Definition
An FAA Advisory Circular that provides guidance for pilots and flight or ground instructors on certification standards, training requirements, and the specific endorsement language instructors must use when signing a student's logbook for solo flight, knowledge tests, practical tests, and other authorizations under 14 CFR Part 61.
Plain English
An official FAA guide that tells flight instructors exactly what to write when they sign off a student to take a test, fly solo, or move to the next stage of training.
Context Anchor
Seen in flight instructor endorsement training, especially when checking whether a student has the correct written signoff for a test, solo flight, or training requirement.
Derivation
AC' stands for Advisory Circular — a numbered FAA document used to give non-regulatory guidance on how to comply with the regulations. The '61' refers to 14 CFR Part 61 (the rules for pilot and instructor certification), and '-65' is the specific circular number within that subject area.
Why Pilots Care
Correct use of this guidance keeps endorsements valid, protects instructors from regulatory problems, and ensures students meet legal requirements before advancing in training.
Intuition Check
Do not assume an Advisory Circular is itself a regulation. It is FAA guidance that helps instructors apply the rules correctly.
Example Sentence 1
Before her first solo, the instructor copied the endorsement straight out of AC 61-65 into her logbook.
Example Sentence 2
During the flight review, the examiner confirmed the endorsements matched the standards listed in AC 61-65.