Free Private Pilot Written Test Practice
Practice the FAA private pilot knowledge test (PAR) with questions written to the Private Pilot Airplane ACS. Weight and balance, METAR, TAF and navigation problems are worked step by step, and the full exam matches the real format: 60 questions, 2 hours, 70% to pass.
60 questions in 2 hours, scored against the 70% pass mark by knowledge area, with a worked explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillOver a designated airborne VOR checkpoint published as the 045° radial, your receiver indicates 050°. Is this acceptable for the IFR VOR check?
Private Pilot knowledge test format (PAR)
- Questions
- 60 multiple-choice questions, three choices each
- Time limit
- 2 hours (cut from 2.5 hours in April 2023)
- Passing score
- 70% (42 of 60)
- Test fee
- $175 at a PSI testing center
- Age
- 15 to take the test; 17 for the private pilot certificate
- Endorsement
- An instructor or home-study course endorsement is required to test
- Valid for
- Take the checkride within 24 calendar months of passing
What’s on the Private Pilot test
Questions come from the Private Pilot – Airplane ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C). Our full practice exam draws 60 questions across these areas, and every drill below focuses on one of them.
| Knowledge area | What it covers | ACS |
|---|---|---|
| Regulations | Certificates, medicals, currency, airworthiness, equipment and Part 91 rules | PA.I.A, PA.I.B |
| Airspace | Airspace classes, VFR weather minimums, special use airspace and equipment rules | PA.I.E |
| Weather | Weather theory, METARs, TAFs, winds aloft, AIRMETs and SIGMETs | PA.I.C |
| Navigation and flight planning | Sectional charts, wind correction, VOR, GPS, fuel and time planning | PA.I.D, PA.VI |
| Performance and weight and balance | CG and weight-shift math, density altitude, takeoff distance and crosswinds | PA.I.F |
| Aircraft systems and instruments | Engine, fuel, electrical, pitot-static, gyroscopic instruments and compass errors | PA.I.G |
| Aerodynamics and maneuvers | Four forces, stalls, spins, left-turning tendencies, stability and load factor | PA.IV, PA.V, PA.VII |
| Human factors | Hypoxia, illusions, night vision, alcohol and drugs, and decision-making | PA.I.H |
| Airport operations | Light signals, runway markings and lighting, traffic patterns, wake turbulence and emergencies | PA.II, PA.III, PA.IX, PA.XI |
Take the Private Pilot test under real time limits
60 questions in 2 hours, scored against the 70% pass mark by knowledge area, with a worked explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillFree Private Pilot practice drills
Ten questions with a worked explanation after each answer. Create a free account to save your results; each drill’s first attempt is free.
How to take the Private Pilot knowledge test
- Get an endorsement from your flight or ground instructor, or complete a home-study course that provides one.
- Create an IACRA profile for your FAA Tracking Number (FTN) and schedule the Private Pilot Airplane (PAR) test with PSI.
- Pass the 60-question test with at least 70%. Your test report lists the ACS codes of the questions you missed.
- Review those codes with your instructor; your examiner will check them on the checkride.
On test day PSI gives you the FAA testing supplement (FAA-CT-8080-2H) for chart, graph and table questions, and some questions show their image on screen. Our questions put every chart, report and table in the question itself, so you can practice anywhere.
Common questions
How many questions are on the private pilot written test?
The Private Pilot Airplane (PAR) knowledge test has 60 multiple-choice questions with three choices each. You have 2 hours and need 70% to pass.
Is the private pilot written test 2 hours or 2.5 hours?
2 hours. The FAA cut the PAR time from 2.5 to 2.0 hours on April 24, 2023, as listed in the Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix.
What is on the private pilot knowledge test?
Questions come from the Private Pilot Airplane ACS: regulations and airworthiness, weather theory and reports, cross-country planning and navigation, airspace, performance and weight and balance, aircraft systems, aerodynamics, human factors and airport operations.
Do I need an endorsement to take the private pilot written?
Yes. You need an endorsement from an authorized instructor who reviewed your home study or ground training, or from a home-study course.
What happens if I fail the private pilot written test?
You need additional training and an instructor endorsement stating you are ready before you retest.
How long is a passed private pilot written test valid?
You must pass the practical test (checkride) within 24 calendar months of the month you passed the knowledge test.
Do I get a figure supplement on the test?
Yes. PSI provides the FAA-CT-8080-2H testing supplement, and some PAR questions show their chart or graph image inside the question.
Ready for test day?
60 questions in 2 hours, scored against the 70% pass mark by knowledge area, with a worked explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillOther FAA knowledge test practice
One FAA knowledge test pass covers both full practice exams. Part 107 practice test (drone pilots).
Test format, fees and rules checked October 2026: FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix (effective April 24, 2023) · PSI FAA testing: registration and fees · Private Pilot – Airplane ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C) · 14 CFR 61.35, 61.39, 61.49 and 61.103 · FAA Airman Testing Standards advisory, September 2026 · FAA testing supplement FAA-CT-8080-2H.
Original independent practice written from the FAA Airman Certification Standards, 14 CFR and FAA handbooks. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Federal Aviation Administration or PSI.