100+ Free ATSA Practice Questions
Pass your FAA Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.
Best Qualified and Well Qualified candidates are most likely to receive which next step in the hiring pipeline?
Key Facts: ATSA Exam
7
Subtests on ATSA
Pearson VUE / FAA ATSA structure
~3.5h
Total session time
Pearson VUE (2h 49m testing + 30m breaks)
$0
Cost to candidate
FAA-funded hiring assessment
4
Scoring bands
Best / Well / Qualified / Not Referred
31
Max age at hire
Federal law (veteran exceptions apply)
2018
Year ATSA replaced AT-SAT
FAA hiring assessment update
ATSA is the FAA's cognitive aptitude test for Air Traffic Control Specialist hiring, administered free of charge to invited candidates at Pearson VUE centers. It replaced AT-SAT in 2018, runs about 3.5 hours total, and places candidates into Best/Well/Qualified/Not Referred bands. Best and Well Qualified candidates are typically advanced to a Tentative Offer Letter. The FAA does not publish official pass rates, exact cut scores, or section-level scoring weights. Statutory entry-on-duty age cap for FAA controllers is 31, with limited veteran exceptions.
Sample ATSA Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your ATSA exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1An aircraft is flying at a groundspeed of 360 knots. How far will it travel in 10 minutes?
2An aircraft must cover 240 nautical miles in 30 minutes. What groundspeed is required?
3Convert 14:45 (24-hour clock) to standard 12-hour time.
4If an aircraft burns 2,400 pounds of fuel per hour, how much will it burn in 45 minutes?
5Two aircraft are 24 nautical miles apart and closing head-on. Aircraft A flies at 240 knots, Aircraft B at 360 knots. How long until they meet?
6An aircraft at FL310 (31,000 ft) is descending at 1,500 fpm. How long to reach 10,000 ft?
7A flight has 8,200 lb of fuel on board and burns 1,640 lb/hr. How much endurance remains?
8A controller is told an aircraft will cross a fix at 1542Z and another at 1556Z. What is the time interval between the two crossings?
9An aircraft enters a sector with 14 minutes of flight time remaining at 420 kt groundspeed. Approximately how far is its exit point?
10If 1 nautical mile equals approximately 6,076 feet, how many feet are in 5 nautical miles (rounded to nearest 1,000)?
About the ATSA Exam
The FAA Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) is a computer-based cognitive aptitude test administered through Pearson VUE for applicants to the Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS, 2152 series) position. It replaced the longer AT-SAT in 2018 and is used to rank applicants into Best Qualified, Well Qualified, Qualified, and Not Referred bands. The seven subtests measure applied mathematics (time, distance, speed, fuel), scanning and divided attention (scan-and-decide / collision-avoidance), working memory under distractor load, spatial reasoning (compass bearings, mental rotation, dot tracking), situational judgment, decision-making and prioritization, and verbal reasoning (phonetic alphabet, alphanumeric patterns). Total session time is up to about 2 hours 49 minutes plus up to 30 minutes of breaks.
Questions
100 scored questions
Time Limit
~2h 49m + 30m breaks
Passing Score
Best/Well/Qualified/Not Referred bands (cut scores not published)
Exam Fee
$0 (FAA / Pearson VUE)
ATSA Exam Content Outline
Applied Mathematics
Mental groundspeed/time/distance math, fuel burn, climb/descent rates, closure rates, Zulu time arithmetic, and unit conversions under time pressure.
Scanning and Comprehension (Scan-and-Decide)
Monitor moving numbered targets, prevent collisions, follow stated rules, and answer concurrent math problems — the canonical divided-attention task.
Working Memory
Hold alphanumeric strings, callsigns, fixes, altitudes, and routes through interference and distractor tasks, then recall specific elements accurately.
Spatial Reasoning
Compass bearings, left/right heading changes (including wrap-around), mental rotation of runway diagrams, dot tracking on a grid, and distance estimation between targets.
Situational Judgment (SJT)
Choose the professional, safety-first, team-oriented response to controller workplace scenarios — supervisor disagreements, fatigue management, mentoring, on-frequency professionalism.
Decision-Making and Prioritization
Select the highest-priority action under FAA Order JO 7110.65 duty priorities — separation and safety alerts before routine work — and pick graduated minimum-impact interventions.
ATC Scenarios and Procedures
Separation minima (3 nm TRACON inside 40 nm, 5 nm en route, 1,000 ft vertical below FL290, 2,000 ft above FL290 non-RVSM), runway numbering, transponder codes 7500/7600/7700, RVSM unable, visual approach minimums.
Verbal Reasoning
Phonetic alphabet decoding/encoding, alphanumeric sequence recognition, compass-direction mapping (NE=045, SE=135, etc.), clearance phraseology interpretation.
Planning
Anticipating arrival pushes, weather reroutes, runway changes, sequencing, capacity management, and proactive coordination with adjacent sectors and tower/ground.
How to Pass the ATSA Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Best/Well/Qualified/Not Referred bands (cut scores not published)
- Exam length: 100 questions
- Time limit: ~2h 49m + 30m breaks
- Exam fee: $0
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
ATSA Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the FAA ATSA?
The Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) is a computer-based cognitive aptitude test administered through Pearson VUE for applicants to the FAA Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS, 2152 series) position. It evaluates applied math, divided attention, working memory, spatial reasoning, situational judgment, decision-making, and verbal reasoning across seven subtests.
When did the ATSA replace AT-SAT?
The ATSA replaced the longer Air Traffic Selection and Training (AT-SAT) exam in 2018. It is a shorter, more cognitively focused assessment administered as part of FAA controller hiring bids.
How much does the ATSA cost?
The ATSA is free to invited candidates. The FAA funds the assessment as part of the ATCS hiring pipeline, and Pearson VUE administers it at no cost to the test taker.
What is the ATSA pass rate?
The FAA does not publish an official ATSA pass rate, exact cut scores per band, or section-level scoring weights. Candidates are placed into Best Qualified, Well Qualified, Qualified, or Not Referred. Best and Well Qualified are typically the ones advanced to a Tentative Offer Letter.
How long is the ATSA?
Test time is up to about 2 hours 49 minutes, plus up to 30 minutes of breaks — about 3.5 hours total at the test center. The first four subtests must be completed before moving on to the final three, per Pearson VUE proctor instructions.
What is the FAA controller age cap?
Federal law sets the maximum entry-on-duty age for FAA Air Traffic Control Specialists at 31, with limited exceptions for qualifying veterans. The age applies at hire (entry on duty), not at application or test date.
Who administers the ATSA?
Pearson VUE administers the ATSA at authorized FAA testing centers. This is different from the airman knowledge tests (private pilot, ADX, etc.), which are administered by PSI.
Can I retake the ATSA?
ATSA results are tied to a specific FAA hiring announcement. The FAA may invite candidates to retest on a future bid; current retest windows are set by the hiring announcement. There is no standardized 30-day retest rule like the airman knowledge tests have.