Should Knowledge Tests Before the Check Ride Go Away?

In the current landscape, should learners still have to check this box?

Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at 11:29 AM ET

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Many major colleges have ditched standardized tests. Should the aviation industry do the same? [File Photo: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

The article argues that FAA knowledge exams are a flawed system, similar to SAT/ACTs in college admissions, and should be eliminated from pilot certification.
It highlights that these mandatory exams have fostered a costly test preparation industry, encouraging rote memorization over genuine understanding, and adding financial burden to aspiring pilots.
The author questions the tests' effectiveness, noting high pass rates on exams but lower initial success rates on actual checkrides, suggesting they lack predictive value and nuance.
The piece advocates for the aviation industry to re-evaluate and potentially remove these standardized knowledge tests, drawing parallels to universities moving away from similar admission requirements.

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In December, Harvard joined many other universities to eliminate ACT and SAT requirements—the standardized tests that these institutions have acknowledged won’t tell the full story about applicants. Is it time for the aviation industry to follow?

The trend of colleges abandoning SAT admission protocols—while mostly for social reasons to encourage equity amongst applicants—illustrates that sometimes when we look at things with fresh eyes, we realize there are multiple ways to solve a problem.