Every European pilot earns their licence twice: once in the air, and once at a desk. The EASA theoretical knowledge exams are the written half of the PPL — nine subjects that prove you understand the rules, the weather, the machine, and the airspace before an examiner ever signs your licence. They are entirely passable with structured study, and this guide explains what each subject covers, how the exams work, and how to clear all nine without wasting attempts. You can practise the real question style for free the moment you are ready.
What are the nine PPL theory subjects?
EASA Part-FCL defines nine theoretical knowledge subjects for the PPL. Air Law covers the rules of the air, airspace, licensing, and right-of-way. Aircraft General Knowledge explains the airframe, engine, and instruments. Flight Performance and Planning covers mass, balance, and performance calculations. Human Performance addresses the physiology and psychology of flying. Meteorology teaches weather theory and how to read forecasts. Navigation covers map work, the navigation computer, and radio navigation. Operational Procedures handles real-world operations and emergencies. Principles of Flight explains the aerodynamics that keep you airborne. Communications covers radiotelephony and standard phraseology.
The ATPL theory course expands this to thirteen subjects, adding depth in areas like instrumentation, mass and balance, and IFR communications. The PPL nine are the foundation every higher licence builds on.
How are the exams structured and graded?
Each subject is a separate multiple-choice exam, drawn from the official EASA question bank and sat at your national aviation authority or an approved examination centre. The pass mark is 75% in every subject — there is no overall average, so a strong score in one subject cannot rescue a weak one in another. Questions are scenario-based as often as factual, which is why rote memorisation alone tends to fall short of the applied subjects.
You sit the exams at a computer terminal in most member states, with results often available immediately. Bring approved aids only — a navigation computer and plotter for the relevant subjects — and check your authority's specific rules before exam day, as they vary slightly between countries.
Don't forget the radio telephony practical exam
Almost every student knows the nine written subjects; far fewer know there is a tenth requirement — a separate radio telephony (RT) practical examination. Passing the written Communications subject is not the same thing. The RT practical is a simulated or actual flight in which you use correct EASA phraseology throughout, handle unexpected ATC instructions, and make emergency calls (PAN-PAN and MAYDAY). It produces its own certificate, separate from your theory pass slips, and like the written exams it must be completed before your skill test. Radio is a perishable skill — practise it across your whole training rather than cramming it at the end.
How long do I have, and how many attempts?
Two clocks run in parallel. From your first attempt, you have 18 months to pass all nine subjects. You may attempt any single subject up to four times, across a maximum of six examination sittings. Exceed any of these limits and you must retake the complete set — an expensive, demoralising reset that careful planning avoids.
Once you have passed everything, the completed theoretical knowledge stays valid for 36 months, within which you must pass the practical skill test and be issued the licence. Plan your theory so it finishes close to, not long before, your flight training milestones.
How should I study to pass first time?
Treat the question bank as practice, not a script. Modern EASA exams deliberately reword and re-scenario questions to defeat answer-memorisation, so understanding the underlying concept is what passes you. Work through realistic questions, review every wrong answer until you understand why it was wrong, and revisit weak topics rather than re-drilling the ones you already know. Pair the theory with your flight lessons — Air Law and Principles of Flight reinforce pre-solo training, while Navigation and Meteorology make sense once you are flying cross-countries.
Build the habit with short, frequent sessions. Our free EASA exam practice mirrors the real question style across the subjects, and the training games turn the dense topics — METAR decoding, phonetic alphabet, weather codes — into quick daily reps. Twenty focused minutes a day beats a panicked weekend before the exam.
When should I sit theory in my training?
Most students complete theory in parallel with flight training rather than front-loading or leaving it to the end. Sitting Air Law and Communications early supports your first solo and radio work; saving Meteorology and Navigation until you have flown a few cross-countries makes them concrete instead of abstract. Distance-learning courses at an Approved Training Organisation let you study around work and book exams when each subject is ready.
Whatever order you choose, finish all nine before your skill test — the examiner will expect the theory behind every manoeuvre, and a licence is only issued once both halves, written and flown, are complete.