ATP CTP Study Guide: What to Learn and How
The ATP-CTP is a course you attend, not a test you cram for, so the best study guide is one that tells you what the course covers, what to refresh beforehand, and how to use the days after it. The FAA describes the ATP Certification Training Program as the training that applies to applicants for an airplane multiengine class rating on an ATP certificate, or an ATP issued concurrently with a type rating. This guide breaks the syllabus into study blocks, gives you a plan for before, during and after the course, and explains how it connects to the ATP knowledge test.
TL;DR
- ATP-CTP combines at least 30 hours of academic instruction with at least 10 hours of simulator training. You study the material in class, so your prep is about refreshing fundamentals, not learning new ones.
- The heaviest academic block is air-carrier operations (14 hours), followed by aerodynamics (8). Spend your pre-course time there.
- The ATP knowledge test is a separate exam. Study for concepts, not answer letters, because the FAA question bank is closed and wording changes.
- After you graduate, set up your FAA Tracking Number in IACRA, register for the test, and schedule it while the course is fresh.
Table of Contents
- What the ATP-CTP actually is
- The syllabus as a study map
- The simulator portion
- A study plan that fits around work
- Is advance preparation required?
- Moving on to the ATP knowledge test
- Common study mistakes
- Our perspective
- Take the course with us
- FAQ
- Sources
What the ATP-CTP actually is
The FAA’s advisory circular describes the course as bridging the knowledge gap between a commercial pilot and a pilot operating in an air-carrier environment. It is a prerequisite for the highest FAA certificate and mixes classroom instruction with flight-simulation training.
Two points shape how you study:
- It is required for the multiengine ATP path. According to Gleim, the single-engine ATP test does not call for it.
- It is training, not an exam. You complete the course and receive a graduation certificate, then you take the ATP knowledge test separately.
If you want the full background first, see our explainers on what ATP and CTP mean in aviation and the difference between standard and restricted ATP minimums.
The syllabus as a study map
The FAA’s course approval job aid sets minimum hours for each academic subject. The table turns those minimums into a study plan.
| Academic block | Minimum hours | What to review beforehand |
|---|---|---|
| Aerodynamics | 8 | Lift and drag, high-speed flight, stall and upset concepts |
| Meteorology | 2 | Thunderstorms, icing, wind shear, reading weather products |
| Air-carrier operations | 14 | Multi-crew procedures, performance, dispatch and operational rules |
| Leadership, professional development, CRM, safety culture | 6 | Crew communication, threat and error management |
Those figures come from the FAA ATP-CTP course approval job aid, and they add up to 30 hours. The advisory circular names the principal academic areas as aerodynamics, automation, adverse weather, air-carrier operations, transport-airplane performance, professionalism, and leadership and development. For a deeper look at how a course may be organized, read our ATP CTP syllabus breakdown.
Aerodynamics: the high-altitude and upset focus
Most commercial pilots trained on light piston airplanes. Transport aircraft fly differently: higher altitudes, swept wings, higher Mach numbers and a much narrower margin between stall and overspeed. Before the course, reread your commercial-level material on stalls, load factor and the effect of altitude on indicated versus true airspeed. Then think about why recovery technique changes in a large jet. The classroom builds on that foundation, and the simulator sessions put it into practice.
Meteorology: short block, high value
Two hours is the smallest block, but weather questions appear in the knowledge test as well. Brush up on convective weather, icing, turbulence, wind shear and the weather products you would use for a long flight. Practice reading them in plain language rather than memorizing code strings.
Air-carrier operations: where the hours are
At 14 hours, this is the largest block and the one most unlike earlier training. Expect multi-crew coordination, standard operating procedures, performance planning and the structure of airline operations. If you have only flown single-pilot, start thinking in terms of callouts, task sharing and who does what at each phase of flight.
Leadership, CRM and safety culture
This block is about how crews work, not about stick-and-rudder skill. Review the basics of crew resource management, then think of one or two real situations from your own flying where communication helped or hurt. Instructors who have flown for airlines tend to draw on exactly that kind of example.
The simulator portion
The simulator is where the academic material becomes hands-on. According to the FAA, the course must include at least 10 hours in a part 60-qualified device representing a multiengine turbine airplane. Of those, at least 6 hours must be in a Level C or higher full-flight simulator representing an airplane with a maximum takeoff weight of at least 40,000 pounds.
The job aid lists the simulator topics: runway safety and adverse weather, high-altitude operations, stalls and upset prevention and recovery, navigation, and automation. Prepare for each of them:
- Runway safety and adverse weather: know your runway markings, hold-short procedures and crosswind and contaminated-runway considerations.
- High-altitude operations: understand the coffin corner idea, Mach buffet and why you fly different speeds at altitude.
- Upset prevention and recovery: know the textbook recovery steps before you arrive so you can spend simulator time refining technique.
- Navigation: be comfortable with RNAV and instrument procedures and with reading charts quickly.
- Automation: learn the vocabulary of flight directors, autopilot modes and mode awareness. Automation surprises are a common theme in transport flying.
A study plan that fits around work
The ASA’s 2025-2026 ATP test prep guide suggests a sequence: begin with a comprehensive textbook or ground school, then work through explained practice questions and references, and finish with practice tests. That order also works for the course itself. Here is one way to apply it.
Two to three weeks before
- Skim your commercial and instrument textbooks for stalls, weather and performance chapters.
- Read a transport-category performance primer, covering takeoff and landing distances, weight limits and V-speeds.
- Make a one-page list of what you do not understand. This becomes your question list for the instructors.
During the course
- Take notes by block, using the four academic headings above. They map directly to later test topics.
- After each simulator session, write down one thing you did well and one you would change.
- Ask the instructors about airline practice. They can tell you how procedures work on the line, which is the best use of time with people who have worked there.
Course length varies by provider. Our overview of ATP CTP duration explains how 40 hours of required training is typically spread over several days.
After the course
- Keep your graduation certificate safe. Our note on how long the course certificate stays valid covers the details.
- Book your knowledge test soon, while the material is fresh.
Is advance preparation required?
The FAA sets minimum training hours and topics for the course. It does not make you pass a pre-test before enrolling, and the instruction is designed to teach the material in class. That said, the course is condensed. Pilots who arrive having refreshed their fundamentals can spend more of the week on the new ideas, such as multi-crew operations and automation, rather than relearning basics. Check the entry requirements with your chosen course provider, because they can differ.
Moving on to the ATP knowledge test
The course does not replace the test. Gleim reports that the multiengine ATP knowledge test has 130 multiple-choice questions and requires at least 70 percent, while the single-engine test has 95 questions. Confirm current test details with the FAA or your testing center before you book.
Study for concepts, not answer letters
The ASA guide points out that FAA knowledge tests are closed and that wording and answer order may change. So memorizing that the answer to a question is “B” is a poor strategy. When you practice, ask why each wrong answer is wrong. If you cannot explain it, return to the relevant block of your ATP-CTP notes.
We also wrote a separate piece on how to approach the ATP written exam with a structured test-prep program.
Registering for the test
The ASA guide says applicants must establish an FAA Tracking Number through IACRA before taking an FAA knowledge test, and that the PSI site lets you register and see the testing platform in advance. Do the IACRA step early so paperwork does not delay your test date.
Common study mistakes
- Treating the course as a lecture to sit through. The simulator sessions reward preparation. Arrive with questions.
- Leaving all review to the last night. Short, daily sessions on one topic beat a single long session.
- Ignoring the smallest block. Meteorology is only two course hours, but weather runs through every other topic.
- Waiting too long to test. A long gap between the course and the exam means relearning.
- Memorizing answers. Understanding the concept helps in the exam and in the airplane.
Our perspective
We see the same pattern with pilots who come through our ATP-CTP program. Those who do well are not the ones who studied the most hours beforehand. They are the ones who understood why the course exists: it moves you from flying alone to working as part of a crew in an air-carrier environment. The pilots who struggle are usually the ones who treat the simulator as a video game, or who avoid asking instructors what actually happens on the line.
Our instructors are current and former airline pilots and examiners, and we run the simulator portion in Level D full-motion simulators. Our advice is to use that. Ask about decision-making at the gate, on the runway and at altitude. Take that thinking home and use it when you study for the knowledge test, because questions about operations make much more sense once you have seen an airline-style procedure performed.
If you are also planning a type rating or an FAA conversion, think about the sequence now. The ATP-CTP is the first step, and the later steps build on the same crew-based habits.
— Jake
Take the course with us
We run the ATP-CTP course with academic instruction and full-motion simulator sessions, and we handle scheduling and documentation in one program. Read the details on our ATP-CTP course page, or see the admissions page to enroll.
If you are an international pilot, we also support FAA license conversion and offer type rating programs. Pricing is not published online, so contact us for current course fees. For a general view of budgeting, our cost and ROI guide is a good place to start.
FAQ
Do I need to study before the ATP-CTP course?
The FAA sets the course content and minimum hours, and the instruction teaches the material. Even so, refreshing aerodynamics, weather and performance basics helps you get more from a condensed program. Check the entry requirements with your provider.
How many hours are in the ATP-CTP?
The academic portion totals at least 30 hours across aerodynamics, meteorology, air-carrier operations and leadership topics. Simulator training adds at least 10 hours in a device representing a multiengine turbine airplane, per the FAA. Providers spread this over several days.
Is there an exam at the end of the ATP-CTP?
The course ends with a graduation certificate, and the ATP knowledge test is a separate exam. You take it at an FAA-approved testing center after finishing the course. Confirm the format and passing score before you book.
How should I study for the ATP written test?
Build from a textbook or ground school, then work explained practice questions, then take practice tests. Focus on understanding concepts, because the question bank is closed and wording may change.
Sources
- Pilot Training | Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA Advisory Circular 61-138A
- FAA Advisory Circular 61-138A Change 1
- FAA ATP CTP Course Approval Job Aid
- Airline Transport Pilot Test Prep 2025-2026 (ASA)
- Airline Transport Pilot Privileges and Requirements (Gleim)