Overview: What to Expect
The theory examination for the PPL(A) – the Private Pilot Licence for aeroplanes – is administered in Switzerland by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (BAZL). It is based on the European question bank ECQB-PPL (European Central Question Bank), which EASA has harmonised across all member states. This means the questions are comparable in every EASA country, and the standard is high.
You must pass all nine subjects before you are eligible to sit the practical examination. The theory has a validity of 24 months from the date of the first passed individual subject test – within this period you must complete all nine subjects and subsequently pass the practical Skill Test.
The Nine Subjects
The ECQB-PPL covers the following areas:
- Air Law
- Human Performance
- Meteorology
- Communications (VFR Communications)
- Principles of Flight
- Operational Procedures
- Flight Performance and Planning (incl. Mass and Balance)
- Aircraft General Knowledge
- Navigation (incl. Radio Navigation)
Format: Multiple Choice with Four Options
Each question has four answer options (A–D), exactly one of which is correct. There are no penalties for wrong answers, so it is always worth making a guess rather than leaving a question blank.
The pass mark is uniformly set at 75% per subject. You must therefore answer at least three quarters of the questions correctly in each individual subject – a good overall average across all subjects is irrelevant if any single subject falls below 75%.
Number of Questions and Time Limits
The number of questions and time limits vary by subject. Reference values (ECQB-PPL standard):
| Subject | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Air Law | 12 | 30 min |
| Human Performance | 12 | 30 min |
| Meteorology | 16 | 60 min |
| Communications | 12 | 30 min |
| Principles of Flight | 12 | 30 min |
| Operational Procedures | 12 | 30 min |
| Flight Performance & Planning | 18 | 90 min |
| Aircraft General Knowledge | 16 | 60 min |
| Navigation | 18 | 60 min |
In total there are approximately 120 questions across all subjects, with a combined examination time of around 7 hours if you sit everything in one go. BAZL does, however, allow you to spread the examination across multiple sessions.
Retakes and Session Limits
You have a maximum of four attempts per subject. If you do not pass within four attempts or within six sessions in total, you must repeat the theoretical training course before you may sit the examination again. One session comprises all subjects you sit or retake at a single examination appointment.
The first examination session must take place within 18 months of commencing the theoretical training course. All nine subjects must be completed within 18 months of the first examination session.
Registration and Examination Venue
Registration is handled via the BAZL portal. The examination is taken on a computer at Swiss examination centres – currently including Zurich. A prerequisite for registration is a confirmation from your flight school (ATO/DTO) that you have fully completed the theoretical training course.
Examination fees are charged by BAZL; expect a fee in the two-digit Swiss franc range per subject (as of 2024 approximately CHF 40–50 per subject – check the current BAZL fee schedule).
Procedure on Examination Day
- Identification: Bring your identity card or passport. Without a valid official ID, you will not be admitted.
- Personal belongings: Smartphones, smartwatches and personal notes are not permitted. Lockers are usually provided.
- Permitted aids: For Navigation and Flight Planning you may use a non-programmable calculator and, as a rule, your navigation computer (CR-3, E6B) as well as a blank plotter set. Charts and specific documents are provided by the examination centre.
- Computer-based examination: You work on screen, navigate through the questions, can flag questions and review them at the end.
- Results: At many examination centres you receive your result immediately after completing a subject – however, without access to incorrectly answered questions.
Tips for Examination Day
- Don't do it all at once: Where possible, split the nine subjects across two or three sessions. Seven hours of concentration in one sitting is gruelling.
- Time management: The time limits are generous. Read every question twice – many mistakes are caused by overlooking words such as "not", "except", or units (kt vs. km/h).
- Flag rather than agonise: Answer the straightforward questions first, flag the difficult ones and return to them at the end.
- Check units and axes: Particularly in Performance, Mass & Balance and Navigation, unit conversions are the difference between passing and failing.
- Sleep beats last-minute studying: An all-nighter the evening before is worth less than a clear head.
- ECQB practice: Train with up-to-date question pools – the ECQB is updated regularly. Old question collections offer little value.
After Passing the Theory
Once you have passed all nine subjects with at least 75%, your theory is valid for 24 months for the subsequent Skill Test. You must complete the practical examination within this period; otherwise the theory lapses and you start from scratch.