The A1/A3 exam is not hard. It is 40 questions in 40 minutes, and you pass at 75%. People still fail it — almost always by skimming the basics and second-guessing the easy ones. Here is how to prepare so the first attempt is the only one.
Know the format cold
The CAA course and exam are free, there is no time limit on the course, and you can pause and resume it. The exam itself: 40 questions, 40 minutes, 75% correct. The certificate is valid 5 years across the EU. Knowing this removes half the exam-day nerves.
For the certificate side of that, see the separate guide to A1/A3 validity and EU recognition. If you are taking the exam outside Latvia, use the official A1/A3 exam portal directory instead of a private aggregator.
Where people actually lose points
Not on rare aviation trivia — on the Open-category basics they read too fast:
- the difference between an operator and a remote pilot
- when registration is required (weight, camera, energy)
- VLOS and the FPV-with-an-observer rule
- the 120 m height limit
- the distance rules for A1, A2 and A3
- Latvian geographical zones
If you can explain each of these in your own words, you are ready.
A three-evening plan
You do not need weeks. A realistic plan:
- Evening one — read through the nine subjects once, slowly.
- Evening two — drill questions by topic; note every one you get wrong and why.
- Evening three — take full mock exams until 75% is boring, not just reached once.
Use practice the right way
Answering a question is not the same as understanding it. Space your practice over a few days rather than cramming, and read the explanation even when you were right. Memorising answer letters fails you the moment the wording changes. The dronelingo practice drills cite the rule behind each question, and the lessons cover the same nine subjects in the exam's order.
If you want the practice method before you start, use the guide to free A1/A3 practice questions.
On exam day
Read every question twice — the wrong options are usually written to look right at a glance. Flag the ones you are unsure of and come back; 40 minutes is plenty. And remember that 75% means you can miss ten and still pass, so don't spiral over one hard question.
Ready to drill? Open the course, drill practice questions, and sit a full mock exam until the pass mark feels routine.
If a mock goes badly, do not simply repeat it. Use what to do after failing A1/A3 to isolate the weak topic first.
