EASA ATPL · subject 032 guide

EASA ATPL Performance (032)

Performance (subject 032) is the EASA ATPL theory exam that tells you whether an aeroplane can actually do what a flight plan asks of it — get airborne within the runway available, out-climb the terrain ahead, cruise to destination and stop again safely, in the real weight, altitude, temperature and wind of the day. This guide breaks the syllabus into its official code groups — 032.01 General, 032.02 Performance Class B and 032.03 Performance Class A — shows how take-off, climb, en-route and landing performance fit together, and sets out a study plan to pass the exam at the 75% mark.

Practise Performance questions How the 13 exams work

What Performance covers

Performance is the subject that turns aerodynamics into numbers you can fly against. It asks a single question in four phases — can this aeroplane, at today's weight, pressure altitude, temperature and wind, get airborne within the runway available, climb to clear the terrain ahead, cruise to destination and land again safely? Where other subjects explain how the aircraft works, Performance decides what it is allowed to do.

EASA structures the 032 syllabus under three code groups — 032.01 General, 032.02 Performance Class B and 032.03 Performance Class A — layered over the cross-cutting concepts of take-off and landing distance, climb gradients and WAT limits, obstacle clearance and the net flight path. The sections below walk through each topic area.

The Performance topic areas

These topic areas map to the official EASA code groups for subject 032. They move from the definitions and general principles, through each phase of flight, to the separate rule sets for Class B and Class A aeroplanes — so working them roughly in sequence keeps the later, class-specific topics grounded in the fundamentals.

01General Principles & Definitions (032.01)The vocabulary of performance: the V-speeds (V1, VR, V2, VS, VMCA/VMCG, VREF), the forces and the thrust/power-available-versus-required picture, and the factors — weight, pressure altitude, temperature, wind and runway — that move every result.

02Take-off Performance & Field LengthRunway declared distances (TORA, TODA, ASDA), the balanced field length and the accelerate-stop/accelerate-go decision at V1, the screen height, and how a wet or contaminated surface reduces the weight you can lift.

03Climb Performance & WAT LimitsClimb gradient versus rate of climb, the effect of weight, altitude and temperature (the WAT limit), and how the required gross and net gradients guarantee obstacle clearance after take-off.

04En-route Performance & Obstacle ClearanceCruise ceilings, one-engine-inoperative drift-down and the terrain clearance it must preserve, plus the net flight path used to clear en-route obstacles with an engine failed.

05Landing PerformanceLanding distance required versus available, the reference speed VREF, the regulatory safety factors applied to dry, wet and contaminated runways, and how altitude, temperature and slope change the numbers.

06Performance Class B — Light Aeroplanes (032.02)Single- and multi-engine piston/turboprop aeroplanes: take-off and landing distance corrections, climb requirements, and the very different engine-failure handling and obstacle rules that apply to smaller aircraft.

07Performance Class A — Transport Aeroplanes (032.03)Large multi-engine turbine aeroplanes: the segmented net take-off flight path, the take-off obstacle domain, en-route and approach/landing climb requirements, and the regulated take-off/landing field-length rules.

08Aerodrome & Runway FactorsHow runway slope and surface condition, pressure altitude and temperature, and the headwind/tailwind and crosswind components change take-off, climb and landing performance in practice.

09Cruise, Range & PayloadSpecific range and endurance, optimum and maximum cruise altitude, the speeds for best range and best endurance, and how payload trades against fuel and range on a given sector.

Performance (032) exam format

Performance is examined as a single multiple-choice paper, one of the 13 EASA ATPL theory subjects. Questions are drawn from the ECQB (the European Central Question Bank) and mix straight recall of definitions and rules with graph- and chart-based calculation — reading a take-off or landing performance chart, applying corrections for weight, altitude, temperature, slope and wind, and finding a limiting weight or a field length. Expect a fair share of Class A obstacle and net-flight-path problems alongside the simpler Class B distance questions.

The pass mark is 75%, the same as every ATPL theory subject, and each subject is passed independently. Because so many questions are chart-based, being fast and accurate at reading the graphs — not just knowing the theory — is what protects your score under time pressure.

Note: Exam rules — the number of questions, the time allowed, the pass mark, sittings and attempt limits — are set by EASA Part-FCL and applied by your national authority (NAA). Always confirm the current figures with your ATO/NAA before you plan, as they are periodically updated.

How to study and pass 032 at 75%

Every EASA ATPL theory subject is passed at a minimum of 75%, and each subject is passed independently. For a calculation- and chart-heavy subject like Performance, the most reliable route to that mark is understand-then-drill:

Nail the definitions first. The V-speeds (V1, VR, V2, VS, VMCA/VMCG, VREF) and the factors — weight, pressure altitude, temperature, wind and runway — underpin every later problem, so learn them cold.
Work the phases in order. Take-off → climb and WAT limits → en-route drift-down and obstacle clearance → landing. Each phase reuses the last, so a clean sequence stops the rules blurring together.
Keep Class A and Class B separate. Their distance, climb and obstacle rules differ — always identify which class a question is set in before you reach for a formula or chart.
Practise reading the charts and drill ECQB-aligned questions on each topic, reading every explanation — especially for the answers you got wrong. Use spaced repetition so speed definitions and earlier phases stay fresh, then rehearse with full mock exams at the real 75% pass mark before you sit the official paper.

How ATPL Training helps

ATPL Training is an all-in-one platform for the theory phase: an ECQB-aligned question bank with worked explanations, structured lessons, built-in spaced-repetition review, and an AI tutor that explains the reasoning behind every answer — at around half the price of the established providers. For a calculation-led subject like Performance, that combination turns the charts and rules into exam marks.

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Master Performance the smart way

Drill ECQB-aligned 032 questions with worked explanations, track your readiness across every phase from take-off to landing, and rehearse with full mock exams at the real 75% pass mark.

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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

What is EASA ATPL Performance (032)?

Performance, EASA learning-objective subject code 032, is the ATPL theory exam covering whether an aeroplane can meet the demands of a flight — take-off within the runway available, climb to clear obstacles and terrain, cruise to destination and land safely — in the real weight, altitude, temperature and wind of the day. It is examined as one of the 13 EASA ATPL theory subjects.

What topics are in the Performance syllabus?

The 032 syllabus is organised under three code groups: 032.01 General (definitions, V-speeds and the factors affecting performance), 032.02 Performance Class B (single- and multi-engine light aeroplanes) and 032.03 Performance Class A (large transport aeroplanes). Across these it covers take-off and landing distance, climb gradients and WAT limits, en-route drift-down, obstacle clearance and the net flight path, plus aerodrome and runway factors and cruise/range performance.

What is the pass mark for the ATPL Performance exam?

Like every EASA ATPL theory subject, Performance is passed at a minimum of 75%. Each subject is passed independently, so you only re-sit the exams you do not pass. Exam rules are applied by your national authority (NAA), so confirm the current figures with your ATO/NAA.

What is the difference between Performance Class A and Class B?

Performance Class A applies to large multi-engine turbine aeroplanes (typically airliners) and uses strict, segmented rules — a net take-off flight path, an obstacle domain and regulated field lengths that assume an engine failure at the worst moment. Performance Class B applies to smaller single- and multi-engine light aeroplanes and uses simpler distance and climb requirements. Knowing which class a question is set in decides which rules and margins apply.

How should I study for ATPL Performance?

Learn the definitions first — the V-speeds and the factors (weight, altitude, temperature, wind, runway) — then work through take-off, climb, en-route and landing in that order so each phase builds on the last, and finally split Class A from Class B because their rules differ. Performance is calculation- and graph-heavy, so practise reading the CS-25/AFM-style charts and drill ECQB-aligned questions with worked explanations, reviewing every one you get wrong. Spaced repetition keeps the earlier phases and speed definitions fresh.