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 FAA knowledge exam is critiqued as a flawed system that, much like college standardized tests, does not accurately measure true pilot knowledge and instead promotes rote memorization.
The exams have spawned a costly test preparation industry and impose significant financial burden on aspiring pilots (e.g., $175 per test).
Data shows a disparity between high knowledge test pass rates and lower initial check-ride success rates, suggesting the exams are not effective predictors of real-world pilot competency.
The article advocates for the aviation industry to consider eliminating or thoroughly revamping these standardized tests, drawing parallels to universities abandoning SAT/ACT requirements, to foster better assessment and inclusivity.

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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.