IATRA
Two-Crew Type Rating Exam (IATRA): Who Needs It, Format and Booking
The written exam for a two-crew aeroplane type rating, or one restricted to cruise relief pilot duties, for pilots who have not completed the ATPL written exams.
| Questions | 50 |
|---|---|
| Time allowed | 2 hours |
| Pass mark | 70% |
| Scored by subject area | No — a single mark |
Source: Transport Canada TP 13524 — Third Edition, August 2006; revised October 2014. Verified 19 September 2026.
How it is scored
The IATRA carries a single mark of 70%. Transport Canada's guide does not divide it into mandatory subject areas, so there is no partial pass — one result against the pass mark.
What it covers
- Air Law and Procedures
- Airframes, Engines and Systems
- Meteorology
- Flight Instruments
- Navigation and Flight Planning
- Radio Communications and Navigation Aids
- Flight Operations
- Theory of Flight
- Human Factors
Booking and exam day
- Booking
Ask an Authorized Examination Invigilator (AEI) near you whether they can give the exam. If none can, book it at a Transport Canada Centre with TC's online booking tool: have your pilot licence or file number ready (a file number begins 5802), choose the exam, location and date, attest that you meet the eligibility criteria, and pay. To be refunded, cancel at least 3 business days before the exam.
Transport Canada, How to book a flight crew exam- Fee
Transport Canada's fee table lists $35 to write or rewrite an exam for a flight crew permit, rating or endorsement, such as the IATRA. Fees may change with inflation every 1 April, so confirm the amount when you book, and if an AEI gives your exam, ask them what you will pay. The fee is lost if you sit an exam without meeting its eligibility criteria.
Transport Canada, How to book a flight crew exam, Fees and service standards- Photo ID and medical
Photo identification "bearing the signature and photograph of the candidate" (a passport, aviation document booklet or driver's licence, for example) and proof of medical fitness: a Medical Certificate in the appropriate category (a temporary certificate also counts). Without them you will not be allowed to write, and the fee is not refunded.
Standard 421.13(1)–(2); Transport Canada, How to book a flight crew exam
- Letter of recommendation
Not listed for the IATRA: the standard asks for one only for the gyroplane permit, the private and commercial pilot licences and the Class 4 instructor rating.
Standard 421.13(3)
- In the exam room
A calculator's memory is cleared before and after the exam in front of the invigilator, and an electronic flight computer must be one the Minister has approved. Unless the invigilator allows it, any other aid, notes or help fails the exam, and you "may not take any other examination for a period of one year".
CARs 400.02
- Results
The same day, with feedback on the areas that need improvement.
Transport Canada, How to book a flight crew exam- Rewriting
After a first failure you wait 14 days to rewrite; after a second, 30 days; after a third, 60 days, and 30 more for each failure after that, to a maximum of 180 days. Transport Canada shortens the wait on request once it has confirmation that you have reviewed your weak knowledge areas.
CARs 400.04(1), (6)
- 24-month limit
Your 70% must be obtained "within the 24 months preceding the application for the first endorsement of the two crew rating". Passing the ATPL exams (SAMRA and SARON) with 70% in the same window, or holding an ATPL, meets the requirement instead.
Standard 421.40(3)(a)(i)(A)–(C), (3)(b)(ii)
Checked against the CARs, Standard 421 and Transport Canada on 4 October 2026.
Common questions
What is the IATRA pass mark?
70%, on 50 questions in 2 hours. It is not sectionalized, so there is a single result.
Who has to write the IATRA?
Pilots seeking a type rating on a two-crew aeroplane, or a cruise relief pilot authorization, who have not yet completed the ATPL written examinations.
What does the IATRA cover?
Transport-category material: turbine engines and aircraft systems, pressurization, performance charts and weight and balance, high-altitude meteorology, flight instruments, and the commercial operating rules in CARs Parts VI and VII.
How do I book the IATRA?
Ask an Authorized Examination Invigilator (AEI) near you first; if none can give it, book a Transport Canada Centre with TC's online booking tool, using your pilot licence or file number. Transport Canada's fee table lists $35 for a rating exam; if an AEI gives the exam, ask them what you will pay.
Transport Canada: How to book a flight crew examHow long does an IATRA pass count?
For your first two-crew type rating, the 70% must have been obtained within the 24 months before you apply (Standard 421.40(3)(a)(i)(A)).
How soon can I rewrite the IATRA?
14 days after a first failure, 30 after a second, then 30 more for each further failure, up to 180 days (CARs 400.04(1)). Transport Canada shortens the wait on request once it has confirmation that you have reviewed your weak areas (CARs 400.04(6)).
Practise the IATRA the way it is scored
The Two-Crew Type Rating course ($99 CAD, one-time, for 3 months) has 6 chapters of notes cited to the CARs and TC AIM, and 6 full-length mock exams.
Other exam guides
TC Exam Prep is independent and not affiliated with Transport Canada. Specifications are quoted from the study and reference guide linked above and were correct on 19 September 2026 — confirm current details with your flight training unit before booking.