ATSA

Overview

The Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) is the computer-based aptitude test the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) uses to screen entry-level applicants for Air Traffic Control Specialist trainee jobs. It replaced the older Air Traffic Selection and Training test (AT-SAT) in November 2016. The ATSA is delivered in person at Pearson VUE test centres, and the FAA uses the result as one of several factors when choosing trainees for the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City.

Who can apply

To be eligible for an air traffic controller trainee job, the FAA requires that you:

• are a United States citizen

• are under 31 years of age when you apply

• speak English clearly enough to be understood over communications equipment

• have one year of progressively responsible work experience, a bachelor's degree, or a mix of post-secondary education and work experience totalling one year

• pass the FAA pre-employment tests, including the ATSA

• pass a medical examination and a security investigation

You cannot simply book the ATSA. You first apply to an air traffic control trainee announcement on USAJOBS, and only applicants the FAA finds qualified are invited to test. Applicants with at least 52 consecutive weeks of full-time air traffic control experience apply through a separate track and do not need to take the ATSA.

Exam pattern

The ATSA is made up of seven assessments, chosen by the FAA from 15 candidates after a validation study with serving controllers and Academy students. Together they measure skills such as decision-making, spatial awareness, multitasking and working memory.

Marking and results

The FAA scores the test with its own algorithm, and you do not receive an overall score. Results are reported about two weeks after the last testing date through the "Track this application" link in USAJOBS, which leads to the FAA's AVIATOR system. You are placed in one of three categories: Well Qualified, Qualified, or Not Referred (meaning you did not pass on your most recent attempt).

ATSA results stay valid for three years from the date you finished the test. If you are invited again within that period, your earlier result is used automatically unless you choose to retest. If you retest, your latest result replaces the earlier one.

Fees

Invited candidates pay nothing for the ATSA; the FAA covers the test cost. The FAA does not pay travel or parking costs, and you must cancel or reschedule at least 48 hours before your appointment if you cannot attend.

How to apply

1. Apply to an air traffic control trainee announcement on USAJOBS with a resume of at most two pages, transcripts or a Collegiate Training Initiative endorsement letter if you have one, and form DD 214 if you claim veterans' preference.

2. If invited, register with Pearson VUE using the details in your Authorization to Test email and book a test date.

3. Bring government-issued ID whose first and last name match the name in the testing system. Requests for accommodations go to the FAA by email before you schedule.

After the exam

Candidates selected after the ATSA receive a tentative offer and must clear fingerprinting, federal background checks, drug testing, a psychological evaluation and a medical exam. FAA medical standards include 20/20 or better distant and near vision in each eye separately (bifocal contact lenses are not accepted for near vision), normal colour vision, and no hearing loss over 25 decibels at 500, 1000 or 2000 Hz.

Cleared candidates then spend several months at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, paid while training. For 2026 the FAA lists a starting rate of $22.61 an hour during training. After the Academy, trainees are placed at facilities nationwide and need further classroom and on-the-job training, which the FAA puts at 2 to 3 years, before becoming Certified Professional Controllers.

Preparation tips

The FAA describes the ATSA as an aptitude test that needs no studying, and it does not endorse any practice test. Its own advice is practical: sleep well, eat beforehand, dress comfortably and arrive early. Since your latest result always replaces earlier ones, think carefully before retaking the test while a valid Well Qualified result is on file.