KCAA ATPL Theory study plan

Label the primary structural components of a transport-category airframe (fuselage, wing, empennage, landing gear) and state the loads each carries and the fail-safe or damage-tolerance features used in their design.

Describe the layout and operation of the hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical and fuel systems on a typical twin-turbine transport, including redundancy, failure cases and the indications available to the crew.

Explain the operating cycle of a turbofan engine and the function of its major modules (fan, LP/HP compressor, combustor, turbine, exhaust), including how thrust is produced and controlled.

Identify the standard ICAO phraseologies used for taxi, take-off, departure and arrival clearances, and for distress and urgency calls (MAYDAY, PAN PAN) including the order of information passed.

Differentiate the readback requirements for runway-holding, level, heading, speed and frequency instructions, and state when a readback is mandatory.

Explain the principles of pitot-static and gyroscopic instruments and the errors and limitations that affect them (position error, lag, Mach error, real and apparent drift, topple).

Trace the signal path from the air data computer to the EFIS and FMS, and describe how air data, attitude and heading are integrated with the autopilot and flight director.

Describe the warning and alerting systems found on a modern transport aircraft (GPWS/EGPWS, TCAS, weather radar, fire and smoke detection) and the crew response each demands.

Identify the ICAO Annexes by number and subject area, and state where Kenyan primary legislation and KCAA regulations implement each of them.

State the licensing, recency, medical and documentation requirements that apply to an ATPL holder operating under KCAA rules.

Use the International Standard Atmosphere to calculate pressure, temperature and density at a given level, and explain how deviation from ISA affects altimeter readings and aircraft performance.

Explain atmospheric stability and lapse rates, and relate each major cloud type to the stability, humidity and lifting mechanism that produces it.

Decode METAR, SPECI and TAF reports, correctly interpreting groups such as CAVOK, TS, SH, FZRA, BKN/OVC and the trend and probability groups.

Interpret significant weather charts and upper-wind and temperature charts to extract hazards and winds aloft for a planned route.

State the airspace classifications, the ATS services provided in each, and the rules on carriage of documents, records and journey log entries.

Explain air-mass and frontal weather, describing the cloud, visibility and hazard sequence associated with warm, cold, occluded and stationary fronts.

Describe the types and conditions of airframe and engine icing, and the protection systems and operational precautions used against each.

Recognise the thunderstorm life cycle and the hazards of downbursts, microbursts, low-level wind shear and clear air turbulence, and state the recovery actions for each.

Apply air law to ATC clearances, separation responsibility, altimeter setting procedures and the reporting of accidents and serious incidents.

Solve triangle-of-velocity problems to derive heading, TAS, groundspeed, drift and wind correction angle from given track, wind and speed data.

Convert between chart, true, magnetic and compass directions using variation and deviation, and apply the conversions when plotting a route.

Explain the principles, indications and limitations of VOR, NDB/ADF, DME, ILS and GNSS, and describe how to identify and intercept a radial, bearing or approach path.

Explain how lift is generated and how the lift coefficient varies with angle of attack, including the stall, the critical angle and the effect of flaps, slats and ice contamination.

Explain static and dynamic stability, longitudinal, lateral and directional stability, and how control effectiveness and control surface design affect handling.

Plan a cross-country route end to end: select the chart and levels, compute leg times and headings, and apply PBN, RNAV and RNP requirements to the route.

Compute and revise in-flight estimates, including revised ETA, fuel remaining and diversion to an alternate when the destination becomes unsuitable.

Explain high-speed flight effects: Mach number, critical Mach, shock stall, sweepback, Mach trim and the speed limitations that follow from them.

Explain load factor, the manoeuvring and gust envelopes, and the factors that lead to stall, spin and spiralling descent in each phase of flight.

Explain propeller thrust and slipstream effects, and asymmetric flight after an engine failure including VMCA, rudder authority and the minimum control speeds.

Compute centre of gravity, %MAC and the effect of loading, fuel burn and configuration changes, and complete a load sheet and trim sheet correctly.

Determine take-off and landing performance from given data, applying TORA, TODA, ASDA, clearway and stopway, and correcting for density altitude, slope, wind and runway contamination.

Build a fuel plan that satisfies the applicable regulations, covering taxi, trip, contingency, alternate and final reserve fuel, and identify when extra fuel is required.

Apply operational procedures for low visibility operations, contaminated runways, icing on the ground and in flight, and operations from high-altitude airfields.

Apply emergency and abnormal procedures for engine fire or failure, decompression, ditching and unlawful interference, and state the commander's authority and the use of the MEL.

Explain the sensory physiology relevant to flight: vision in different light levels, hearing, the vestibular system and the illusions that cause spatial disorientation and black hole approaches.

Explain hypoxia, hyperventilation, decompression, fatigue, circadian rhythm disruption and the countermeasures and regulatory limits that apply to each.

Apply human error models (SHELL, Reason's Swiss cheese), crew resource management, communication and decision-making frameworks to realistic accident scenarios.

Rehearse the operational procedures most often examined together with human factors: decompression, fire, incapacitation and emergency evacuation, and state the associated crew roles.