EASA ATPL General Navigation (061): Syllabus, Topics & How to Pass
Everything you need to know about EASA ATPL subject 061 — the five syllabus areas, the exam format, the pass mark, and a study plan that works.
General Navigation (subject 061) is one of the core calculation subjects in the EASA ATPL theory syllabus. It is the discipline of knowing where you are and how to get where you are going — using the geometry of the Earth, aeronautical charts, direction and distance, and the relationship between heading, track, wind and time.
Unlike the more descriptive subjects, General Navigation rewards confident, repeatable working. Many questions are computational: plotting on a chart, resolving the triangle of velocities, applying convergency and conversion angle, or working time and longitude. That is why the surest route to a pass is steady practice with realistic, ECQB-style questions rather than reading alone.
The 5 EASA ATPL General Navigation topic areas
The 061 syllabus is organised into five topic areas. Together they take you from the fundamentals of direction and distance to practical visual navigation in the cockpit.
- 1
Basics of Navigation
The shape of the Earth, latitude and longitude, the measurement of direction (true, magnetic and compass) and distance, and the core relationship between speed, time and distance that underpins every navigation calculation.
- 2
Charts
The map projections used in aviation — Lambert conformal, Mercator and polar stereographic — their properties and scale, and how to plot positions, tracks and bearings accurately on each.
- 3
Great Circles and Rhumb Lines
The difference between the shortest route across the globe and a line of constant track, together with convergency and conversion angle, and when each line is used in practical navigation.
- 4
Time
The relationship between longitude and time — UTC, local mean time, standard time and time zones — plus sunrise and sunset, twilight, and the International Date Line.
- 5
Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Navigation
Practical dead-reckoning and visual navigation: pre-flight planning, in-flight track and groundspeed checks, the 1-in-60 rule for heading corrections, and fixing position by map reading.
The exam: format and pass mark
EASA ATPL General Navigation is examined as part of the Central Question Bank (ECQB). Questions are multiple choice — typically four options with one correct answer — and you need 75% to pass, the same threshold that applies to all 13 ATPL theory exams.
General Navigation is a calculation-heavy subject. Many questions ask you to plot on a chart, resolve the triangle of velocities, or work time and longitude — so the exam tests method and accuracy under time pressure, not just recall.
How to pass EASA ATPL General Navigation
Lock down direction, distance and the triangle of velocities
Almost everything in General Navigation builds on the fundamentals: measuring direction and distance, and resolving heading, track, wind and groundspeed. Once the triangle of velocities is second nature, the harder topics become routine rather than daunting.
Practise plotting and chart work by hand
Chart questions reward accuracy and speed. Regular plotting on Lambert and Mercator charts — positions, tracks and bearings — keeps your technique sharp and reduces avoidable errors under exam time pressure.
Drill the mental maths: 1-in-60, convergency and time
A handful of repeatable methods — the 1-in-60 rule, convergency and conversion angle, and longitude-to-time conversion — appear again and again. Practising them until they are automatic protects easy marks on exam day.
Drill with ECQB-style questions and revise regularly
The exam is multiple choice in the EASA ECQB style — typically four options with one correct answer. Working through realistic, calculation-heavy questions little and often trains you to apply method under time pressure and protects the 75% pass mark.
Practise General Navigation the EASA way
Drill ECQB-style General Navigation questions with instant explanations, and track your progress across all five topic areas.
The rules behind the exam
Every ATPL paper is scored under the same Part-FCL rules: a 75% pass mark, four attempts per subject, six sittings, an 18-month completion window, and seven years of theory validity. See each figure with its Part-FCL reference and EUR-Lex source.
Frequently asked questions
How many topics are in EASA ATPL General Navigation?
There are 5 syllabus topic areas: Basics of Navigation, Charts, Great Circles and Rhumb Lines, Time, and Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Navigation.
What is the pass mark for EASA ATPL General Navigation?
The pass mark is 75% — the same threshold as all 13 EASA ATPL theory exams.
Is EASA ATPL General Navigation hard?
It is one of the more calculation-heavy subjects, with plotting, chart work and the triangle of velocities. It is very manageable with steady practice — the methods are repeatable, so confidence comes from working through realistic questions rather than reading alone.
What question format is used in the General Navigation exam?
Questions follow the EASA ECQB style — multiple choice, typically four options with one correct answer — and many are computational, requiring chart plotting or use of a navigation computer.