ATSA Practice Test - Complete Guide for the FAA Exam
Last updated: September 6th, 2026
The Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) is the gateway to becoming an Air Traffic Controller for the FAA, a highly competitive ATC test that measures the precision, focus, and cognitive skills the job demands.
With the FAA targeting 2,300 new hires for 2027 alone, as part of a plan to bring on nearly 8,900 controllers through 2028, and thousands of applicants each year, a strong ATSA test score is the key to move a candidate ahead in the hiring process.
What Is the ATSA Test?
The Air Traffic Skills Assessment, usually referred to as ATSA or AT-SA, is a 3.5-hour exam (including breaks), administered by Pearson, and taken in-person at Pearson Professional Centers across the U.S. Candidates are typically invited to schedule the ATSA exam a few weeks after applying to the FAA.
The ATSA test measures key cognitive abilities like memory, spatial awareness, logic, and multitasking skills every successful Air Traffic Controller needs.
In the US, the ATSA is a key stage in the process of becoming an Air Traffic Controller.
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ATSA Exam in a Nutshell, and How to Get Ready with JobTestPrep's ATSA Online Practice
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The ATSA doesn't leave much room for error, and most candidates don't pass on their first try. What separates the candidates who do is preparation: knowing the format, the pacing, and the traps in each section before test day. JobTestPrep ATSA online test mirrors the actual exam and strengthens each skill it assesses, so you're practicing the real thing, not guessing at it.
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ATSA Test Categories and Sample Questions
The Air Traffic Skills Assessment contains seven test categories, all covered in JobTestPrep's ATSA online test through dedicated practice tests, category-by-category training, and complete study guides and expert tips. Categories below are presented in the same order they appear on the real ATSA test, so you can prepare the way you'll actually be tested.
Click a category to jump straight to its section, complete with ATSA sample questions and ATSA practice questions you can start on right away.
ATSA Memory Test
Memory is considered particularly important for the job of Air Traffic Controller, and as such represents a soft skill that deserves two distinct categories: Numbers & Differences, and Variables.
Together, these memory games evaluate your:
- Working memory
- Short-term memory
- Response time
Let's review this important ATSA test section:
ATSA Memory Test 1 - Numbers and Differences
- What It Measures: Short-term working memory combined with rapid mental arithmetic.
- Time Limit: JobTestPrep's ATSA online test offers this section untimed first, then timed drills at 2, 6, and 10 minutes, so you build speed in stages instead of all at once. Each number displays for about 2 seconds. The FAA and Pearson don't publish an official per-section time for the real exam.
- Common Mistakes: Confusing your answer with the last digit shown, rather than the actual difference between the two most recent numbers.
- Practice Strategy: Regular ATSA practice holding exactly two numbers in memory at a time builds this faster than trying to track the whole sequence at once.
- Skills Required: Working memory, mental math, sustained concentration.
This ATSA aptitude test begins with a number (1-9) appearing onscreen for two seconds. Another number quickly follows. Using the number pad, you need to type in the difference between these two numbers. After you type in your answer, a third number will appear. Now, you'll have to determine the difference between the last number shown on the screen and this new number shown.
Here is a sample from our memory ATSA practice test, closely similar to the actual test:
*Source - JobTestPrep's ATSA Test Prep
For each answer typed in, immediate feedback is provided. Additionally, a full report with the success rate score appears at the end, so you can track how well you improve.
Tip
A primary challenge of this air traffic control test is maintaining concentration throughout its high pace. In our full ATSA practice course is an additional ATC memory test without immediate feedback, so that it feels exactly like the actual test.
Another challenge is confusing the last number shown with your last answer, especially since the test keeps running quite quickly. For this reason, try to ignore your answer and mentally repeat the last digit at all times.
ATSA Memory Test 2 - Variables
- What It Measures: Symbolic reasoning and equation-solving across increasing difficulty levels (letters as numbers, simple equations, then two-variable equations), a core part of the broader ATSA assessment.
- Time Limit: JobTestPrep's ATSA practice test for this section includes four tests, Basic, Intermediate, Advanced #1, and Advanced #2, each 7 minutes with 120 ATSA test questions.
- Common Mistakes: Carrying a mistake from an early substitution into every later question on the same test.
- Practice Strategy: Work through Basic and Intermediate first with our ATSA sample questions to lock in the method, then take both Advanced tests back to back as part of your ATSA training to simulate real pacing under pressure.
- Skills Required: Algebraic reasoning, adaptability, error recovery under time pressure.
On the ATSA exam, you can expect three progressively harder sections, each containing 10 questions. The first section flashes multiple letters that each equal a different number (i.e. A=1). Next, you will see on the screen the same letters, albeit this time randomized. Your task is to fill in the number to match the letter.
The second section consists of equations, such as A=B+2, B=1, and therefore A=3. This section uses only addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. In the third section, you are presented with two variable equations.
Try it for yourself, can you quickly answer what number each variable represents?
*Source - JobTestPrep's ATSA Practice Test- Memory (from the full ATSA Test Prep)
Tip
Find the best way to remember the numbers appearing and disappearing on the screen. Some test takers like to whisper to themselves the number and letter as they see them. Some use physical methods to remember the variables, like using your fingers or other parts of your body.
Spatial/Visual Relationship and ATC Simulation
The first two question categories are similar in that they don't require knowledge but rather soft skills, which are crucial for passing your ATC training.
These include:
- Set-shifting and multitasking
- Spatial orientation
- Performance under pressure
Let's go over these test categories one by one:
Spatial/Visual Relationship
- What It Measures: Mental rotation and perspective-taking: judging another aircraft's position relative to your own from two different viewpoints, tested for both accuracy and speed.
- Time Limit: The FAA and Pearson don't publish an official per-section time for the real exam. For this section, JobTestPrep's ATSA online test moves through increasing difficulty, with the Additional Practice & Explanations tests running 4, 3 minutes, and 2 minutes, each covering 60 ATSA test questions.
- Common Mistakes: Skipping the "T" and "F" keyboard controls used during the real test process, so the input method itself becomes a source of lost time on test day.
- Practice Strategy: Start with the Spatial Visual Relationship Guide, then move to the three simulation-style ATSA sample questions, since these closely resemble the actual test. From there, work through Additional Practice, and use Additional Practice & Explanations for ATSA practice questions with detailed answer breakdowns whenever you need to understand why an answer is correct, not just whether it is.
- Skills Required: Spatial reasoning, fast visual processing, perspective-shifting, comfort with keyboard-based test controls.
On this test, you need to quickly determine the location of two airplanes in relation to each other. You are shown an image with two airplanes, one large and one small airplane, and a text box stating "right" or "left."
*Source - JobTestPrep's ATSA Practice Test)
- For the first half of the test, imagine you are sitting in the big airplane and answer yes or no, depending on whether the small airplane is on your right or left.
- In the second half of the test, an eye may appear occasionally, meaning you now have to answer the question from the eye's point of view.
Tip
When the eye appears, it's usually looking at the big plane, and this point of view causes the reversal of directions from the big plane’s point of view. You can use this trick to answer quickly before you run out of time.
The image will change very quickly- about every 1-2 seconds. To keep up with this pace you have to make sure you are "in the zone" before starting this section, so use the practice test offered at the beginning of this section to warm up. In addition, our ATSA Test Prep includes highly similar ATC practice tests to improve your speed.
ATC Simulation
- What It Measures: Your ability to prevent airplane collisions while solving arithmetic under time pressure, plus speed and accuracy entering data via numpad.
- Time Limit: The FAA and Pearson don't publish an official per-section time for the real exam. JobTestPrep's ATSA collision simulation practice includes Simulation With Math and Simulation Without Math versions, plus a Four Operators Practice set with three timed drills at 8 minutes each.
- Common Mistakes: Spending too much time on the arithmetic instead of prioritizing collision prevention first, and fumbling numpad entry when quickly typing the number of aircraft about to collide.
- Practice Strategy: Drill collision-avoidance scenarios with ATSA practice questions first, then add the math layer once the prioritization habit is automatic. Practicing the collision simulation without the math is a good way to isolate that skill early on.
- Skills Required: Multitasking, prioritization under pressure, mental arithmetic, numpad data entry speed.
This Air Traffic Controller Test is an ATC simulation consisting of two parts:
- During the first part, the screen displays a map, with numbered balls flying in from off the screen. You must eliminate balls before they are about to collide by typing in one of their numbers (see image below)
- In the second part, while avoiding collisions, you are required to simultaneously answer basic math problems.
Tip
You must prioritize your tasks on the Air Traffic Controller Simulation, like a real ATC Specialist. For example, avoiding collisions is obviously more important than answering a math question. Many candidates state that they got a high score on the ATSA, even when they answered a very small percentage of the math questions.
Logical Reasoning, Personality, and Reading Comprehension
The remaining three ATSA Test categories are closer to what you might expect from typical pre-employment aptitude exams.
They aim to ascertain candidates' abilities in:
- Deductive Reasoning
- Understanding, drawing conclusions, and implementing written information
- Character and personality traits
Let's take a look at these test sections:
ATSA Logical Reasoning - Word Problems
- What It Measures: Deductive reasoning applied to word problems, seating arrangements, and assumption-based questions.
- Time Limit: The FAA and Pearson don't publish an official per-section time for the real exam. JobTestPrep's core word-problem tests run 20 minutes for 18 ATSA test questions, though related practice, like Seating Arrangements and Assumptions Practice, varies slightly in length and question count.
- Common Mistakes: Getting stuck on one difficult problem instead of moving on, since you can't revisit questions once you've answered them.
- Practice Strategy: Read the Deductive Reasoning Solving Tips guide first, then work through ATSA practice questions under the same no-backtracking rule as the real test, so pacing pressure isn't a surprise on test day.
- Skills Required: Deductive logic, careful reading, time management.
This section includes word problems and seating arrangements, in which you need to sort or arrange a group of people/objects according to given constraints. These tend to be very challenging, especially since you only have a short time to solve them, and no pen and paper. Note you will not be able to go back to previous questions and will be penalized for not answering all the questions.
These questions require you to derive placements that necessarily follow from a set of rules. This type of reasoning is called deductive, and it is applied frequently in daily ATC work.
ATSA Sample Question - Logical Reasoning
For a two-day career event at a local high-school class, exactly six out of eight parents with different occupations - florist, gardener, historian, inventor, jeweler, locksmith, mailman, and optician - are chosen to introduce their occupations to the class. On each day exactly three different parents will speak to the class in three different time slots - morning, mid-day and afternoon, subject to the following conditions:
- The florist can only speak on day 2.
- The gardener and the locksmith cannot speak in mid-day.
- If the gardener speaks on day 1, then the optician and the jeweler speak on day 2.
- The inventor and the mailman will not speak on the same day.
- If both the inventor and the locksmith are speaking, then the inventor speaks sometime before the locksmith.
Which one of the following could be a complete and accurate schedule of the two-day careers event (in order of appearance)?
Tip
The two most effective solving techniques when dealing with sitting arrangements:
- Picturing a seating arrangement and filling it according to the rules.
- Eliminating answer choices according to the rules.
Sometimes, using both techniques together is helpful or even necessary.
ATSA Personality Test
- What It Measures: Behavioral tendencies and temperament fit through forced-choice items, where you identify which statement is most and least like you.
- Time Limit: Untimed on the real exam, though most candidates complete the roughly 108-item section in about 15-20 minutes. JobTestPrep's ATSA practice tools run longer by design (multi-hour simulations), since they're built to develop trait-recognition and response consistency, not to match the real section's pacing.
- Common Mistakes: Overthinking individual items or trying to guess the "correct" answer instead of responding consistently.
- Practice Strategy: Start with the guide before your first timed simulation, then use the shorter single-trait drills as part of your ATSA training to build awareness of how you tend to answer, without over-analyzing to the point of second-guessing your instincts on test day.
- Skills Required: Self-awareness, response consistency, sustained focus through a longer-format assessment.
On ATSA's personality test, you will be given a list of three statements, and you must determine which of the three is most like you and which is least like you.
Here are example questions:
ATSA Reading Comprehension
- What It Measures: Main-idea identification and statement-validity judgment from short passages.
- Time Limit: The real exam's reading section runs about 18 questions in 20 minutes across six passages with three questions each, though the FAA and Pearson don't publish this breakdown officially. JobTestPrep's practice tests mirror that pacing at 20 minutes each, with question counts ranging from 15 to 18 depending on the passage.
- Common Mistakes: Re-reading full passages instead of scanning for the specific detail a question asks about.
- Practice Strategy: Practice reading for the question first, then scanning the passage for the answer. JobTestPrep's ATSA online test and ATSA practice test cover this section with realistic timed passages, and it's worth working through the separate Short Reading Comprehension set as well, since passage length and question count vary more than a single practice format can cover.
- Skills Required: Reading speed, inference, time management.
For the reading comprehension, you will be presented with six paragraphs, each followed by three questions. You may be asked to determine the paragraph's main point or which statement is true.
Try it for yourself (the explanation will show when you choose the correct answer):
ATSA Sample Question- Reading Comprehension
Experts agree that arts and culture are an important part of the economy, but the precise relationship is complicated. The main question is does investment in the arts stimulate growth, or are the arts the product of economic development? It would seem that the case for continued arts funding is clear-cut—enjoying the arts (visiting art galleries and theatres) boosts the economy. Yet some argue that the link between arts investment and economic output is tenuous. Researchers today are exploring a different angle of this relationship. They are trying to understand how the subjective value of the arts—the 'happiness factor'—may translate into economic benefits. According to the “happiness factor” hypothesis, when a place develops a critical mass of arts and vibrancy it tends to attract talented people which, in turn, tends to raise income.
Which of the following assumptions can definitely be made based on the above paragraph?
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How to Study for the ATC Test? 5 Pro Tips
- Start preparing a long enough time before the ATSA test date. Most ATC candidates who practice with our preparation take at least a month to prepare, and most wish they had more time.
- Many questions on the ATSA test are unique and will not be found in any other test. To best prepare for it, it is highly recommended to practice full-length ATSA practice tests.
- Since the ATSA result depends on how well you do on all test sections, it is highly recommended to first go over all test sections and identify the parts that are most difficult for you and can be most improved.
- Even If you finish all the practice tests on a specific subject, repeated practice is extremely beneficial for ATC candidates in improving speed and accuracy.
- When completing ATSA practice tests, it's best not to use pen and paper to get the same experience as the ATSA test.
On the ATSA test day, you are allowed a total of 30 minutes of break time throughout the Air Traffic Control test. We recommend planning your breaks before the test, leaving room for adjustments at the time of the test, depending on mental fatigue.
ATSA Results Categories
Each candidate that takes the ATC test is placed into one of three categories: Well Qualified, Qualified, or Not Referred.
You won't receive a numeric score, only your placement into one of these three.
The FAA selects candidates with the highest ATSA results → so simply passing isn’t enough.
In recent hiring cycles, only candidates in the top scoring category were given a Tentative Offer Letter (TOL), with a significant advantage granted to Pool 1 applicants (military veterans and CTI graduates). This has been reinforced by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has repeatedly spoken about solving the ACT manpower crisis by speeding up the recruitment process rather than easing the admission bar.
The best way to ensure that you pass the ATSA exam, receive a TOL, and advance to the next stage in the ATC hiring process is to receive a the best possible score.
Best Qualified or Well Qualified?
A 2023 DOT Office of Inspector General audit adds historical detail behind this: the minimum passing score is 70%, and under hiring bands the FAA implemented in 2018, that 70-84% range corresponds to Qualified, 85-89% to Well Qualified (WQ), and 90%+ to what was then classified as Best Qualified (BQ). Since 2018, the FAA has hired only from the Best Qualified and Well Qualified bands. Between 2018 and 2020, about 40% of the 16,988 eligible applicants passed the ATSA (6,841 people), and of those, 3,073 scored in the Best-Qualified or Well-Qualified bands.
The New ATSA Timeline: From Application to the FAA Academy
Although a crucial exam, the ATSA is in reality the second of five stages (which came to replace an eight stage process) in the FAA's air traffic controller hiring process, not a standalone exam. Here's where it fits, from your first USAJOBS application to your first day at the FAA Academy.
| Phase | Stage | What Happens |
Typical Timing |
| 1 | USAJOBS Application | You apply through USAJOBS during an open hiring announcement, submitting a two-page resume plus transcripts, a CTI endorsement letter, or DD Form 214 if applicable. | Announcement windows are limited and can close once filled, so the FAA recommends applying as early as possible. |
| 2 | Aptitude Exam (ATSA) | Invited candidates schedule and take the Air Traffic Skills Assessment, a 3.5-hour computer-based exam, at a Pearson Professional Center. A Well Qualified result is required to advance. | Scheduled after your invitation; results post to your USAJOBS account in about 2 weeks. |
| 3 | Medical & Security Clearance | Fingerprinting, a federal background investigation, a medical exam, a drug screening, and a psychological evaluation. | Varies by candidate; not a fixed public timeline. |
| 4 | FAA Academy Training | In-resident training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. |
Several months. Trainees are paid $22.61/hr* during training, with full health and housing benefits. * at the time of writing |
| 5 | Facility Assignment & On-the-Job Training | Academy graduates are assigned to a facility nationwide and complete supervised, hands-on training and evaluation. | 1 to 3 years to reach Certified Professional Controller (CPC) status |
Air Traffic Skills Assessment FAQ
Every year the FAA publishes new opening for the air traffic control trainee position that are open to all US citizens under 30. The announcement can be found on https://www.usajobs.gov/.
With no preparation at all, the Air Traffic Skills Assessment can be very difficult. You may think that because the ATSA is an aptitude assessment, you don't need to practice for it, but this can't be farther from the truth.
Before your upcoming test, get as much information as you can about the test and try to practice using ATSA practice tests that are most similar to the actual test (computerized and similar in their format and difficulty level).
You can take the AT SA exam as many times as you want, but only once per hiring window.
Your ATSA test results are valid for three years after taking the test. So long as you have a valid ATSA score from the last three years, you don't have to retake the assessment. Your latest results will be applied automatically.
If you choose to schedule a new test date, however, your most recent score will supersede all previous results. You will not be able to use a past test score, even if it's better than your latest.
The ATSA test scores are divided into four groups: Best Qualified, Well-Qualified, Qualified, and Not Referred. Your goal is to score high on this challenging test and get a Best Qualified score, optimizing your chances of getting a TOL.
The Air Traffic Controller test does not cost anything for the applicant. However, you should consider travel costs, as sometimes you will need to drive a long way to get to the closest assessment center. The FAA does not reimburse travel costs.
Yes, it matters quite a bit. The FAA hires through two tracks. Track 2 is for candidates with at least a year of full-time air traffic control experience; they skip the ATSA and are typically hired first.
Track 1 is for everyone else, and it's split into two pools: Pool 1 (military veterans and CTI program graduates) and Pool 2 (the general public, sometimes called OTS or 'off-the-streets' candidates). Pool 1 candidates get hiring priority within Track 1, even over a Pool 2 candidate with a higher ATSA score. If you're applying as a Pool 2 candidate, that makes a strong ATSA test score even more important, since it's your main lever for standing out in a pool that doesn't get first pick.
Your initial score timing depends on when the testing window ends.
It can take about two weeks after the last date of testing to get a referral status (either “Referred” or “Not Referred”). After that, if you scored high enough, you can get a TOL (Tentative Offer Letter) about 3 months after taking the test. If your score is not quite good, you are put on a waiting list.
The ATSA test is exactly 2 hours and 49 minutes long, plus 30 minutes of break time, which can also be divided into smaller breaks.
The Air Traffic Control (ATC) simulation is one subtest of the ATSA test. It is a game of collision avoidance and basic math questions. You are shown a screen with numbered dots coming in from all angles and your job is to prevent the dots from colliding. When you identify which dots are going to collide, you can press the number of one of the dots, making it disappear, thus preventing the collision.
The ATC simulation test involves different difficulty levels, while in the end the speed of the dots is very high, and you must answer math questions while trying to avoid the collisions. It is considered one of the most difficult parts of the Air Traffic Skills Assessment.
If you cannot make it to your Air Traffic Skills Assessment appointment, you're required to reschedule or cancel it at least 48 hours before the scheduled test date.
Pearson VUE is the official vendor of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the ATSA test and operates its testing system. If your application on USAJobs goes through, you will get an email from Pearson VUE inviting you to schedule a test date to take the ATSA test.
The email will be entitled "Authorization to Test", and it will contain your name and an "aviator ID", which you'll use on test day to identidy yourself.
The test is completely managed by Pearson, and it's important to know FAA representatives will not be present at the testing center.
For more official information about Pearson VUE and Pearson Professional Centers (PPCs), visit this link.
Yes*, the ATSA test is usually done at Pearson Professional Centers (PPCs)** around the country. To find the closest Pearson testing center, write your address here.
Sometimes testing centers get full, so you want to schedule the test soon after getting the exam invitation email. And make sure you choose a date that fits best. In some cases, you will need to drive a few hours or even fly to the nearest testing center, so take that into consideration.
Yes. However, you must request them before scheduling a test date.
You can find out more on the Pearson Q&A page.
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