ATPL Performance (EASA) exam-day guide
ATPL Performance · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Valid photo ID
Bring the same identity document used at booking. The name on the ID must match the name on your booking record. Accepted ID types and any second-document requirement differ between providers and countries, so confirm with the provider before test day.
Admission confirmation / booking reference
Carry a printed or offline-accessible copy of your appointment confirmation and booking reference. Do not rely on mobile signal at the test centre. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is mandatory.
Approved calculator
ATPL performance questions involve density altitude, climb gradient, obstacle clearance and fuel/endurance arithmetic. Bring a non-programmable calculator that meets the provider's permitted-device list, and confirm with the provider that your model is allowed. Know how to clear memory and switch between degrees and radians.
Writing materials
Bring at least two pens or pencils and an eraser. Some centres supply these and prohibit personal stationery; confirm with the provider what is provided versus what you must bring.
Transparent water bottle and small snack
Hydration and a modest snack help sustained concentration across a multi-question paper. Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed at the workstation or only during scheduled breaks.
Printed formula and unit-conversion sheet
Some providers issue an approved reference sheet; others expect you to know conversions. Prepare your own one-page summary of pressure-altitude, density-altitude, true-air-speed and unit conversions for study, but confirm with the provider whether any reference material is permitted in the test room.
Offline study notes for the waiting period
Arrive with a short summary of the performance topics you find hardest, such as contaminated-runway factors or drift-down. Review it before entry only if the provider permits personal notes in the waiting area; confirm with the provider.
Knowledge of centre location and arrival time
Reconfirm the address, entry procedure and reporting time at least 24 hours ahead. Allow extra travel time for security checks and registration. Confirm with the provider how late arrival is handled.
A plan for permitted breaks and medication
If you need to take medication or require an authorised break, arrange approval in advance. Confirm with the provider the rules on leaving the room, pausing the clock and access to personal items.
Understanding of the question format and scoring
Know in advance the number of questions, time limit, pass mark and whether wrong answers are penalised. These details vary by provider and syllabus version, so confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Backup transport and contact number
Save the test centre contact number and have a fallback route. If disruption occurs, call as early as possible rather than arriving late without notice.
A rest plan for the preceding night
Performance questions reward careful reading and clean arithmetic more than last-minute memorisation. Prioritise sleep over an extra late study session.
Plan the day
Complete one full timed mock under exam conditions: no notes, approved calculator only, strict clock. Mark it, then list errors by topic, for example density altitude, climb gradient, obstacle clearance, take-off and landing distance factors, or fuel planning. Rank topics by the number of marks lost, not by how uncomfortable they feel.
Rebuild your one-page reference of definitions and conversions from memory and check it against your notes. Focus on relationships you must apply rather than recall verbatim: how pressure altitude and temperature combine into density altitude, how headwind and slope affect ground roll, and how mass, configuration and contamination change performance.
Confirm logistics: reporting time, address, ID requirements, permitted calculator and any materials policy. Ask the provider directly about anything ambiguous, such as whether a formula sheet is supplied.
Work targeted question sets on your two weakest topics. For each wrong answer, write the reason in one sentence, such as a unit slip, a misread graph axis or a forgotten factor. Keep a single error log and reread it before the next session.
Do a light review only: reread the error log and your one-page summary. Do not start new topics. Pack ID, confirmation, calculator, stationery and any approved items in one bag. Check travel arrangements and set two alarms.
Avoid alcohol and late screen time. Eat normally and sleep at your usual time. If you feel underprepared, accept that the remaining hours are best spent resting rather than cramming unfamiliar material.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive with time to spare. Reread only your error log and conversion summary. Keep conversation with other candidates light; comparing answers before entry raises anxiety without improving performance.
Present your ID and confirmation, follow the invigilator's instructions on personal items and devices, and ask any procedural questions before the clock starts. Confirm where the clock is displayed and how much time remains.
Read the instructions and note the number of questions and time per question. Do a quick scan to see whether questions are grouped by topic. Write down key conversions and formulas immediately if permitted, so you are not reconstructing them under pressure.
Work in passes. Answer questions you can resolve quickly first, flag the rest, then return. For calculation questions, check units, sign conventions and whether the answer is plausible before selecting it. Re-read the final sentence of each stem, since it often states exactly what is required.
Ensure every question has an answer if the format requires it. Revisit flagged items only where you can identify a concrete error. Change an answer only for a clear reason, not from doubt.
Note the topics that felt uncertain while memory is fresh, and record them for future study or debrief. Follow the provider's procedure for results and any appeal or resit process.
Rules to check
Bring the identity document specified by the provider; the name must match your booking. If your ID is lost or the name differs, contact the provider before test day rather than arriving to resolve it on the spot.
Follow all invigilator instructions on personal items, phones, smart watches and notes. Devices are typically required to be switched off and stored away from the workstation; confirm with the provider what is permitted at your seat.
Use only calculators and reference material the provider has approved. If you are unsure whether a device or sheet is allowed, ask before the test starts rather than risk a misconduct finding.
Breaks are governed by provider policy. If you leave the room, expect that the clock may continue and that you may be subject to re-identification on return. Confirm with the provider how breaks and clock stoppages are handled.
Scoring, pass marks and any penalty for incorrect answers are set by the provider and may change with syllabus versions. Confirm the current scheme with the provider; do not assume a pass mark from older material.
Do not communicate with other candidates about question content during the test or afterwards in a way that breaches the provider's confidentiality rules. Treat exam content as confidential.
If a technical fault, disruption or illness affects your performance, report it to the invigilator immediately and ask for it to be recorded. Requests made after the event are harder to support; confirm with the provider what evidence is needed.
Read each question fully before answering. Many performance errors come from answering a slightly different question than the one asked, such as giving a gradient when a rate of climb is required.