FAA Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Written Examination Practice Test

To be eligible for the ATP written exam (FAA Knowledge Test), a pilot must hold a Commercial Pilot Certificate with an instrument rating and be at least 21 years of age. For the full ATP certificate with multi-engine class rating, you must also meet specific flight experience minimums outlined in 14 CFR § 61.159, which include 1,500 hours total time, 500 hours cross-country, 100 hours night, 75 hours instrument (actual or simulated), and 250 hours PIC, among other requirements. The written test can often be taken before fully meeting the flight hour requirements, a strategy known as 'taking the written early.'

The FAA ATP Airplane (ATM) knowledge test is a computer-based exam consisting of 80 multiple-choice questions. Candidates are allotted 3 hours (180 minutes) to complete it. A passing score is 70%. The questions are drawn from a large, publicly available question bank published by the FAA, and they cover all areas of the ATP Airman Certification Standards (ACS) and associated reference materials.

The FAA mandates the use of specific reference documents. The core materials are the *Airline Transport Pilot and Aircraft Dispatcher Practical Test Standards* (FAA-S-8081-5F, soon replaced by the Airman Certification Standards or ACS), the *Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM)*, and relevant *FAA Advisory Circulars* (ACs). Most candidates supplement these with comprehensive commercial test preparation courses, textbooks, and software that organize the vast material, provide explanations, and offer practice tests that mirror the actual exam's question bank and format.

A passing score on the ATP knowledge test is valid for 60 calendar months (5 years). After passing the written, the candidate must complete an FAA-approved ATP Certification Training Program (ATP CTP) before being eligible to take the ATP practical test (checkride). The ATP CTP is a fixed, 40-hour ground and flight simulation course covering specific academic and FTD training requirements that are separate from the written exam content.

The full, unrestricted ATP Certificate requires 1,500 total flight hours. The Restricted ATP (R-ATP) allows qualified pilots from specific backgrounds (e.g., certain university aviation program graduates, military pilots, or those with 1,500 hours but limited cross-country time) to serve as a First Officer in Part 121 air carrier operations with reduced flight hour minimums (as low as 1,000 or 1,250 hours). Both require passing the same ATP written examination. The R-ATP has operational limitations (e.g., cannot act as PIC) until the pilot obtains the necessary hours for the unrestricted certificate.