Airline Transport Pilot License
ATPL (A)
Orbit Groundschool
Airline Transport Pilot – ATPL(A)
The Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) is the highest level of pilot license and is required to fly as a captain on aircraft weighing 5,700 kg or more, or with more than 9 passenger seats. This comprehensive training program is intended for those who aspire to a career as a commercial or airline pilot, or as a flight instructor. With this course, you will not only obtain your Commercial Pilot License (CPL), but you will also add the Instrument Rating (IR) within just 36 months, without having to take separate IR theory exams.
Minimum requirements or preferences
Airline Transport Pilot - ATPL (A)
At the start of the theory course:
Holder of at least an ICAO-recognized PPL(A)
Ideally in possession of an EASA Class 1 medical certificate
Preferably at least 17 years old
Secondary education completed
Sufficient knowledge of English, mathematics, and physics
Training Structure and Course Layout
The training courses consist of a distance learning phase (home study at your own pace) combined with a half-day brush-up session per subject (morning or afternoon), based on questions and answers to assess your fundamental knowledge. These half-day sessions are scheduled over five consecutive working days, as stated here or at the bottom of this page.
These sessions, or Brush-up courses, are mandatory by the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate. Following completion of each module, students will proceed to the exams. These are conducted monthly in our own in-house exam centre.
None of the Brush-up courses take place in Arnhem; participants follow the sessions from home via live webinars, which require a computer with a webcam and headset.
Prior to the Brush-up course, a refresher module on basic mathematics and physics has been added, with a compulsory test and an introduction to Knowledge, Skills & Attitude (KSA).
In order to keep the theory training structured and to ensure that specific components tie in well with each other, the course material, consisting of thirteen theory subjects, has been divided into two modules.
After passing your first exams of module 1, you will continue with module 2 through self-study. You will then take part in the final Brush-up courses and sit the remaining exams.
Module 1
061 – General Navigation
022 – Instrumentation
033 – Flight Planning and Monitoring
050 – Meteorology
040 – Human Performance and Limitations
090 – Communications
031 – Mass and Balance
Module 2
021 – Aircraft General Knowledge
062 – Radio Navigation (PBN)
071 – Operational Procedures
081 – Principles of Flight
032 – Performance
010 – Air Law
Watch video
of our digital study material
Self-study
The major advantage of our distance learning ATPL(A) course is that you can set your own pace and study schedule. The home study program is structured in weeks and daily tasks, with approximately fifteen hours of study per week, making a completion time of around six months feasible for both modules, excluding exams.
The average student completes the ATPL(A) theory course in approximately four to six months. Module 1 takes approximately fourteen weeks, module 2 approximately ten weeks. The completion time depends on your time commitment.
During self-study, you will be guided through all subjects and topics via a simple module-based study programme. Your study progress is monitored through mandatory progress tests. These progress tests are administered after a varying number of chapters and can be completed at home on your computer. With a single click, you can then submit the test online to Orbit Groundschool for review.
Study material
- ATPdigital CBT software — available for Mac, iPad and PC (downloadable)
- Activation code for 2 installations per licence on PC or Mac
- Jeppesen General Student Pilot Route Manual
- Brush-up courses
- Bundled Civil Aviation Publications 696, 697 and 698
- 24/7 email support from subject instructors
- 12 months of access to BGSonline including examination question database
- 12 months of technical software support
Referentiemateriaal:
Additional books may optionally be ordered as reference or supplementary material. These books are not required to successfully complete the full training programme.
Not including:
- Pooleys CRP-5 navigation flight computer and pen
- EASA-approved calculator (such as the Casio FX-82MS)
- Navigation protractor
- Costs of theoretical examinations when taken in-house at our Arnhem location (Austro) More information
- Accommodation costs during your stay in Arnhem (see information page ‘accommodation’)
Software and hardware requirements
- Software Requirements (Windows/Mac)
- Windows 10 (Windows)
- MacOS 10.14 of later (Mac)
Hardware Requirements (Windows/Mac)
- 3 GHz Dual Core (64-bit) processor of sneller
- 4 GB RAM
- Up to 15 GB of available hard drive space (depending on the size of the course)
- A reliable internet connection if you wish to download the lessons online (average course size is approximately 13 GB)
Software- en hardwarevereisten (iPad)
- iOS 12.0 or later
- 4 GB RAM
- Up to 15 GB of available hard drive space (depending on the size of the course)
- A reliable internet connection if you wish to download the lessons online (average course size is approximately 13 GB)
Course fees
€ 3.095,-