When Is the Best Time To Take the Test?

Variable test center availability makes it more challenging.

Tuesday, May 09, 2023 at 10:30 AM ET

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When you take your knowledge exam, you should know how to use a mechanical E6-B because some testing centers will not allow an electronic one. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The private pilot "written test" is now a computerized "knowledge exam" primarily administered by PSI, which has led to challenges such as fewer testing centers due to reduced compensation for third-party providers.
Scheduling and preparing for the exam requires careful planning, including securing appointments, bringing valid government ID and proof of readiness (endorsement/certificate valid for 60 days), and confirming test center operations to avoid administrative issues.
The timing of the knowledge exam is strategic, as results are valid for 24 months; some instructors recommend taking it closer to the checkride to keep knowledge fresh, while others advocate for earlier completion before solo cross-country flights.
To increase chances of success, applicants should consistently take practice exams (aiming for 90%+ scores), familiarize themselves with the FAA Knowledge Testing Supplement, and employ careful test-taking strategies such as reading questions thoroughly.

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Did you take a written test or knowledge exam for your private pilot certification? What is the difference, you ask?

The written test was completed using a pencil on a paper exam form. You wrote in or circled the correct answer on the answer sheet. By the early 1990s, you were using a number 2 pencil to fill in bubbles on an answer sheet. By the late 1990s, the only writing you did when you reported for the test was signing in and out of the testing center—everything else was done on the computer—yet pilots still persist in calling it the ‘written test’.