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PPL Questions – Practice for the Private Pilot Knowledge Test

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Pilot certificates and privileges (part 61) 49

  • The 3 hours of night training in 61.109(a)(2) include one cross-country of what length? 14 CFR § 61.109(a)
  • A county sheriff's deputy asks to see a pilot's certificate on the ramp. Does 61.3(l) require the pilot to present it? 14 CFR § 61.3(l)
  • A pilot changes permanent mailing address and does not tell the FAA. After how long may the certificate no longer be used? 14 CFR § 61.60
  • A pilot current in single-engine airplanes plans to take a friend up in a multiengine airplane. What does 61.57(a) say about the earlier landings? 14 CFR § 61.57(a)(1)
  • A pilot wants to command an airplane with retractable gear, flaps and a controllable pitch propeller. What does 61.31(e) call for first? 14 CFR § 61.31(e)
  • A pilot's last flight review was on 10 March 2025. Through what date may the pilot act as pilot in command on the strength of it? 14 CFR § 61.56(c)
  • A pilot's only recent night landings were touch-and-goes. Do they count toward carrying passengers at night? 14 CFR § 61.57(b)
  • A private pilot who works as a surveyor flies a rented airplane to a job site. When does 61.113(b) let the pilot be paid for the trip? 14 CFR § 61.113(b)
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Pilot certificates and privileges (part 61), continued

  • A student on a solo flight finds a solid cloud deck forming underneath. Which limit of 61.89 is in play? 14 CFR § 61.89(a)
  • A student's solo endorsement for a make and model must come from an instructor who gave the training within how many days before the flight? 14 CFR § 61.87(n)
  • An aircraft salesman holding a private certificate may demonstrate an aircraft to a prospective buyer after logging how much flight time? 14 CFR § 61.113(f)
  • An applicant is found to have cheated on a knowledge test. For how long is that person barred from applying for any certificate or rating? 14 CFR § 61.37(b)
  • Besides a pilot certificate, what does 14 CFR 61.3 make a pilot keep within reach when serving as a required crewmember? 14 CFR § 61.3(a)(2)
  • Beyond what distance from the departure airport does a student's solo flight fall under the cross-country requirements of 61.93? 14 CFR § 61.93(a)
  • Flying on a driver's license under 61.113(i) in place of a medical certificate, how many passengers may be on board? 14 CFR § 61.113(i)
  • For how long can a conviction under a narcotic drug statute block an application for a part 61 certificate? 14 CFR § 61.15(a)
  • For passenger currency in a tailwheel airplane, how must the landings of 61.57(a) have been made? 14 CFR § 61.57(a)(1)
  • Four friends split the cost of a sightseeing flight. What is the least the private pilot flying it may pay? 14 CFR § 61.113(c)
  • The high-altitude training of 61.31(g) covers pressurized aircraft whose service ceiling or maximum operating altitude is above what height? 14 CFR § 61.31(g)
  • How does 61.31(f) describe a high-performance airplane? 14 CFR § 61.31(f)
  • How does 61.87(a) define solo flight for a student in an airplane? 14 CFR § 61.87(a)
  • How many night takeoffs and full-stop landings are in the private pilot training of 61.109(a)(2)(ii)? 14 CFR § 61.109(a)
  • How many passengers may the holder of a recreational pilot certificate carry? 14 CFR § 61.101(a)
  • How much flight time does 61.109(a) ask for the single-engine airplane rating at the private level? 14 CFR § 61.109(a)
  • How much pilot-in-command time does 61.69 ask of a private pilot who will tow a glider? 14 CFR § 61.69(a)
  • How much training on control of the airplane solely by reference to instruments goes into the single-engine private rating? 14 CFR § 61.109(a)
  • How recent must the 3 hours of training in preparation for the private practical test be? 14 CFR § 61.109(a)
  • How soon must a certificate holder send the FAA a written report of a drunk-driving conviction? 14 CFR § 61.15(e)
  • May a student pilot act as pilot in command with a friend in the other seat? 14 CFR § 61.89(a)
  • Outside the driver's license option of 61.113(i), which medical certificate is the least that private pilot privileges call for? 14 CFR § 61.23(a)(3)
  • To carry a passenger by day, what must a pilot have done in the preceding 90 days? 14 CFR § 61.57(a)(1)
  • Under 61.31(i), what must a pilot have before acting as pilot in command of a tailwheel airplane? 14 CFR § 61.31(i)
  • What can follow a refusal to take an alcohol test that a law enforcement officer requests under 91.17(c)? 14 CFR § 61.16(b)
  • What can take the place of a flight review under 61.56(e)? 14 CFR § 61.56(e)
  • What does the long solo cross-country of 61.109(a)(5)(ii) consist of? 14 CFR § 61.109(a)
  • What is the least a flight review may consist of? 14 CFR § 61.56(a)
  • What is the youngest age for a student pilot certificate to fly airplanes? 14 CFR § 61.83(a)
  • What is the youngest an applicant for a private pilot certificate with an airplane rating may be? 14 CFR § 61.103(a)
  • What must an applicant who fails a knowledge test receive before applying to take it again? 14 CFR § 61.49(a)
  • What visibility must a student pilot have to act as pilot in command at night under 61.89? 14 CFR § 61.89(a)
  • When does a private pilot certificate issued under part 61 expire? 14 CFR § 61.19(c)
  • Where must the flight training for a student's solo flight in Class B airspace have been given? 14 CFR § 61.95(a)
  • Where must three of a private applicant's solo takeoffs and full-stop landings be made? 14 CFR § 61.109(a)
  • Which airplane needs a type rating for its pilot in command under 61.31(a), whatever it weighs? 14 CFR § 61.31(a)
  • Which ceiling does 61.113(i)(2) put on a flight made without a medical certificate? 14 CFR § 61.113(i)
  • Which costs may passengers share with a private pilot under 61.113(c)? 14 CFR § 61.113(c)
  • Which ground subject does 61.56(a)(1) put in every flight review? 14 CFR § 61.56(a)
  • Which hours does 61.57(b) use for the night landings that allow carrying passengers at night? 14 CFR § 61.57(b)
  • Which papers must a student carry in the aircraft on a solo cross-country, under 61.51(i)? 14 CFR § 61.51(i)

General operating rules (part 91) 61

  • A balloon, a glider and an airplane converge. Which category has priority over the other two? 14 CFR § 91.113(d)(1)
  • A flashing green light is aimed at an airplane waiting on the ramp. What does it permit? 14 CFR § 91.125
  • A pilot departs from an ATC instruction to deal with an emergency. When must ATC be told? 14 CFR § 91.123(c)
  • A pilot is not sure what a clearance from ATC means. What does 91.123(a) call for? 14 CFR § 91.123(a)
  • A powered airplane and a glider close on each other at an angle. Under 91.113(d)(2), which yields? 14 CFR § 91.113(d)(2)
  • A tow plane with a glider on the line meets a single-engine airplane on a converging course. Who gives way? 14 CFR § 91.113(d)(4)
  • Above what height do the hemispheric cruising altitudes of 91.159 start to apply to level flight? 14 CFR § 91.159
  • Above which cabin pressure altitude must the required flight crew be on supplemental oxygen the entire time? 14 CFR § 91.211(a)
  • After breaking a rule to meet an emergency, when does a pilot in command owe the Administrator a written account? 14 CFR § 91.3(c)
  • After dark, the airplane reserve in 91.151(a)(2) grows to how long? 14 CFR § 91.151(a)
  • An airplane lined up on the runway sees flashing red from the tower. What does the signal direct? 14 CFR § 91.125
  • An airplane on final approach and one about to taxi onto the runway are in conflict. Which has priority under 91.113(g)? 14 CFR § 91.113(g)
  • An emergency parachute made wholly of nylon is carried in an airplane. Within how many days must a rigger have packed it? 14 CFR § 91.307(a)
  • At what cabin pressure altitude does 91.211(a)(3) bring passengers into the oxygen rule? 14 CFR § 91.211(a)
  • At which times must each passenger be belted into an approved seat? 14 CFR § 91.107(a)(3)
  • ATC gave a flight priority in an emergency and asks for a detailed report. By when must it reach the facility manager? 14 CFR § 91.123(d)
  • Between 12,500 and 14,000 feet MSL cabin pressure altitude, for which part of the flight must the required crew use oxygen? 14 CFR § 91.211(a)
  • Carrying a passenger and no parachutes, which bank angle may a pilot not intentionally exceed? 14 CFR § 91.307(c)
  • During which phases does 91.105(b) call for the shoulder harness at a pilot's seat to be fastened? 14 CFR § 91.105(b)
  • Flashing red, pointed at an aircraft on approach, carries which meaning? 14 CFR § 91.125
  • For a trip that leaves the vicinity of an airport, which items does 91.103(a) add to the preflight information? 14 CFR § 91.103(a)
  • For how long after a drink does 91.17 keep a person from acting as a crewmember of a civil aircraft? 14 CFR § 91.17(a)
  • For how much of a flight does 91.105(a) have a required pilot keep the safety belt fastened? 14 CFR § 91.105(a)
  • Heading west on a magnetic course of 270 degrees under VFR, which level matches 91.159(a)(2)? 14 CFR § 91.159(a)
  • How does 91.303 define aerobatic flight? 14 CFR § 91.303
  • How far from the center line of a Federal airway must aerobatics be kept? 14 CFR § 91.303
  • How good must flight visibility be for a loop or a roll? 14 CFR § 91.303
  • How high must an airplane stay over a congested part of a city? 14 CFR § 91.119(b)
  • In an in-flight emergency needing immediate action, how far may a pilot in command depart from part 91? 14 CFR § 91.3(b)
  • In daylight under VFR, what reserve does 91.151 put on top of the fuel needed to reach the first place the airplane means to land? 14 CFR § 91.151(a)
  • Landing at an airport with no operating tower, which way does an airplane make its pattern turns when nothing on the field shows otherwise? 14 CFR § 91.126(b)
  • On which side does an overtaking aircraft go by the one ahead? 14 CFR § 91.113(f)
  • Outside Alaska, between which times must an aircraft in operation show lighted position lights? 14 CFR § 91.209(a)
  • Outside an emergency, which person who appears to be under the influence of drugs may a pilot still carry? 14 CFR § 91.17(b)
  • Over open water, how near may an airplane come to a fishing boat? 14 CFR § 91.119(c)
  • Red and green lights alternating from the tower mean what, on the ground or in the air? 14 CFR § 91.125
  • Two aircraft meet head-on. What does 91.113(e) have each pilot do? 14 CFR § 91.113(e)
  • Two airplanes are inbound to the same runway. Which has the right-of-way? 14 CFR § 91.113(g)
  • Two airplanes converge at the same altitude, not head-on. Which one keeps its course? 14 CFR § 91.113(d)
  • Until what age may a small child ride held by an adult in place of a seat and belt of the child's own? 14 CFR § 91.107(a)(3)
  • What does 91.111(b) ask for before two aircraft fly in formation? 14 CFR § 91.111(b)
  • What does a steady red light tell a pilot who is circling the field? 14 CFR § 91.125
  • What height does 91.119(c) set over an area that is neither congested nor sparsely populated? 14 CFR § 91.119(c)
  • What is the floor for aerobatic maneuvers? 14 CFR § 91.303
  • What must preflight action cover for every flight, even one around the pattern? 14 CFR § 91.103(b)
  • What must the person operating an aircraft with an experimental certificate tell everyone carried? 14 CFR § 91.319(d)
  • What must the pilot in command make sure each person on board has been briefed on before takeoff? 14 CFR § 91.107(a)(1)
  • When does 91.15 allow something to be dropped from an aircraft in flight? 14 CFR § 91.15
  • When may an installed anticollision light system be switched off in operation? 14 CFR § 91.209(b)
  • Where does 91.9 say the operating limitations that bind a pilot are set out? 14 CFR § 91.9(a)
  • Where may an experimental aircraft not be flown unless its operating limitations say otherwise? 14 CFR § 91.319(c)
  • Which aircraft has the right-of-way over all other air traffic? 14 CFR § 91.113(c)
  • Which alcohol concentration in a blood or breath specimen is the bar in 91.17(a)(4)? 14 CFR § 91.17(a)
  • Which altitude fits a magnetic course of 090 degrees for a VFR flight below 18,000 feet MSL? 14 CFR § 91.159(a)
  • Which kind of operation is barred from formation flight altogether? 14 CFR § 91.111(c)
  • Which minimum safe altitude of 91.119 holds everywhere, whatever lies below? 14 CFR § 91.119(a)
  • Which tower light sends a taxiing airplane back to its starting point on the airport? 14 CFR § 91.125
  • Who decides whether a civil aircraft is in condition for safe flight? 14 CFR § 91.7(b)
  • Who is the final authority as to the operation of an aircraft under 91.3? 14 CFR § 91.3(a)
  • With the radio dead, an airplane on downwind is shown a steady green light from the tower. What is the message? 14 CFR § 91.125
  • Without parachutes for the occupants, what nose-up or nose-down attitude is the limit of 91.307(c)(2)? 14 CFR § 91.307(c)

Airspace and VFR weather minimums 25

  • A night pattern flight in Class G with visibility between 1 and 3 statute miles may stay clear of clouds if it keeps how close to the runway? 14 CFR § 91.155(b)
  • A temporary flight restriction is set up around a wildfire under 91.137(a)(1). Which aircraft may operate inside it? 14 CFR § 91.137(b)
  • An airplane with a working transponder is flying in Class E airspace where none is required. Must it be switched on? 14 CFR § 91.215(c)
  • Around the busiest airports listed in appendix D of part 91, how far out does the transponder requirement reach? 14 CFR § 91.215(b)
  • Between sunset and sunrise, who may be cleared for special VFR in an airplane? 14 CFR § 91.157(b)
  • By day in Class G airspace at 1,200 feet or less above the surface, what does an airplane need for VFR? 14 CFR § 91.155(a)
  • Cruising in Class E airspace at 11,500 feet MSL, how much flight visibility does a VFR pilot need? 14 CFR § 91.155(a)
  • How much flight visibility does a fixed-wing special VFR flight call for? 14 CFR § 91.157(b)
  • In Class C airspace, what are the basic VFR minimums? 14 CFR § 91.155(a)
  • In the wording of 91.129, what is a satellite airport? 14 CFR § 91.129(a)
  • In uncontrolled airspace more than 1,200 feet above the surface but below 10,000 feet MSL in daylight, which cloud clearances apply? 14 CFR § 91.155(a)
  • In which classes of airspace does 91.215(b)(1) call for an altitude-reporting transponder? 14 CFR § 91.215(b)
  • Inbound to a towered airport that sits in Class G airspace, by what point must radio contact with the tower be made? 14 CFR § 91.126(d)
  • Leaving aside the student and recreational pilot exceptions, what certificate must the pilot in command hold to land at a Class B primary airport? 14 CFR § 91.131(b)
  • Over the 48 contiguous states, a transponder is needed at and above 10,000 feet MSL. Which airspace is left out of that? 14 CFR § 91.215(b)
  • The same low Class G airspace after dark asks for how much visibility? 14 CFR § 91.155(a)
  • What ceiling closes a controlled airport's surface area to ordinary VFR flight beneath it? 14 CFR § 91.155(c)
  • What cloud clearance does the table of 91.155 give for VFR flight in Class B airspace? 14 CFR § 91.155(a)
  • What does an arriving pilot need before entering Class D airspace? 14 CFR § 91.129(c)
  • What ground visibility must an airport in a controlled surface area report before a VFR takeoff or landing there? 14 CFR § 91.155(d)
  • What must a pilot have in hand before flying special VFR? 14 CFR § 91.157(b)
  • What separates the entry requirement for Class B airspace from that for Class C? 14 CFR § 91.131(a)
  • Which piece of equipment does 91.131(c)(2) name for all operations in Class B airspace? 14 CFR § 91.131(c)
  • Which section's transponder equipment does 91.130(d) bring into Class C airspace? 14 CFR § 91.130(d)
  • Whose permission lets a pilot fly through an active restricted area? 14 CFR § 91.133(a)

Equipment, inspections and records 33

  • A manifold pressure gauge is on the day VFR list for which engines? 14 CFR § 91.205(b)
  • A repair has appreciably changed an airplane's flight characteristics. What must come before anyone other than crew rides in it? 14 CFR § 91.407(b)
  • A small airplane with no minimum equipment list has a dead instrument that is not required for the flight. What must be done with it under 91.213(d)? 14 CFR § 91.213(d)
  • After how much use must an emergency locator transmitter's battery be replaced or recharged? 14 CFR § 91.207(c)
  • After maintenance, whose job is it to see that the return-to-service entry is in the records? 14 CFR § 91.405(b)
  • An aircraft flown for hire over water beyond power-off gliding distance from shore must carry what for each occupant? 14 CFR § 91.205(b)
  • An airplane reaches its inspection at 106 hours after flying on to the shop. When is the one after that due? 14 CFR § 91.409(b)
  • At what point of its useful life does 91.207(c)(2) have an ELT battery replaced? 14 CFR § 91.207(c)
  • By how much may the 100-hour limit be overflown to reach a place where the inspection can be done? 14 CFR § 91.409(b)
  • For an airplane that is required to have an approved flight manual, where must that manual be during flight? 14 CFR § 91.9(b)
  • For how long are the records of a routine repair kept? 14 CFR § 91.417(b)
  • How many spare fuses does 91.205(c)(6) ask for on a night flight? 14 CFR § 91.205(c)
  • How often must an ATC transponder be tested and inspected to stay in use? 14 CFR § 91.413(a)
  • How often must an emergency locator transmitter be inspected? 14 CFR § 91.207(d)
  • How recent must an aircraft's annual inspection be? 14 CFR § 91.409(a)
  • Training flights may go without an ELT when they stay how close to the airport where they began? 14 CFR § 91.207(f)
  • What does the night list say about the electrical supply? 14 CFR § 91.205(c)
  • What happens to the total-time and AD status records when an aircraft changes hands? 14 CFR § 91.417(b)
  • What must happen before an aircraft that has had maintenance is operated again? 14 CFR § 91.407(a)
  • What must the fuel gauges of 91.205(b)(9) show? 14 CFR § 91.205(b)
  • When does the night list call for an electric landing light? 14 CFR § 91.205(c)
  • When may a completed 100-hour inspection stand in for the annual inspection? 14 CFR § 91.409(a)
  • Where does the airworthiness certificate have to be shown? 14 CFR § 91.203(b)
  • Which aircraft come under the 100-hour inspection of 91.409(b)? 14 CFR § 91.409(b)
  • Which certificate about the aircraft's condition must be on board a civil aircraft? 14 CFR § 91.203(a)
  • Which engines need an oil temperature gauge under 91.205(b)? 14 CFR § 91.205(b)
  • Which inoperative instrument grounds a flight under 91.213(d)(2), whatever the placard says? 14 CFR § 91.213(d)
  • Which instrument is on the day VFR list of 91.205(b)? 14 CFR § 91.205(b)
  • Which item appears on the day VFR list only for an aircraft whose wheels fold away? 14 CFR § 91.205(b)
  • Which item do the maintenance records of 91.417(a)(2) have to show? 14 CFR § 91.417(a)
  • Which lights head the night VFR additions of 91.205(c)? 14 CFR § 91.205(c)
  • Which paper about ownership does 91.203(a)(2) put inside the aircraft? 14 CFR § 91.203(a)
  • Who is primarily responsible for keeping an aircraft in an airworthy condition? 14 CFR § 91.403(a)

NTSB accident reporting (49 CFR 830) 20

  • A fire breaks out in the cabin in flight and is put out with no one hurt. Is the NTSB to be notified? 49 CFR § 830.5(a)
  • A gear-up landing bends the gear doors and flattens two tires. Is that substantial damage? 49 CFR § 830.2
  • A passenger hurt in a crash dies three weeks later. How does part 830 class the injury? 49 CFR § 830.2
  • A required pilot falls ill in flight and cannot carry on with normal duties. What does part 830 ask of the operator? 49 CFR § 830.5(a)
  • An airplane has not arrived and is thought to have crashed. What does 830.5(b) require? 49 CFR § 830.5(b)
  • Before the Board takes custody, for which purpose may wreckage be moved? 49 CFR § 830.10(b)
  • Damage to property other than the aircraft becomes immediately reportable above what estimated repair cost? 49 CFR § 830.5(a)
  • How does the notification of 830.6 ask for the aircraft's position to be given? 49 CFR § 830.6
  • How fast must the operator tell the NTSB of an aircraft accident? 49 CFR § 830.5
  • How long after an accident does the operator have to file the written report? 49 CFR § 830.15(a)
  • Over what span of time can an occurrence count as an aircraft accident? 49 CFR § 830.2
  • What does each crewmember add to the operator's accident report? 49 CFR § 830.15(b)
  • What is an incident under part 830? 49 CFR § 830.2
  • What makes an occurrence an aircraft accident in the wording of 49 CFR 830.2? 49 CFR § 830.2
  • When is a written report owed for an incident that needed immediate notification? 49 CFR § 830.15(a)
  • When wreckage has to be moved, what record does 830.10(c) ask for? 49 CFR § 830.10(c)
  • Which broken bone is left out of the serious injury definition? 49 CFR § 830.2
  • Which hospital stay makes an injury a serious injury? 49 CFR § 830.2
  • Which of these, with no injury and no damage, still calls for immediate notice to the NTSB? 49 CFR § 830.5(a)
  • Who must preserve the wreckage, cargo and mail after an accident until the Board takes custody? 49 CFR § 830.10(a)

Aerodynamics, stalls and spins 29

  • A force is applied to the rim of a spinning propeller. Where does gyroscopic precession make the resulting force take effect? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-31
  • A one-piece horizontal tail that pivots from a central hinge point, with no separate elevator, is called what? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 3-6
  • A wing is already at the angle of attack that gives its greatest lift. What comes of raising the angle further? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-3
  • An aircraft's shape and the airflow around it generate which part of parasite drag? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-6
  • An airplane is loaded heavier than on its last flight. What happens to the angle of attack at which the wing stalls? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-4
  • At a high angle of attack, asymmetric propeller loading moves the center of thrust to the right of the prop disc. Which way does the airplane yaw? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-32
  • At which airspeeds does adverse yaw show itself most? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 6-3
  • By the handbook's figures, a steep turn banked past 72 degrees produces what load factor? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-35
  • Form drag and skin friction are two of the three types of parasite drag. What is the third? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-6
  • How are differential ailerons rigged to reduce adverse yaw? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 6-4
  • How does a canard hold the nose up, compared with an aft-tail design? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 6-7
  • How does the handbook set parasite drag apart from the other main kind of drag? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-6
  • Ice, snow or frost on a wing disrupts the smooth airflow over it. What does that do to the boundary layer? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-26
  • In what unit does the handbook measure load factor? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-33
  • In which condition does a generating aircraft trail its greatest wingtip vortices? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-9
  • Longitudinal stability makes an aircraft stable about which axis? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-15
  • The strength of wingtip vortices is directly proportional to which property of the aircraft making them? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-9
  • What does a forward CG location ask of the pilot on the elevator control? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-44
  • What does dynamic stability describe? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-14
  • What does the handbook call the way the nearby surface alters the airflow around an aircraft flying just above it? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-11
  • Where the wing root meets the fuselage, airstreams intersect and make eddy currents and turbulence. What is that drag called? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-6
  • Which drag is the aerodynamic resistance from moving air touching the surface of the aircraft? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-6
  • Which flap does the handbook name as the most popular on aircraft today? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 6-8
  • Which kind of drag is present whenever an airfoil is producing lift? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-7
  • Which statement matches Bernoulli's principle as the handbook gives it? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 4-6
  • Which tab extends across the trailing edge of a stabilator? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 3-6
  • Which term covers an aircraft's initial tendency to go back to equilibrium after a disturbance? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-14
  • Which way does a wing's center of pressure move at high angles of attack? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 4-8
  • Wings that angle upward from root to tip form what? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-18

Engines and aircraft systems 20

  • A primer knob that is left unlocked can vibrate out of position in flight. What does the handbook say may follow? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-25
  • An ammeter's pointer sits on the plus side. What is it showing? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-31
  • Besides lubricating and cooling, which job does the handbook give engine oil at the cylinder walls? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-16
  • Cylinder head temperature is climbing too high. Which set of actions does the handbook give? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-18
  • How does the handbook describe carburetor heat? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-10
  • The intake filter clogs in flight. Which control gives the engine another source of air? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-10
  • What are cowl flaps? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-18
  • What can running a fuel tank completely dry lead to? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-26
  • What does a constant-speed propeller do on its own? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-30
  • What does a fixed-pitch propeller give up? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 5-29
  • What drives a turbocharger? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-12
  • What is detonation? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-19
  • What marks preignition? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-19
  • What moves the fuel from tanks to engine in a gravity-feed system? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-25
  • What two effects in the venturi bring on carburetor ice? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-9
  • Where does a magneto get the current for the spark? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-15
  • Which instrument monitors the performance of the aircraft's electrical system? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-31
  • Which of these does the handbook list as a possible cause of a high oil temperature indication? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-17
  • Why is carbon monoxide from a cracked exhaust so hard for a pilot to notice? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-18
  • With the engine running, what supplies electric current to the electrical system? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 7-30

Flight instruments 26

  • A pilot turns the barometric scale to 29.92. What does the altimeter now indicate? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-7
  • Adjusting true airspeed for wind gives what? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-9
  • Converting a true course to a magnetic course where the variation is easterly, what does the memory phrase say to do? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 16-8
  • Correcting indicated airspeed for installation error and instrument error gives which airspeed? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-9
  • Height above the terrain directly below is which altitude? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-7
  • How is the yellow arc to be used? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-9
  • On a day warmer than standard, how does density altitude compare with pressure altitude? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-7
  • Rolling out of a turn in a southerly direction by magnetic compass alone, what does the handbook say about the desired heading? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-26
  • The static port ices over while the pitot tube stays clear. What does the airspeed indicator do? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-11
  • The top of the white arc is which speed? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-9
  • The upper limit of the green arc is VNO. How does the handbook say to treat it? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-9
  • What does the green arc stand for? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-9
  • What does the lower limit of the white arc on an airspeed indicator mark? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-9
  • What is magnetic variation? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 16-6
  • What is the line of zero magnetic variation called? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-24
  • What is true airspeed? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-9
  • What is true altitude? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-6
  • When should the heading indicator be set to the magnetic compass? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-22
  • Which airspeed is read straight off the indicator with no corrections made? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-8
  • Which altitude is read directly from the altimeter when it is set to the current altimeter setting? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-6
  • Which marking shows the never-exceed speed? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-9
  • Which principle keeps a spinning gyroscope fixed in the plane in which it spins? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-15
  • Which speed gains the greatest altitude in a given distance? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-10
  • Which speed gains the most altitude in a given period of time? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-10
  • Which trio of instruments most commonly contains gyroscopes? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-15
  • With the static system blocked, what does the altimeter show as the airplane climbs? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 8-11

Performance, weight and balance 16

  • The air grows less dense. Which way does density altitude go? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 4-4
  • High elevation is one cause of a high density altitude. Which others does the handbook add? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 4-4
  • How is a moment worked out? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 10-5
  • In weight and balance work, what is the datum? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 10-5
  • Occupants, cargo and baggage, with no fuel counted, add up to which figure? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 10-5
  • Standard empty weight plus installed optional and special equipment is what? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 10-4
  • Touching down on a runway that slopes downhill does what to the landing distance? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 11-13
  • What are the sea level values of the standard atmosphere? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 4-3
  • What does a runway surface that is not hard and smooth do to the takeoff? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 11-12
  • What does an upsloping runway do to a departing airplane? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 11-13
  • What does the handbook call the point about which an aircraft would balance if it could be suspended there? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 10-4
  • What is density altitude? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 4-4
  • What is dynamic hydroplaning? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 11-13
  • What is the standard temperature lapse rate? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 4-3
  • What weight does the handbook give for a gallon of gasoline? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 10-2
  • Which weight term takes in the pilot, passengers, baggage, usable fuel and drainable oil? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 10-5

Weather and weather services 26

  • A layer of warm, moist air drifts over a cold surface. Which fog is likely? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-15
  • A report gives the wind as 270 degrees. What does the direction refer to? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-12
  • A TAF is written for what radius around its airport? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 13-9
  • At night the flow along a coast reverses. What is that offshore wind? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-8
  • From about what height do middle clouds form? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-16
  • How does an occluded front come about? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-21
  • How fast does the handbook say cold fronts usually advance? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-20
  • How often is a TAF updated? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 13-9
  • How strong can the downdrafts of a microburst be? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-11
  • How wide is a typical microburst? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-11
  • In an inversion, what does the temperature of the air do as height is gained? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-13
  • Moist, stable air pushed up rising terrain makes which fog? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-15
  • Sea smoke forms when which air moves over warm water? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-15
  • What do isobars on a weather chart join? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-12
  • What do towering cumulus clouds tell a pilot about the air? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-16
  • What is the daytime wind that blows from water onto land called? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-8
  • What is the typical pace of a warm front? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-18
  • What lifespan does the handbook give a microburst? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-11
  • What marks a storm's dissipating stage? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-22
  • Which clouds are typical of the high level? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-16
  • Which fog may develop on a clear night with little or no wind? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-15
  • Which of these does the handbook tie to low-level wind shear? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-11
  • Which stage is the most violent time of a thunderstorm? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-22
  • Which surface wind brings a thunderstorm within the reach of a convective SIGMET? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 13-12
  • Which way does the Coriolis force turn moving air north of the equator? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-4
  • With which stage does the life of a thunderstorm open? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 12-22

Airports, charts and navigation 10

  • Lights set along the centerline of a taxiway are which color? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 14-19
  • Runway numbers are taken from which north? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 14-5
  • Two VOR receivers in one airplane are tuned to the same station for a check. How far apart may their bearings be? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 16-23
  • What color are taxiway edge lights? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 14-19
  • What distance does DME show? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 16-27
  • What does a segmented circle tell a pilot overhead? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 14-20
  • What is a displaced threshold? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 14-5
  • What may the pavement behind a displaced threshold be used for? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 14-5
  • The wind correction angle is stated as degrees right or left of what? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 16-9
  • With no barometric aiding, how many satellites must be in view for a GPS receiver's RAIM to detect an integrity anomaly? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 16-31

Aeromedical factors and decisions 13

  • A runway narrower than usual gives which false impression on approach? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 17-10
  • A sudden updraft gives the false sense of being in a climb. Which illusion is that? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 17-8
  • ADM is a systematic approach to what, in the handbook's words? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 2-1
  • An abrupt change from a climb to straight-and-level flight can give the feeling of tumbling backwards. What is this called? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 17-8
  • As cone sensitivity falls in low light, how should a pilot look for objects? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 17-21
  • In the dark, a pilot stares at a single fixed light and it seems to drift. What is the name of this effect? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 17-8
  • What approach does a downsloping runway tend to draw a pilot into? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 17-11
  • What does focusing on distant light sources, however dim, help prevent? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 17-22
  • What does hyperventilation remove too much of from the blood? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 17-4
  • What does the handbook suggest a pilot set for the items in each risk category? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 2-8
  • Which form of hypoxia comes from too little oxygen being available to the body as a whole? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 17-3
  • Which of these is one of the three decision frameworks the handbook names beside the 5P and the 3P? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 2-13
  • Why does the handbook say to wait before flying after scuba diving? Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, page 17-18

How this list was compiled: Written from the text of 14 CFR parts 61 and 91 and 49 CFR part 830 as published in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (a US government work), read at https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14 and https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/part-830 in the eCFR text dated 2026-09-29, and from the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C (Federal Aviation Administration, a US government work, read as the PDF on faa.gov on 2026-10-04). Every question names the section or the handbook page its answer comes from and links to it. Licence: Own work. Questions, answer choices and explanations were written for this site from the rule text and the handbook, which are US government works. Nothing is copied from an FAA knowledge test, an FAA sample question or any prep company's bank.

How it works

These unofficial PPL (private pilot license) questions cover twelve private pilot topics, from 14 CFR parts 61 and 91 to weather and aerodynamics; chart problems are not in yet. The FAA does not publish its bank, so none are its questions.

Read the full guide

A pilot quiz in twelve topics, each answer sourced

Five topics come from the rule text: pilot certificates (part 61), operating rules (part 91), airspace and VFR weather minimums, equipment and inspections, and NTSB reporting (49 CFR part 830). Seven come from the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge: aerodynamics, systems, instruments, performance and loading, weather, airports and navigation, and aeromedical factors. Each explanation links to the section or handbook page.

What the bank leaves out

14 CFR 61.105(b) lists thirteen knowledge areas. Questions that need a sectional chart, a performance graph or another figure are not here yet, so chart reading and cross-country planning wait. Anyone looking for private pilot exam questions from the FAA's own bank will not find them: it is not published.

  • A 91.125 light signal means one thing on the ground, another in the air; the operating rules topic asks both.
  • Misses sit under Missed in More options until answered right.

Questions and answers

Are these the PPL exam questions the FAA uses?

No. The FAA does not publish its knowledge test question bank. Every question here was written for this site from 14 CFR, 49 CFR part 830 and the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge; none comes from an FAA sample test or a prep company's bank.

How old do you have to be for a private pilot certificate?

14 CFR 61.103 sets 17 years for a rating in other than a glider or balloon and 16 years for a glider or balloon rating. A student pilot certificate for airplanes takes 16 years under section 61.83.

How many flight hours does a private pilot certificate take?

For the single-engine airplane rating, section 61.109(a) asks for at least 40 hours of flight time, including 20 hours of flight training from an authorized instructor and 10 hours of solo flight training. Three of the training hours are at night.

Does this cover everything on the private pilot knowledge test?

No. Section 61.105(b) also lists the use of aeronautical charts for VFR navigation, and questions that need a chart, a performance graph or another figure are not in this bank yet.

Which editions of the sources were used?

The eCFR text of 14 CFR and 49 CFR part 830 dated September 29, 2026, and the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, read on October 4, 2026. Rules change, and the current text at ecfr.gov is the final word.

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