7 FAA Written Test Myths, Debunked

Bad Advice Costs Time and Money

The FAA knowledge test attracts a surprising amount of folklore — and following the wrong myth can cost you a retest fee or a rough checkride. Here are the ones worth clearing up.

Myth: "Just memorize the question bank."

This advice is out of date. The test is now built from the Airman Certification Standards, and the FAA does not publish its live questions. Memorizing someone's list of "real questions" leaves you exposed when the wording changes — and it does nothing for the checkride, where your examiner re-tests every area you missed. Understanding the concept is the only thing that transfers.

Myth: "You have to wait 30 days to retake it."

There is no mandatory 30-day waiting period after a failed knowledge test. You need additional instruction and a fresh endorsement on the areas you missed, and you pay the test fee again — but once you're re-endorsed you can reschedule as soon as a seat is open, often within days.

Myth: "Your score follows you forever."

A 70 and a 100 both count as a pass, and the number never appears on your certificate. What follows you is the list of codes you missed, which your examiner will revisit at the oral — so aim high not for the number, but because your weak spots resurface.

Myth: "You can't use a calculator or E6B."

You can use an approved manual flight computer (E6B) and a simple, non-programmable calculator, as long as the memory is cleared and it holds no aviation formulas. Bring your own and know how to use it — it saves real time on performance and navigation questions.

Myth: "It's basically impossible" (or "it's a joke").

Neither. The test is fair and finite — everything on it is defined by the ACS and covered in FAA handbooks that are free to download. Students who study by ACS area and practice to a stable score in the mid-80s pass comfortably; students who cram a question list the night before are the ones who get surprised.

The theme behind every myth is the same: shortcuts that skip understanding don't hold up, because the test — and the checkride behind it — is designed to reward pilots who actually know the material.

Aviation Test Prep organizes every question by ACS area and uses spaced repetition to resurface your weak spots, so you can watch your practice scores climb past the 70% line — and keep climbing — before you ever schedule the real test.