Definition
FAA-administered evaluations in which an applicant demonstrates the knowledge, risk management, and flight skills required to be issued a pilot certificate or rating. A practical test consists of an oral portion and a flight portion, conducted by an FAA inspector or a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) against the standards published in the relevant Airman Certification Standards (ACS) or Practical Test Standards (PTS).
Plain English
The official test you take to earn a pilot certificate or rating. It has two parts: a face-to-face questioning session on the ground, and a flight where you actually fly the airplane and show you can do the required maneuvers safely.
Context Anchor
You encounter this term when reading about FAA pilot certification, checkrides, and the steps required before a certificate or added privilege can be issued.
Derivation
Practical' comes from the Greek 'praktikos,' meaning 'concerned with action or doing' — as opposed to theory. A practical test, then, is one where you have to actually do the thing, not just describe it. This contrasts with the knowledge test (the written exam), which only checks what you know.
Why Pilots Care
Passing the practical test is the final step required to receive an FAA pilot certificate or added rating; failure requires more training before retesting.
Intuition Check
Practical does not mean informal practice here. It means an official FAA evaluation of what the applicant can actually do. Test does not mean only a written exam here. It includes real demonstration of flying ability and judgment.
Example Sentence 1
After completing her training and passing the knowledge test, she scheduled her practical test with a Designated Pilot Examiner.
Example Sentence 2
During the practical test the examiner asked the applicant to perform a short-field landing to FAA standards.