Definition
The standardized written, oral, and practical examinations administered or authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration to evaluate an applicant's knowledge and skill against the standards required for a pilot certificate, rating, or other airman qualification.
Plain English
The official exams a student must pass to earn a pilot certificate or rating. They cover what the student knows (knowledge test) and what the student can do in the airplane (practical test).
Context Anchor
You will see this term in training plans, instructor sign-offs, test preparation materials, and scheduling discussions before applying for a certificate or rating.
Why Pilots Care
Passing these tests is a required milestone before a student can schedule the practical test and receive an FAA pilot certificate.
Intuition Check
Do not read “FAA tests” as just any practice quiz about aviation. Here it means official FAA-required testing tied to pilot certification or qualification.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor reviewed the student's weak areas before signing the endorsement for the FAA tests.
Example Sentence 2
Instructors often use practice questions to help applicants become comfortable with the format of FAA tests.