CASA Private Pilot Licence (PPL) Theoretical Exam – Overview of the 7 Mandatory Subjects

The CASA PPL theory exam consists of seven core subjects. Below is a concise overview of each subject, highlighting the key topics you need to master, enriched with relevant content from the FAA Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (PHAK) where applicable.

Subjects

1. Air Law
2. Aircraft General Knowledge (AGK)
3. Flight Performance and Planning
4. Human Performance and Limitations
5. Meteorology
6. Navigation
7. Operational Procedures

Useful Resources

Official Handbook

• Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge

Meterology

• METAR of VHHH

Communication

• Live ATC (with Live map)
• Live ATC (sound only)
• PeakTalk App: Duolingo for Pilots

About Hong Kong International Airport (VHHH)

• VHHH Map

About Aircrafts and Incidents

• Commercial Aircrafts in last 30 years
• Air Crash Investigation/Mayday Episodes

Flying Simulator Software (order by popularity)

• Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020/2024 (77.3%)
• Laminar Research X-Plane 11/12 (13.6%)
• GeoFS (3.7%)
• Lockheed Martin Prepar3D (1.5%)
• DCS World (1.2%)

Statistics are from FlightSim Community Survey 2026

Study Tips

• Use the CASA PPL Theory Exam Guide and the relevant Part 61 Manual of Standards (MOS) as primary references.
• Practice with question banks (e.g., ASA, Sheppard Air, Bob Tait) to familiarize with exam style.
• Create summary sheets or flashcards for each subject, focusing on formulas, limits, and key definitions.
• Regularly review weather charts and performance graphs to build proficiency in interpretation.
• Join a study group or discuss concepts with an instructor to clarify difficult topics.

Good luck with your PPL theoretical preparation!

Contribution

If anyone wants to contribute to this set of notes and is familiar with GitHub and Markdown format, you can contribute at my repository.