The 9 PPL(A) exam subjects — what you need to know

2026-05-15

The PPL(A) theory exam is split into 9 subjects. Here's a quick overview of what each one covers.

The subject list

Air Law — regulations, airspace, licensing.
Human Performance & Limitations — pilot physiology and psychology.
Meteorology — weather and aviation reports.
Communications — phraseology and radio correspondence.
Principles of Flight — aerodynamics and the forces on an aircraft.
Operational Procedures — conducting flights and handling emergencies.
Flight Performance & Planning — mass, balance, fuel, route.
Aircraft General Knowledge — airframe, engine, instruments.
Navigation — conducting a flight and reading the chart.

We cover each subject in more depth on the subject pages, and for several of them we already publish exam question banks with their correct answers.

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