By Matt Johnson MISNOMER?
What could I possibly be talking about this month with a title like that? Well, simply put, a misnomer is a name or term that is, or has become, inaccurate
or misleading,
even though it continues to be widely used. Let me show my age with a couple of examples: When was the last time you “dialed” a phone number? Or, better yet, how many times a day do you “cc” (carbon copy) someone on an email? Back in the day, yes, we actually dialed on a rotary dial phone, and long before email, carbon copies were made with carbon paper.
Enough about my age! Something that is a misnomer, yet familiar with the younger generation,
is the infamous
FAA “written” exam. While you may get some scratch paper to write on for the test, there is nothing “written” about what is more formally known as the FAA Airman Knowledge Exam.
I recently found myself at an aviation-related event in a mixed
crowd
of certificate holders with varying experience levels. There were student pilots, private applicants going for instrument and commercial,
This test inherited this long- standing name because it used to be written on paper. The tests were on paper pre-1990s and administered at FAA offices or designated locations. By the mid-’90s, the FAA began introducing computer-based testing through authorized testing centers, and the rest is history.
Regardless of the format, the knowledge test is a requirement for certificates and ratings (with the exception of some add-ons). My focus this month is not on mundane history nor on semantics, but on the knowledge test itself and why you should take it seriously and strive for a good score.
and a few CFI applicants mixed in. Granted, these folks were of the fixed-wing cut and didn’t know that I was an examiner, but at the end of the day, practical exams are— and should be—conducted the same, in accordance with the Airman Certification Standards, whether it is in a helicopter or an airplane. The conversations were rather
entertaining when
the discussion of the “FAA Written” came up. It was all over the place! One CFI was adamant that “you shouldn’t strive for a perfect score as the examiner will think you are a know-it-all and it will make your oral portion really long.” (I just had to chuckle.) I couldn’t disagree more! The young CFI’s rationale was to aim for “85% or so.” (Nonsense!) While I am just one person, I know that many of my examiner colleagues agree with me on this: You should strive to do your absolute best on your knowledge exam!
Here is something that applicants
should know.
Once you have completed your knowledge exam, any missed questions must be reviewed by you and your recommending instructor. It is one of the endorsements we look
for on checkride
day. Section 61.39 (6)(iii) states: “Has demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of the subject areas in which the applicant was deficient on
the airman knowledge test.” Additionally, on checkride day, your examiner MUST ensure that the plan of action covers each and every one of those missed questions during the practical exam. So, if you squeaked by with 70%, you passed, but there are A LOT of codes that must be looked up and incorporated into the plan of action for your practical exam. So, it’s not about making it easier on your examiner; a higher score can result in a more streamlined plan of action for you on checkride day!
How do you stack up on your knowledge score? Are you curious about averages? Wonder no more. The FAA recently
released statistics
on all the knowledge exams completed in 2025. Looking at the chart, you can see that 939 people took the Private Pilot Helo exam, with a near-90 % pass rate on the first attempt and an average score of just under 82%. The next highest volume is the commercial exam with 715 test-takers who had a near 99% pass rate on their first attempt and an average score of just under 87%.
The advice here is to strive for the highest score that you can achieve on the ole “written” exam.
appreciate it!
Matt Johnson has been an FAA designated pilot examiner for over a decade, conducting exams ranging from Private to ATP and CFI. Additionally, he is a single-pilot IFR
air medical captain, Part 135 instructor, and check airman. He can be reached at
HelicopterDPE@gmail.com and via Twitter @HelicopterDPE
Your examiner will
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May/June 2026
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