HPL: 5 Latest ATPL Exam Questions Fully Explained

Many student pilots consider ATPL Human Performance and Limitations (HPL) a difficult subject. In reality, it becomes much more manageable once you understand the psychological principles behind pilot performance — particularly communication, perception, workload management, and decision-making.

Recent exams increasingly feature practical, scenario-based questions rather than pure theory. That means real operational understanding matters more than memorisation.

In this blog, we break down five of the latest HPL questions from the Airhead ATPL Question Bank — all reported as appearing in recent EASA ATPL exams across multiple authorities. The walkthrough covers core exam themes, including visual illusions, hazardous attitudes, cockpit automation, perception in degraded weather conditions, and human physiology. 

Prefer video learning? A full video version of this walkthrough is available on the AirheadATPL YouTube channel, where we publish regular ATPL questions walkthrough videos covering all 13 ATPL subjects.

Video version of HPL_5 Latest ATPL Questions 

Watch full Human Performance and Limitations walkthrough sessions on our YouTube channel and boost your exam confidence. 

In addition, the Airhead team — together with ATPL pilot Michal — runs free live revision sessions designed to help you practise the latest questions shortly before your exam. Join us weekly to sharpen your understanding, avoid common traps, and approach your ATPL exams with greater speed and confidence. 

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Recent ATPL Human Performance Exam Questions | February 2026 Update

Questions & Topics Covered:

1. AIR-244493: Visual Illusions When Transitioning From Narrow to Wide Runways

2. AIR-245306: Macho Attitude — Definition and Operational Impact

3. AIR-245196: Effects of Cockpit Automation on Pilot Performance

4. AIR-244701: Visual Perception Errors During Foggy Approaches

5. AIR-244109: Smoking — Physiological and Operational Effects on Pilots

Question 1: Runway Width Illusion

Question ID AIR-244493:  A pilot is used to landing on small, narrow runways only. Approaching a larger and wider runway can lead to:

1. a flatter-than-normal approach with the risk of "ducking under"

2. a risk of landing short of the overrun.

3. an early or high "round out".

4. a steeper-than-normal approach, dropping low.

Correct Answer:  an early or high "round out".

Explanation: This is a classic example of size constancy illusion. Your brain stores a “mental template” of what a runway should look like. When the runway is wider than you're used to, your brain interprets it as being closer than it actually is. 

Result: You feel too low. You start the roundout too early. You flare too high.

On the other hand, a narrower runway makes you feel too high, which can lead to a dangerously late flare.

There’s a well-known training story of an RAF pilot landing on a snow-cleared runway that looked much narrower than usual. Believing he was too high, he failed to flare properly and caused major damage.

Key concept: Wide runway → feel low → flare high. Narrow runway → feel high → flare late

Quick Exam Tip: If the runway is wider than usual, expect the illusion of being lower than actual. The brain scales objects relative to what it considers “normal.”

These sensory tricks or illusions are no small issue for pilots, and they can be potentially life-threatening. Learn to identify and counter these risks with our comprehensive breakdown: “ICEFLAGS: Your Guide to 8 Critical Illusion Types." 

Question 2. Hazardous Attitudes – “Macho”

Question ID AIR-245306: What is the correct definition of the hazardous attitude “Macho”?

1. A person who thinks accidents won't happen to them.

2. A person with an overestimated perception of himself/herself.

3. A person who always follows the rules and regulations without question.

4. A person who frequently doubts their abilities.

Correct Answer: An person who overestimates their own abilities (“I can do it better than anyone”).

Explanation: There are six hazardous attitudes you must know:

1. Anti-authority – “Don’t tell me what to do.”

2. Impulsiveness – “Do something! Do it now!”

3. Invulnerability – “It won’t happen to me.”

4. Macho – “I can do it better than anyone.” (Overconfidence)

5. Resignation – “What’s the point? I can't change it.”

6. Complacency – “It's fine! I’ve done this a thousand times.”

Macho pilots take unnecessary risks, show off, and overestimate their skills. This is especially dangerous in multi-crew environments.

Quick Exam Tip: If the answer mentions overestimation of ability or desire to prove oneself, it’s Macho.

Discover 10 tried-and-true tips to sharpen your flying skills, boost confidence, and become a safer, smarter pilot.

Question 3. Result of Automation in the Cockpit

Question ID AIR-245196: What is an important consequence of increased automation in modern cockpits?

1. Communication and coordination have clearly improved in man-man and man-machine relations

2. Communication and coordination call for an even greater effort on the part of the crew members

3. It is easier for the captain to monitor the work of the first officer and vice versa

4. Man-man communication has clearly improved.

Correct Answer: communication and coordination call for an even greater effort on the part of the crew members. 

Explanation: There isn’t always one single, clean sentence that answers this question — but the concept becomes clearer if we look at how manufacturers approach automation philosophy.

For example, Airbus highlights this in its well-known “Golden Rules”:

1. Fly, Navigate, Communicate

2. Use the appropriate level of automation

3. Understand the FMA

4. Take over if things do not go as expected

Notice that two of these rules directly relate to automation: using the appropriate level of automation and continuously understanding the Flight Mode Annunciator (FMA).

Automation undoubtedly reduces physical workload. It helps with flight path control, navigation precision, and systems management. However, it also introduces a new type of workload that did not exist in older, less automated aircraft: the need to monitor what the automation is doing and why.

The pilot’s role shifts from “doing” to “supervising.” If you do not fully understand the active modes, or if you stop monitoring them properly, it becomes very easy to fall behind the aircraft. In that situation, the aeroplane is essentially “flying you,” rather than the other way around.

Therefore, one of the key results of automation is that communication and coordination between crew members require greater effort, especially to ensure shared situational awareness and correct mode management.

Understand the critical role of human factors in aviation safety and avoid common pitfalls by reading our blog post, “The Dirty Dozen: 12 Critical Human Factors”.

Question 4. Fog on Approach – Distance Illusion

Question ID AIR-244701: When the weather is foggy on approach, a pilot may get the impression that:

1. his/her visual field is shrinking, i.e. tunnel vision.

2. his/her eyes are focusing on infinity.

3. the airfield is further away than it actually is.

4. the aircraft's altitude is lower than it actually is.

Correct answer: The runway or airfield is further away than it actually is.

Explanation: Under normal visual conditions, your brain uses clarity and detail to judge distance.

• Close objects appear sharp, colourful, and well-defined.

• Distant objects appear blurred, faded, and less detailed.

Fog, haze, or reduced visibility disrupts this relationship. Even if the runway is relatively close, it will appear blurred and lacking contrast. Your brain interprets this lack of clarity as distance.

As a result, during a foggy approach, you may genuinely feel that the runway is still far away — even when you are already close to it. This can lead to an unintentional descent below the correct glide path.

A similar problem occurs when approaching featureless terrain, such as water, snow-covered ground, or desert. Without visual cues for comparison, judging height and distance becomes significantly more difficult. In reduced visibility conditions, the visual system becomes unreliable — and that is precisely why instrument cross-check becomes critical.

Quick Exam Tip: Fog reduces visual contrast. Reduced contrast = perceived increased distance. If the runway looks blurred, your brain assumes it is further away.

Flying through fog demands knowledge. Our Pilot's Guide details the 6 Common Fog Types crucial for safe operations under both Visual and Instrument Flight Rules.

Question 5. Smoking, Nicotine, and Physiological Effects

Question ID  AIR-244109: Which of the following statements is correct regarding smoking?

1. Nicotine increases the risk of lung cancer.

2. Smoking increases the physiological altitude by about 1,000 to 3,000 ft compared to non-smokers.

3. Abstinence from tobacco can cause irritability and limited ability to concentrate in regular smokers.

4. Smokers have an increased risk of suffering from myocardial infarction and stroke.

5. Cancer of the urinary tract is more often found in smokers.

Correct Answer: 3, 4, and 5

Explanation: Smoking is a frequent topic in Human Performance exams, and you can expect at least one question on it. Nicotine, the active substance in tobacco, produces addiction and several cardiovascular effects. However, it is important to distinguish between nicotine itself and the combustion products of tobacco.

The major health risks associated with smoking include: increased risk of heart attack, increased risk of stroke, lung diseases such as emphysema, and various cancers.

While smoking is associated with multiple cancers, it is primarily the smoke and toxic by-products of combustion that are carcinogenic, not nicotine alone.

From an aviation perspective, one of the most important operational effects is the increase in physiological altitude. Smoking reduces the blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity, meaning a smoker may experience the effects of hypoxia earlier than a non-smoker.

Physiological altitude in smokers can effectively increase by approximately 5,000–8,000 ft. This becomes particularly relevant during night flying, where vision is more sensitive to oxygen levels. Even at relatively low altitudes, a smoker’s night vision performance may degrade earlier than expected.

Additionally, abstinence from tobacco in regular smokers can cause irritability and reduced concentration due to withdrawal — another factor relevant to crew performance.

Quick Exam Tip: Separate nicotine from smoke by-products — that detail often determines the correct answer. Remember these distinctions:

• Smoking → increases physiological altitude → TRUE

• Smoking → worsens night vision → TRUE

• Withdrawal → irritability → TRUE

• Nicotine alone is carcinogenic → FALSE

Test your decision-making skills with 8 challenging scenarios faced by pilots. Read more in our blog and see how you'd react: “Decision-Making: 8 Key Scenarios for Pilots”.

ATPL Human Performance & Limitations Exam Overview 

At the end of this walkthrough, you’ll find a concise overview of the ATPL Human Performance & Limitations exam. It’s designed to give you a clear picture of what to expect — including exam structure, timing, difficulty, and the main focus areas — so you can prepare efficiently and with confidence.

• Number of Questions: 48

• Duration: 1 hour

• Difficulty Level: Medium

• Core Focus Areas: Aviation physiology, psychology, fatigue, communication, and human error

Human Performance & Limitations explores how the flight environment affects the human body and mind. It covers both physiological and psychological factors, particularly those associated with high-altitude and long-duration operations.

But beyond theory, this subject is about you as a pilot. Every HPL question ultimately connects to how you:

• Perceive situations

• Process information

• Manage workload

• Make decisions under pressure

Many exam questions are scenario-based and intentionally subtle. The most obvious answer is often designed to trap candidates who rely on memorisation instead of understanding.

If you focus on the operational logic behind each concept — why it matters in real flight operations — you’ll find this subject far more manageable and much easier to score well in.

Prepare smarter for your ATPL exams with the Airhead Question Bank — the most up-to-date source of real ATPL exam questions across all EASA subjects. Study offline anytime and boost your confidence for exam day.

Next step: Open your Airhead ATPL question bank and practise Human Performance & Limitations questions with Airhead ATPL.