Free FAA Private Pilot Practice Test
This is a free FAA Private Pilot practice test: a full 60 questions in the same format as the real PAR knowledge test, scored against the 70% FAA pass mark. Every question is original and written from the Airman Certification Standards and the free FAA handbooks, then explained in plain English with the exact regulation or chapter it comes from. Take the full test, drill a single weak topic in ten questions, or work the flashcards. No account, no paywall, no fake "exact test bank" promises.
ACS-aligned study questions written by ATIS Alerts, not actual FAA test questions.
60 practice questions · 33 flashcards · 60-question test · 70% to pass
A two-bar VASI shows both bars red. This indicates the aircraft is
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The PAR knowledge test at a glance
These are the FAA’s own numbers for the Private Pilot Airplane knowledge test, from the Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix. Our practice test matches them.
| FAA test code | PAR |
|---|---|
| Questions | 60 |
| Time allowed | 2 hours |
| Passing score | 70% (42 correct) |
| Minimum age to test | 15 |
| Administered by | PSI, at an FAA-approved testing center |
Sample Private Pilot practice test questions
A few examples of the 60 ACS-aligned questions in this bank: correct answer marked.
A Convective SIGMET is issued for which conditions?
- A. Moderate icing and freezing precipitation.
- B. Sustained surface winds of 30 knots or more.
- C. Severe thunderstorms, embedded thunderstorms, a line of thunderstorms, or hail 3/4 inch or greater and tornadoes. ✓
- D. IFR conditions and mountain obscuration.
Convective SIGMETs are valid for two hours, are issued for the contiguous US, and always imply severe or greater turbulence, severe icing, and low-level windshear; those hazards are not listed separately because they are assumed.
Reference: AIM 7-1
In the METAR remark A02, the sensor indicates the station
- A. is a manual observation taken by a certified observer.
- B. reports altimeter setting in hectopascals.
- C. has a precipitation discriminator and can distinguish rain from snow. ✓
- D. has been out of service for more than two hours.
AO1 means the automated station has no precipitation discriminator; AO2 means it does and can tell liquid from frozen precipitation. It is a small detail that tells you how much to trust a remote field's precipitation type.
Reference: AIM 7-1
To act as pilot in command, a pilot must have completed a flight review within the preceding
- A. 24 calendar months. ✓
- B. 12 calendar months.
- C. 36 calendar months.
- D. 6 calendar months.
A flight review (minimum 1 hour ground + 1 hour flight with an authorized instructor) is required within the preceding 24 calendar months to act as PIC.
Reference: 14 CFR 61.56
A two-bar VASI shows both bars red. This indicates the aircraft is
- A. above the glide path.
- B. aligned with the runway centerline.
- C. below the glide path. ✓
- D. on the glide path.
"Red over red, you're dead": both red means too low. Red over white is on path, and white over white means you are high. A VASI gives obstruction clearance within 10° of the extended runway centerline out to 4 NM.
Reference: AIM 2-1-2
Which combination increases density altitude?
- A. Low temperature and low elevation.
- B. High pressure and low temperature.
- C. Low humidity and high pressure.
- D. High temperature, high elevation, and high humidity. ✓
Density altitude rises with heat, altitude, and moisture. 'High, hot, and humid' is the classic hazardous combination for performance.
Reference: PHAK ch.11
About the Private Pilot written test
The Private Pilot Airplane knowledge test (PAR) is 60 multiple-choice questions with a time limit of 2 hours, administered by PSI at approved testing centers. You need 70%, 42 of 60, to pass, and the questions are drawn from the FAA Airman Certification Standards. Bring a valid photo ID and your instructor’s endorsement (or an approved equivalent), and plan to keep your test report. You’ll review any missed areas with your instructor before the practical test. Knowledge test results are valid for 24 calendar months.
From study to the real sky
Weather is a big slice of every airplane written, and it stays useful long after you pass. Practice on the real thing:
Practice weather knowledge, then watch it live
Track any airport with ATIS Alerts and get a Telegram message when the ATIS changes or conditions drop: free, no app to install.
Free FAA Private Pilot practice test FAQ
How many questions are on the FAA private pilot written test?
60 questions, with 2 hours to complete them. You need 70%, 42 correct, to pass.
What is the FAA code for the private pilot airplane test?
PAR. It appears on your PSI test-center registration and on your results.
Is this the real FAA private pilot question bank?
No. These are original, ACS-aligned practice questions written to cover the same knowledge areas. We do not republish the FAA's questions or anyone else's.
What score do I need to pass the private pilot knowledge test?
70%, which is 42 of 60 correct. Most instructors want to see you consistently in the 80s across every topic before you schedule the real thing.
What topics are on the private pilot written test?
The ACS knowledge areas: regulations, airspace, weather theory and services, aerodynamics, aircraft systems, performance and weight and balance, navigation, flight planning, airport operations, communications, human factors, and emergency procedures.
How long is the private pilot written test valid?
Knowledge test results are valid for 24 calendar months for the practical test, so plan the checkride within that window.
Other FAA written tests
Every course on ATIS Alerts is free and works the same way: a full-length practice test in the real FAA format, topic quizzes, and flashcards.
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