2026 PRIVATE PILOT FAA (PPF) WRITTEN EXAM | 300 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
MULTIPLE CHOICE WITH EXPLANATIONS
1. What is the minimum age requirement to be eligible for a Private Pilot
Certificate?
A) 16 years old
B) 17 years old ✓
C) 18 years old
D) 21 years old
Explanation: 14 CFR 61.103 requires an applicant to be at least 17 years of
age.
2. How many flight hours are required for a Private Pilot Certificate under
14 CFR Part 61?
A) 35 hours
B) 40 hours ✓
C) 50 hours
D) 60 hours
Explanation: 14 CFR 61.109 requires a minimum of 40 hours total flight time.
3. What class medical certificate is required to exercise Private Pilot
privileges?
A) First class
B) Second class
C) Third class ✓
D) No medical required
Explanation: A third-class medical is the minimum required for Private Pilot
privileges.
,4. How long is a third-class medical certificate valid for a pilot under 40
years of age?
A) 12 months
B) 24 months
C) 36 months
D) 60 months ✓
Explanation: Under 14 CFR 61.23, for pilots under 40, a third-class medical is
valid for 60 months.
5. A private pilot may not act as PIC of an aircraft carrying passengers for
hire. This restriction is found in:
A) 14 CFR 91.111
B) 14 CFR 61.113 ✓
C) 14 CFR 61.129
D) 14 CFR 91.403
Explanation: 14 CFR 61.113 outlines the privileges and limitations of private
pilots.
6. Under what condition may a private pilot act as PIC of an aircraft for
compensation?
A) Never under any circumstances
B) When sharing pro-rata expenses with passengers ✓
C) When flying for a non-profit organization
D) When the flight exceeds 100 nm
Explanation: A private pilot may share pro-rata expenses (fuel, oil, fees) with
passengers per 61.113.
7. What documents must a pilot have on their person when acting as PIC?
A) Logbook only
B) Medical certificate only
C) Pilot certificate and medical certificate ✓
D) Pilot certificate, medical certificate, and logbook
,Explanation: 14 CFR 61.3 requires the pilot certificate and medical certificate
to be in the pilot's possession.
8. How many hours of solo cross-country flight time are required for a
Private Pilot Certificate?
A) 3 hours
B) 5 hours ✓
C) 10 hours
D) 15 hours
Explanation: 14 CFR 61.109 requires 5 hours of solo cross-country flight time.
9. What is the minimum visibility required for VFR flight in Class G
airspace below 1,200 feet AGL during the day?
A) 1 statute mile ✓
B) 2 statute miles
C) 3 statute miles
D) 5 statute miles
Explanation: 14 CFR 91.155 Table: Class G airspace below 1,200 AGL day
requires 1 SM visibility.
10. What is the cloud clearance requirement for VFR flight in Class B
airspace?
A) 500 below, 1,000 above, 2,000 horizontal
B) Clear of clouds ✓
C) 1,000 below, 1,000 above, 1 mile horizontal
D) 500 below, 500 above, 500 horizontal
Explanation: In Class B airspace, the requirement is simply to remain clear of
clouds.
11. When must an aircraft have an operable ELT?
A) All flights over water
B) All flights over 50 nm from departure
, C) When carrying passengers ✓
D) U.S.-registered civil aircraft used in air commerce
Explanation: 14 CFR 91.207 requires ELTs on U.S.-registered civil aircraft
used in air commerce.
12. What preflight action is required of a pilot for any flight?
A) File a flight plan
B) Familiarize themselves with all available information concerning the
flight ✓
C) Obtain a weather briefing from a certified briefer
D) Verify fuel at takeoff exceeds minimum reserve
Explanation: 14 CFR 91.103 requires pilots to familiarize themselves with all
available information.
13. When is a flight plan required?
A) For all cross-country flights
B) When flying in Class B airspace
C) When flying IFR ✓
D) For flights exceeding 50 nm
Explanation: A flight plan is required only for IFR operations under 14 CFR
91.169.
14. What does 'right-of-way' mean when two aircraft of the same category
are converging?
A) The faster aircraft has right-of-way
B) The aircraft to the left yields ✓
C) The aircraft to the right yields
D) The higher aircraft yields
Explanation: 14 CFR 91.113: when two aircraft of the same category converge,
each shall yield to the aircraft on its right.
15. What altitude must a pilot maintain over a congested area?
MULTIPLE CHOICE WITH EXPLANATIONS
1. What is the minimum age requirement to be eligible for a Private Pilot
Certificate?
A) 16 years old
B) 17 years old ✓
C) 18 years old
D) 21 years old
Explanation: 14 CFR 61.103 requires an applicant to be at least 17 years of
age.
2. How many flight hours are required for a Private Pilot Certificate under
14 CFR Part 61?
A) 35 hours
B) 40 hours ✓
C) 50 hours
D) 60 hours
Explanation: 14 CFR 61.109 requires a minimum of 40 hours total flight time.
3. What class medical certificate is required to exercise Private Pilot
privileges?
A) First class
B) Second class
C) Third class ✓
D) No medical required
Explanation: A third-class medical is the minimum required for Private Pilot
privileges.
,4. How long is a third-class medical certificate valid for a pilot under 40
years of age?
A) 12 months
B) 24 months
C) 36 months
D) 60 months ✓
Explanation: Under 14 CFR 61.23, for pilots under 40, a third-class medical is
valid for 60 months.
5. A private pilot may not act as PIC of an aircraft carrying passengers for
hire. This restriction is found in:
A) 14 CFR 91.111
B) 14 CFR 61.113 ✓
C) 14 CFR 61.129
D) 14 CFR 91.403
Explanation: 14 CFR 61.113 outlines the privileges and limitations of private
pilots.
6. Under what condition may a private pilot act as PIC of an aircraft for
compensation?
A) Never under any circumstances
B) When sharing pro-rata expenses with passengers ✓
C) When flying for a non-profit organization
D) When the flight exceeds 100 nm
Explanation: A private pilot may share pro-rata expenses (fuel, oil, fees) with
passengers per 61.113.
7. What documents must a pilot have on their person when acting as PIC?
A) Logbook only
B) Medical certificate only
C) Pilot certificate and medical certificate ✓
D) Pilot certificate, medical certificate, and logbook
,Explanation: 14 CFR 61.3 requires the pilot certificate and medical certificate
to be in the pilot's possession.
8. How many hours of solo cross-country flight time are required for a
Private Pilot Certificate?
A) 3 hours
B) 5 hours ✓
C) 10 hours
D) 15 hours
Explanation: 14 CFR 61.109 requires 5 hours of solo cross-country flight time.
9. What is the minimum visibility required for VFR flight in Class G
airspace below 1,200 feet AGL during the day?
A) 1 statute mile ✓
B) 2 statute miles
C) 3 statute miles
D) 5 statute miles
Explanation: 14 CFR 91.155 Table: Class G airspace below 1,200 AGL day
requires 1 SM visibility.
10. What is the cloud clearance requirement for VFR flight in Class B
airspace?
A) 500 below, 1,000 above, 2,000 horizontal
B) Clear of clouds ✓
C) 1,000 below, 1,000 above, 1 mile horizontal
D) 500 below, 500 above, 500 horizontal
Explanation: In Class B airspace, the requirement is simply to remain clear of
clouds.
11. When must an aircraft have an operable ELT?
A) All flights over water
B) All flights over 50 nm from departure
, C) When carrying passengers ✓
D) U.S.-registered civil aircraft used in air commerce
Explanation: 14 CFR 91.207 requires ELTs on U.S.-registered civil aircraft
used in air commerce.
12. What preflight action is required of a pilot for any flight?
A) File a flight plan
B) Familiarize themselves with all available information concerning the
flight ✓
C) Obtain a weather briefing from a certified briefer
D) Verify fuel at takeoff exceeds minimum reserve
Explanation: 14 CFR 91.103 requires pilots to familiarize themselves with all
available information.
13. When is a flight plan required?
A) For all cross-country flights
B) When flying in Class B airspace
C) When flying IFR ✓
D) For flights exceeding 50 nm
Explanation: A flight plan is required only for IFR operations under 14 CFR
91.169.
14. What does 'right-of-way' mean when two aircraft of the same category
are converging?
A) The faster aircraft has right-of-way
B) The aircraft to the left yields ✓
C) The aircraft to the right yields
D) The higher aircraft yields
Explanation: 14 CFR 91.113: when two aircraft of the same category converge,
each shall yield to the aircraft on its right.
15. What altitude must a pilot maintain over a congested area?
