved to ATPLQuestions.
I went through the entire question bank for each subject once with the correct answer already visible. I didn’t try to guess – instead, I focused on:
- Reading the question
- Reading only the correct answer
- Understanding why that answer is correct
I also filtered by real exam questions, which is extremely important.
After that first pass, I went through the same questions again – this time answering them properly.
During this phase:
- I marked difficult questions
- I flagged anything I didn’t fully understand
- I focused heavily on wrong answers
I also took notes, especially formulas, and stored them here (You can request access if needed.)
Before each exam (even on the same day), I reviewed:
- My list of difficult questions
- Printed notes and formulas
This repetition made a huge difference.
How to Group ATPL Exams (Very Important)
Grouping exams properly can save you a lot of effort because many subjects overlap.
The biggest overlap is on these:
- Air Law + Operational Procedures
- Principles of Flight + Performance + Flight Planning + Mass & Balance
- Aircraft General Knowledge + Instrumentation + Radio Navigation
CATS recommends a staged approach:
Stage 1 (Operational):
Human Performance & Limitations
Air Law
Operational Procedures
Communications
Meteorology
Stage 2 (Navigational):
Principles of Flight
Performance
Flight Planning
General Navigation
Mass & Balance
Stage 3 (Technical):
Aircraft General Knowledge
Instrumentation
Radio Navigation
How I Grouped My Exams
I did things slightly differently.
Session 1
Aircraft General Knowledge — long but medium difficulty (many jet engine questions)
Instrumentation — medium
Radio Navigation — medium
Communications — easy (I wanted to get rid of it quickly)
Session 2
General Navigation — very hard (formula-heavy, map-heavy, time pressure)
Performance — hard (lots of calculations)
Flight Planning — hard (tricky questions)
Mass & Balance — medium
Session 3
Principles of Flight — hard (should ideally be grouped with Session 2 subjects)
Human Performance & Limitations — medium
Air Law — medium (detail-heavy)
Operational Procedures — medium
Meteorology — medium to hard (long and dense)
How Many Sessions Should You Use?
You have a maximum of 6 sessions.
I completed everything in 3 sessions, but honestly, I rushed it.
If I were to do it again, I would:
- Use 4 sessions
- Keep 2 sessions as backup
This gives you margin for failure or unexpected issues.
Small Trick That Helps in the Exam
On the exam screen, there is usually a line showing the learning objective.
Read it carefully together with the question.
In many cases, it helps eliminate wrong answers immediately.
Managing the 3-Year Validity Window
Your ATPL exams are valid for 3 years from your last exam.
You must complete your IR and CPL within this period.
A useful (but slightly risky) strategy:
- Leave one easy subject (like Communications or Human Performance) for later
- This delays the start of your 3-year validity window
Only do this if you’re confident — otherwise, it can backfire.
Practical Tips That Saved Me Time
- Learn how to use a CRP-5 calculator
This can replace memorizing many formulas. I used an iPhone app for practice and the physical one in the exam. - Study Jeppesen charts
Focus especially on definitions like TODA, ASDA, TORA — they appear frequently. - Bring CAP 696, 697, 698 to exams
Print them and use them on paper. Drawing lines manually is much faster than working on-screen.
Where I Am Now
Since passing the ATPL exams:
- I’ve completed my IR
- I’ve done most of my time building
- I’m preparing to start CPL/MEP soon
If you’re going through ATPL exams now, feel free to reach out – I’m happy to help.
