Airline Transport Pilot briefing[PDF]

Introduction

This briefing is created to help candidates understand the purpose of this exam. This briefing is also applicable for training sessions.

Requirements

Before applying for this exam, you shall meet the following requirements:

1. You shall have your Commercial Pilot rating (CP) since more than 3 months and
2. You have at least 750 hours of logged time on IVAN as a Pilot (ATC hours are not taken into account)

Applying for the exam

The theoretical and practical exam can be requested by directly accessing your exam status page. The exam has 3 parts which shall be successfully validated in this order:

1. Theoretical exam: complete successfully the ATP online test
2. Practical exam part 1: assessment of aircraft theoretical knowledge and English test
3. Practical exam part 2: IFR test flight (including decision making assessment and full briefing) under the guidance of a nominated examiner

Requests for practical exams are only possible for members of active divisions. Members of inactive divisions shall have to change to an active division in order to get higher ratings (R&R 4.6.2.1).

Once your exam has been registered, the examiner will contact you via your e-mail address given on your personal details page. Before requesting for the exam, check that this e-mail address is valid since it is the only way for the examiner to get in touch with you.

The ATP exam shall be performed by 2 examiners member of HQ Training Staff.

Theoretical ATP Exam

All theoretical exams consist of 20 randomly selected multiple-choice questions (MCQ).

• Each question includes 3 to 5 proposed answers among which only one is correct.
• You have a maximum of 45 minutes to fill in the examination paper, and should you exceed this limit, the exam will be automatically recorded as failed (default failed score = 0/100).
• These MCQ exams are automatically corrected (each question will be marked 0 for a wrong answer or 5 for a right answer).
• The pass-mark for the exam is 75/100 (corresponding to at least 15 correct answers or a maximum of 5 false answers)

The theoretical questions are mainly extracted from our training documentation or from real ATPL questions.

All questions are based on ICAO/EU-OPS Rules and Regulations if not stated otherwise in the question.

Note that you can submit your answers as often as you want during the 45 minutes of the exam. Only the last submission will be taken into account. We greatly recommend you submit your examination paper on a regular basis in order to avoid to be marked 0 if you are disconnected or if you exceed the 45 minutes limit.

After your successful theoretical exam, you can apply for the practical part of the exam without delay.

Warning: Our system does not allow the resetting of theoretical exams, as in this case the same exam will appear again. Consequently, the Training department will always refuse to reset unfilled or timed out exams. In order to shorten the time for applying again, members should save their answers on a regular basis so as to avoid the exam being marked 0 if a disconnection or a time out occurs.

Practical 1 ATP Exam

The ATP exam is a series of tasks to appreciate your IVAO network knowledge, your flight experience, your aircraft Theoretical knowledge and English proficiency.

After your successful theoretical exam, you can apply for Part 1 of the ATP exam. In case of success of Part 1, you can apply for Part 2. These 2 parts will be conducted in sequence in 2 consecutive sessions.

Note that English phraseology shall be used during the skills test and optionally for the briefing and debriefing.

Voice communication is an unconditional requirement for the interview, assessments of theoretical knowledge and spoken English proficiency (Part 1) and flight briefing (Part 2). Therefore, we cannot accept a “text-text” or “text-voice” method due to the incompatibilities with these tasks.

Interview

A short preliminary interview will review the following items:

• History on the IVAO network and personal flight experience,
• Previous pilot exams history,
• Training experience (as staff or non-staff trainer) and/or real flight background, if any,
• Any other subject you and/or examiner would like to discuss.

Your examiner should log on to the IVAO network using his staff call sign and create a private channel on the TeamSpeak community server (cc.ts.ivao.aero).

Note that your answers/comments relative to these items will not be taken into account in the marking process and are only meant to evaluate your conversational English capabilities.

Aircraft Theoretical knowledge

The aircraft theoretical knowledge will only be related to one of the following aircraft:

• Boeing 737 series aircraft
• Airbus A320 series aircraft (A318/A319/A320/A321)
• Boeing 777/200-300 LR/ER series aircraft
• Bombardier Dash-8 Q400

Make sure you choose an aircraft you know well and are comfortable with. You will also have to inform your examiner of the aircraft you will use for the exam beforehand.

The examiner will never choose the aircraft. It is your choice and under your responsibily.

The examiner may ask you a few questions and/or request you to perform some calculations regarding the following items:

• General aircraft dimensions,
• Basic weights: operating empty weight (OEW), maximum design take-off weight (MTOW), maximum landing weight (MLW), usable fuel capacity and weight, calculation of current take-off and expected landing weights for a given flight,
• Use of Payload/Range charts,
• Standard take-off parameters (power and flaps settings, V1/Vr/V2 speeds, speeds and flaps retraction sequence during initial climb), take-off runway length requirements (field length charts),
• Climb performance data,
• Usual operating cruise speed(s) and fuel consumption,
• Approach/landing configuration sequence (power settings, flap configuration(s), approach speed) in relation to an approach procedure,
• Landing runway length requirements in standard conditions according to landing configuration and operational landing weight,
• Limitations: maximum demonstrated crosswind component, service ceiling, maximum operating airspeed (VMO) and mach number (MMO), maximum gear extension and retraction speeds, maximum flaps operating speeds, ACN/PCN calculations, aircraft landing capabilities, low visibility ops requirements.

At the time of the exam, your examiner may also pass you some graphs and/or tables for supporting the questions he will ask you.

Training material

The training material is available on the IVAO website following the links below:

• Training Documentation

Examinee shall pay attention to the difference of regulations between local procedures for his examination and these documentations issued by a specific country.

Note: The Training department of your division may also publish some recommended material on its web site (either in English or in your own language) and will include the necessary links in the localized version of this document.

General aviation resources:

• flightsim Handbook
  
• FAA Pilot Handbook
  
• FAA-handbook-158
  
• FAA-Handbook-8083-16B
  
• FAA-Handbook-8083-18
  

Weather resources:

• Euro.Wx
  
• Flyingineurope
  
• NOAA
  
• Aviation Weather
  

Aircraft technical data:

• Database

• AIRBUS A320

• BOEING 737 NG
• BOEING 737 Classic
• BOEING 737

• BOEING 777

• DASH-8-400

Charts and flight plan resources:

• Eurocontrol-AIS
  
• Eurofpl
  
• Eurocontrol
  
• ICAO-flight-plan-2012
  
• Skyvector
  
• aeronav
  

English proficiency

Your aviation and conversational English capabilities will be assessed based on proper English understanding and answering at the time of interview and aircraft knowledge questioning. Evaluation criteria will be inspired by the ICAO rating scale.

Note that any serious failing in English proficiency will automatically result in an exam failure.

Practical 2 ATP Exam

The ATP exam is a series of tasks to appreciate your ability of using the pilot IVAO software, your advanced IFR theoretical knowledge and your advanced IFR flying skills.

Note that these are our minimum standards. Your local division may have set additional requirements that should be published on its web site.

IVAO software, connection and communication modes

You shall only use one IVAO pilot client approved by the HQ training department for the exam. A list of such approved software can be found here: Approved software for exams. You shall use real weather condition enabled. External weather sources are allowed but they shall generate weather as closed as possible of the IVAO METAR.

You should connect at your departure airfield after the examiner asked you to do so, using the following call sign: EXM#### where #### are the last 4 digits of the exam number or TRN#### where #### are the last 4 digits of the training number .

Your examiner should log on to the IVAO network using:

• His staff call sign and create a private channel on the TeamSpeak community server (cc.ts.ivao.aero)
• An active position on the IVAO network using _EXA_ suffix on position (example XXXX_EXA_APP)

Your examiner will check your ability to correctly use the main functions of the software, mainly:

• establish a text and/or voice communication with active ATC positions,
• retrieve and interpret the ATIS of a controller,
• use the different transponder modes,
• be able to transmit by text on the current ATC frequency and privately,
• retrieve a distant station ATIS, METAR and TAF

Note that English phraseology shall be used during the skills test and optionally for the briefing and debriefing.

Voice communication is an unconditional requirement for the interview, assessments of theoretical knowledge and spoken English proficiency (Part 1) and flight briefing (Part 2). Therefore, we cannot accept a “text-text” or “text-voice” method due to the incompatibilities with these tasks.

Practical performance during the exam

General requirements

You should be aware of the following general requirements:

1. The same aircraft as the one chosen in Part 1(Bombardier Dash-8 Q400, Boeing 737, Boeing 777 or Airbus A320 series) must be used for the test flight.
2. Full use of the autopilot, FMC and/or GPS is permitted on the exam. However be aware that autopilot and/or advanced navigation systems might not be able to fulfill some manœuvres exceeding their capabilities.
3. Use of IVAO approved software is required with active weather
4. Your examiner will advise you of the departure and destination airports 24 hours prior to the exam. As a general rule, you will be requested to fly between two airports located in 2 distinct neighbour countries and at least 300 nm apart under Instrument Flight Rules.
5. You will be expected to find the necessary IFR charts yourself (check country AIS for online charts availability). This includes departure, arrival, en-route and all possible diversion airport charts along the planned route. If needed, your examiner will provide you the links for retrieving the necessary material.
6. You will have to plan and check the intended route and make the necessary preparation of the test flight, including departing/arrival foreseeable procedures, assessment of weather conditions, fuel requirements, applicable minima for the flight to take place and expected aircraft parameters on departure/arrival. Note that current departing/arrival weather conditions must be above applicable minima for the flight to take place. We encourage you to make use of this preparation sheet. When starting the exam, you will have to decide if the current weather is acceptable for the intended IFR flight.
7. You should connect at your departure airfield after the examiner asked you to do so, using the following call sign: EXM#### where #### are the last 4 digits of the exam number or TRN#### where #### are the last 4 digits of the training number. Your radio telephony call sign will be “Exam ####” for exam session or "Training ####" for training session. Your exam or training number can be found on the exam status page.
8. The examiner may either be connected as an observer and “simulate” an active ATC position or may connect as an active ATC or collaborate with another ATC in charge of the airspace where the exam takes place. In all cases, comply with all instructions normally.
9. Unless you are disconnected from the network, we require you submit your flight plan only once on examiner's request while connected and starting the test flight. You should not change any item and/or resubmit your flight plan thereafter.

Flight Briefing

During the flight briefing, your examiner will review and check the necessary information you will have retrieved for preparing your flight.

He may also ask you some questions related to the departing, arrival and/or en-route procedures relevant to the intended flight.

As part of the flight briefing, you will also have to explain in detail the decision you will take in some simulated special situations.

These situations could be unexpected meteorological conditions (e.g. weather conditions at destination airport getting below minima), ground based radio-equipment failures, in particular temporary airport limitations, emergency situations (e.g. flaps or single engine disfunctions, low fuel condition at a certain point of the flight, instrument systems malfunction, electrical issues, medical emergencies, etc).

IFR flight

The test flight will mainly assess the following:

• IFR departure procedure (as published or prescribed by examiner),
• En-route IFR navigation (accuracy of navigation),
• Capability to properly divert to a prescribed airport, complying with all known restrictions,
• Standard IFR arrival procedure via a prescribed or published route,
• Hold over a fix (using the adequate entry procedure for a published or unpublished holding pattern),
• VOR, NDB or localizer-only non-precision approaches,
• Missed approach.

Certain minimum requirements are expected for some tasks:

• English proficiency
• Adequate aircraft knowledge
• IFR theoretical knowledge
• Mastering of Radio-Communications
• Accuracy and validity of the flight plan
• Proper execution of non-precision approaches and holding patterns
• Compliance with all clearances

Flight Debriefing

After the exam has ended, you will be requested to make a full analysis of the sequence of events, of the mistakes you identified and the way you managed them.

Evaluation and marking method

The examiner will score separately all required tasks (including both theoretical questions and practical exercises) on a dedicated marking sheet.

Each score will reflect the exactness and range of your knowledge (for theoretical data) and your ability to accurately execute the exercises (and your performance in doing so).

The maximum score is 100 points. The pass mark is 75/100. In all cases, your examiner will give you the detailed results during the debriefing, so as you can identify your errors and correct them in case the exam is failed.

Certain minimum requirements are expected for some tasks:

• English proficiency
• Adequate aircraft knowledge
• IFR theoretical knowledge
• Mastering of Radio-Communications
• Accuracy and validity of the flight plan
• Proper execution of non-precision approaches and holding patterns
• Compliance with all clearances

Failure to perform these tasks at the specified standard will result in the exam being marked as failed regardless of your overall performance and the final exam mark shall be 49/100 or less down to 0/100 depending on examiner’s assessment.

Some special situations may result in an automatic exam failure (maximum score of 49/100 or 51/100):

• Performing the exam with an unauthorized aircraft type
• Radio Communication proficiency failure
• English Communication proficiency failure
• Insufficient theoretical knowledge
• Poor theoretical knowledge
• No charts
• Connection on the runway
• Entering the runway without adequate clearance
• Taking off without clearance
• Initiating approach without clearance
• Landing without clearance
• Landing outside the runway
• 2 tasks marked “0”
• Use of pause mode in the simulator
• Flying inside a prohibited area (P)
• Descend below IFR minimum altitudes
• Descend below VFR minimum altitudes
• Crash due to terrain collision
• Crash due to loss of control
• Crash due to aircraft overstress

NOTE: The continuation of the exam is solely the decision of the examiner.

An exam is considered as failed and the practical part will stop immediately or will not be performed if:

• Examinee has extremely poor theoretical knowledge (score shall be at or below 10/100)
• Examinee violates against IVAO Rules and Regulation (score shall be 1/100 or 0/100 depending of examiner)
• Examinee does not turn up for the exam and a valid reason is not given within 48 hours. This will cause the exam to be considered as failed (score shall be 1/100 or 0/100 depending of examiner)
• In case you decide to stop the exam at any time after it has begun (score shall be 1/100 or 0/100 depending of examiner)
• In case of any provable cheating during a practical exam, regardless if during the theoretical or the practical part, the result will be 0/100 and a blocking of 6 months for exams will be appointed to the examinee.

If the examinee fails to arrive for the exam at the time organised, the examiner should wait for 15 minutes. After that period, the examiner can log off the network. The examinee then has 48 hours to provide a valid reason for the failure to attend by email. If no email is received in time the exam will be marked as failed.

Should a PC crash occur which is out of the applicant’s control, the exam will have to start again or will be delayed to take place on another day, the decision being up to the examiner.

Validation of the exam

After evaluation, your examiner will send his evaluation to the training director who will assign a validator.

The validator will verify the marking based on the comments and marking sheet of the examiner.

If your exam is validated as a success your rating will be updated at 1200z the following day.

The validation process needs a validation delay estimated from one day minimum to an average maximum of one week.

In case of failure (any part), a 6-month delay should be recommended by the examiner before being in a position to apply for a new exam.
Consequently, we strongly advise candidates to train and prepare carefully before going for it.

Note that this delay may be revised by the TD/TAD and exceptions can be granted in specific cases.

After achieving this rating

Congratulations! You have achieved the highest pilot rating on the IVAO Network.

Nonetheless, remember that we learn everyday and it is especially true in the aviation domain, virtual or not!

As an ATP rating holder, people are looking at you as an example of what to aim for.
Therefore, we expect you to be a good representative of your ATP rating at all times on the network.

Continue flying on the network with the same degree of accuracy, mastering your aircraft, complying with regulations and participating to events, trainings and exams.

Failure to maintain high standards when conducting a flight on the network may lead to the removal of your ATP rating.
The TD/TAD reserve the right to downgrade the user to CP rating.

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See also

• None

Reference

• None

Author

• VID 150259 - Wiki integration
• VID 200696 - Update May 2019
• VID 150259 - Update September 2019
• VID 200696 - Update December 2019
• VID 200696 - Update June 2020