ATSA vs FEAST: US and European ATC Aptitude Tests

The ATSA and FEAST do the same job on different sides of the Atlantic: both are computer-based aptitude batteries used to pick people for air traffic controller training, and neither expects you to know anything about aviation. The differences are in who runs them and how. The ATSA is a single FAA test for U.S. trainee applicants; FEAST is a toolkit from EUROCONTROL that each air navigation service provider (ANSP) configures, scores against its own cut-off, and combines with its own interviews and extra tests.

If you're weighing applications in the U.S. and Europe — or the UK, which has its own process — here's how they compare, based on what the FAA, Pearson VUE, EUROCONTROL and NATS publish.

Who uses each test

ATSA

The Air Traffic Skills Assessment is used by one employer, the Federal Aviation Administration. You apply to an air traffic control trainee announcement on USAJOBS, and if you're found qualified you're invited to schedule the ATSA at a Pearson VUE test center. The DOT Inspector General reports that the FAA built it from commercially available software from two vendors, Airways New Zealand and SHL/CEB, selecting 7 of 15 assessments after validation with working controllers.

FEAST

FEAST stands for First European Air traffic controller Selection Test. EUROCONTROL says the battery is available worldwide to civil and military ANSPs and to certified ATC training academies and universities. EUROCONTROL supplies the tests; the organization you apply to runs the selection, decides the pass mark and owns your results. EUROCONTROL notes that not every user organization uses every FEAST test.

The UK: NATS

NATS, the UK's main air traffic control provider, describes its own staged process on its careers site. As of September 2026 it lists: Stage 1, eleven online ability tests (spatial awareness, logical thinking, numerical ability, sense of direction and reaction speed) completed within 14 days; Stage 2, an online situational judgement test and listening comprehension test; Stage 3, a virtual assessment centre with an interview, an ATC knowledge test and a retest of earlier tests; and Stage 4, a practical exercise. NATS doesn't describe this process as FEAST, so don't assume a FEAST guide describes NATS testing, or vice versa.

Format compared

	ATSA (FAA)	FEAST (EUROCONTROL)
Structure	One battery of seven assessments	FEAST I: cognitive ability tests plus an English listening and comprehension test. FEAST II: one or two multitasking work-sample tests, usually after passing FEAST I. FEAST III: a personality questionnaire used by many user organizations
Length	Nearly 3.5 hours: up to 2 hours 49 minutes of testing plus up to 30 minutes of breaks	FEAST I: 2.5 to 4 hours depending on tests used. FEAST II: 1.5 to 2 hours. Personality questionnaire: about 45 minutes, per EUROCONTROL's FAQ
Where	In person at a Pearson VUE test center	Set by the organization; EUROCONTROL describes a test administrator guiding candidates through the session
Task types	Candidates report fast game-like tasks (number differences, memory, left/right judgments, a collision-avoidance simulation), plus reading, logical reasoning and a work-style questionnaire	Multiple-choice and speed-based tests covering decision-making, planning, memory, logical reasoning, visual perception, attention, multitasking and spatial orientation; RADAR and MULTI-PASS work samples in FEAST II
Personality	Candidates describe a forced-choice work-style section	FEAST Personality Questionnaire: self-ratings on a 1–5 scale, no time limit as such
In-test practice	On-screen instructions per section	Each test starts with an introduction, example items and a sample question

ATSA section details come from candidate reports and public descriptions; the FAA doesn't publish item formats. FEAST details come from EUROCONTROL's candidate information, and your ANSP may use only some of the tests.

Results and retakes

This is where the two systems differ most.

• ATSA results are a category, not a score. Pearson VUE's FAA page says candidates don't receive an overall score, and results are valid for three years. If you retest, your latest result counts even if it's lower. The April 2026 USAJOBS announcement required a "Best" or "Well-Qualified" result to be considered. See ATSA retakes and score validity.
• FEAST results belong to the organization that tested you, not EUROCONTROL. Each organization sets its own cut-off and feedback policy; EUROCONTROL says many offer feedback on strengths and weaknesses, but not all can. There's no portable FEAST certificate.
• FEAST retakes: EUROCONTROL advises candidates to take FEAST only once, saying candidates who resit after an initial failure may be more likely to fail later training. Retest policies still vary by organization.

Eligibility and age

Aptitude tests sit inside very different eligibility rules:

• FAA: U.S. citizenship, English spoken clearly, and a maximum entry age — the 2026 announcement says applicants who are 31 or older on the closing date aren't eligible, citing Public Law 92-297. Details in our age limit guide.
• NATS: its careers page lists being 18 or over when applying, five GCSEs at grade 4 (or Scottish National 5 grades A–C) including English and Maths or equivalent, the ability to pass SC-level security clearance, and a Class 3 medical. The page doesn't state an upper age limit.
• FEAST users: there's no single FEAST eligibility rule. Nationality, education, language and age requirements are set by each ANSP, so check the specific recruitment page.

Preparation: what each organization says

Both organizations are cautious about preparation, and it's worth being straight about that.

The FAA says that because the ATSA is an aptitude assessment, no studying or preparation is necessary, and it doesn't endorse any practice test. It recommends rest, food and arriving early.

EUROCONTROL goes further in one direction and less far in another. It offers a free training platform for applicants at feast-training.eurocontrol.int, which it says isn't identical to the real tests but helps you understand the tasks. It also advises against third-party preparation software developed without its involvement. The one area it says you can clearly improve is English listening and comprehension, through regular exposure to English.

Our view: independent practice is for familiarization — knowing how a task works before the clock starts — and no practice resource can promise a result. For the ATSA, you can try short demos of sections such as the ATC Simulation and Visual Relationships, or read our preparation plan.

Applying on both sides of the Atlantic

The underlying abilities overlap — spatial reasoning, working memory, attention and multitasking come up in both — but the tasks, timing and scoring don't transfer. A good result in one system doesn't count in the other, and practicing one format isn't the same as practicing the other.

• Applying to the FAA: focus on the ATSA's reported sections and the USAJOBS timing. Recent announcements have closed quickly; see the hiring window tracker and our practice plans.
• Applying in the UK or Europe: start with EUROCONTROL's free FEAST training platform and your ANSP's own candidate information. For NATS stages and FEAST-style tasks, our sister site ATC Practice (same owner as ATSA Practice) has timed practice for areas such as spatial and numerical reasoning, situational judgement, NDB direction and a dual-task exercise, plus a NATS aptitude test guide. The same caveat applies there: independent practice, not EUROCONTROL- or NATS-endorsed.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use FEAST results to apply to the FAA?

No. FAA trainee announcements require an ATSA result, and the ATSA is only available to candidates the FAA invites after they apply on USAJOBS. FEAST results are also owned by the organization that tested you, and EUROCONTROL doesn't issue certificates.

Does NATS use FEAST?

NATS's careers site describes its own four-stage process — online ability tests, a situational judgement and listening stage, a virtual assessment centre and a practical exercise — and doesn't call it FEAST. Check the NATS site for the current campaign, since stages and dates change.

Which is longer, the ATSA or FEAST?

A single ATSA session is allotted nearly 3.5 hours including breaks. FEAST I alone can take 2.5 to 4 hours depending on the tests an organization uses, and FEAST II and the personality questionnaire usually come on top of that, often in a later round.

Is there an age limit for FEAST?

FEAST itself has no age rule; each organization that uses it sets its own eligibility criteria. The FAA's entry-level limit is set by law, and the 2026 announcement excluded applicants 31 or older on the closing date.