Definition
A written test that a student pilot must complete and have reviewed by their authorized instructor before being endorsed for solo flight, covering applicable regulations, airspace rules, and the flight characteristics and operating limitations of the make and model of aircraft to be flown solo. It is required by 14 CFR 61.87 and is administered and graded by the instructor, who then reviews any incorrect answers with the student before issuing the solo endorsement.
Plain English
A written test the instructor gives a student before letting them fly alone for the first time. It checks that the student knows the rules and the aircraft well enough to be safe without an instructor on board.
Context Anchor
You will encounter this term during student pilot training, especially before the first solo flight and when discussing instructor endorsements.
Derivation
‘Pre-solo’ simply means ‘before solo’ — before the student flies alone. The term names exactly when the test happens in training: after dual instruction, but before the student is cleared to fly without an instructor.
Why Pilots Care
Without a satisfactory pre-solo knowledge test on file, a flight instructor cannot legally endorse a student for solo flight. It is also the instructor's main tool for confirming the student understands the rules and aircraft limits they'll be operating under alone.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as just any practice quiz before solo. In this FAA training context, it is the instructor’s required knowledge check before authorizing a student pilot to fly alone.
Example Sentence 1
Before endorsing Maria for her first solo, her instructor administered the pre-solo knowledge test and reviewed each missed question with her.
Example Sentence 2
A pre-solo knowledge test covers local airport procedures and aircraft limitations to ensure the student is ready to fly without an instructor onboard.