Question on FAA knowledge test endorsements.

Simple question (for everyone but me!):

Is the CFI endorsement to take a private pilot test for a specific category
(e.g. airplane, rotorcraft, glider) or a category and class (e.g. airplane,
single engine land) or some other classsification (e.g. fixed-wing), or not
category or class specific?

I ask because I thought I would take some winter down time to work on
passing the knowledge test needed to earn a private pilot, glider
certificate. I do not hold any previous certificates (other than student
pilot.)

I was training at a glider club this summer and ground training was not
something they normally did - the local community college offers ground
school courses a couple times a year - but the next class doesn't start
till spring. I asked what other options they knew about and they thought
courses offered by King and Sporty's might be a possibility. That sounded
plausible but their DVD courses looked airplane-centric, so I contacted
Sporty's. I asked them if I passed their Private Pilot DVD course and got
an endorsement from them, would that endorsement allow me to take the
knowledge test for a private pilot, glider rating? Their answer was:

"The Private Pilot on line course endorsement is for the private pilot
fixed wing test.

Glider information is not covered in the course and the endorsement will
not include glider."

The "fixed wing" part kinda threw me - and now I'm even more confused. I
had no idea the tests had yet another classification - one in which gliders
aren't fixed wing aircraft! Geez - I hope there aren't any questions on the
FAA knowledge tests about the FAA knowledge tests - at this point I'd
flunk! :-)

On Nov 20, 10:57*pm, Jim Logajan wrote:
Simple question (for everyone but me!):

Is the CFI endorsement to take a private pilot test for a specific category
(e.g. airplane, rotorcraft, glider) or a category and class (e.g. airplane,
single engine land) or some other classsification (e.g. fixed-wing), or not
category or class specific?

I ask because I thought I would take some winter down time to work on
passing the knowledge test needed to earn a private pilot, glider
certificate. I do not hold any previous certificates (other than student
pilot.)

I was training at a glider club this summer and ground training was not
something they normally did - the local community college offers ground
school courses a couple times a year - but the next class doesn't start
till spring. I asked what other options they knew about and they thought
courses offered by King and Sporty's might be a possibility. That sounded
plausible but their DVD courses looked airplane-centric, so I contacted
Sporty's. I asked them if I passed their Private Pilot DVD course and got
an endorsement from them, would that endorsement allow me to take the
knowledge test for a private pilot, glider rating? Their answer was:

"The Private Pilot on line course endorsement is for the private pilot
fixed wing test.

Glider information is not covered in the course and the endorsement will
not include glider."

The "fixed wing" part kinda threw me - and now I'm even more confused. I
had no idea the tests had yet another classification - one in which gliders
aren't fixed wing aircraft! Geez - I hope there aren't any questions on the
FAA knowledge tests about the FAA knowledge tests - at this point I'd
flunk! :-)

http://www.gliderpilotsgroundschool.com/

http://www.gliderpilotsgroundschool.com/

This may just be a personal pet peeve only, but, ignore the web site's
home page showing the profile of a glider pilot wearing a baseball cap
blocking a lot of sky above..... stick to a bucket hat with a narrow
floppy brim to look cool.

Back to my nit picking.......

mike wrote:
On Nov 20, 10:57*pm, Jim Logajan wrote:
Is the CFI endorsement to take a private pilot test for a specific
category (e.g. airplane, rotorcraft, glider) or a category and class
(e.g. airplane, single engine land) or some other classsification
(e.g. fixed-wing), or not category or class specific?
....

http://www.gliderpilotsgroundschool.com/

Thanks, but I'm not sure how that answers my question. I don't live
anywhere near them anyway.

On Nov 20, 9:57*pm, Jim Logajan wrote:
Simple question (for everyone but me!):

Is the CFI endorsement to take a private pilot test for a specific category
(e.g. airplane, rotorcraft, glider) or a category and class (e.g. airplane,
single engine land) or some other classsification (e.g. fixed-wing), or not
category or class specific?

I ask because I thought I would take some winter down time to work on
passing the knowledge test needed to earn a private pilot, glider
certificate. I do not hold any previous certificates (other than student
pilot.)

I was training at a glider club this summer and ground training was not
something they normally did - the local community college offers ground
school courses a couple times a year - but the next class doesn't start
till spring. I asked what other options they knew about and they thought
courses offered by King and Sporty's might be a possibility. That sounded
plausible but their DVD courses looked airplane-centric, so I contacted
Sporty's. I asked them if I passed their Private Pilot DVD course and got
an endorsement from them, would that endorsement allow me to take the
knowledge test for a private pilot, glider rating? Their answer was:

"The Private Pilot on line course endorsement is for the private pilot
fixed wing test.

Glider information is not covered in the course and the endorsement will
not include glider."

The "fixed wing" part kinda threw me - and now I'm even more confused. I
had no idea the tests had yet another classification - one in which gliders
aren't fixed wing aircraft! Geez - I hope there aren't any questions on the
FAA knowledge tests about the FAA knowledge tests - at this point I'd
flunk! :-)

In addition to studying the books your instructor will no doubt
recommend, go he
http://www.exams4pilots.org/
and set it up for 'Private Pilot - Glider' .
Take practice tests endlessly instead of playing Freecell on your
computer.

Uncle Fuzzy wrote:
On Nov 20, 9:57*pm, Jim Logajan wrote:
Is the CFI endorsement to take a private pilot test for a specific
category (e.g. airplane, rotorcraft, glider) or a category and class
(e.g. airplane, single engine land) or some other classsification
(e.g. fixed-wing), or not category or class specific?
....

In addition to studying the books your instructor will no doubt
recommend, go he
http://www.exams4pilots.org/
and set it up for 'Private Pilot - Glider' .
Take practice tests endlessly instead of playing Freecell on your
computer.

Thanks for the help, but your pointers, while useful, don't appear to
address the question.

On Nov 21, 1:13*pm, Jim Logajan wrote:
Uncle Fuzzy wrote:
On Nov 20, 9:57*pm, Jim Logajan wrote:
Is the CFI endorsement to take a private pilot test for a specific
category (e.g. airplane, rotorcraft, glider) or a category and class
(e.g. airplane, single engine land) or some other classsification
(e.g. fixed-wing), or not category or class specific?
...

In addition to studying the books your instructor will no doubt
recommend, go he
http://www.exams4pilots.org/
and set it up for 'Private Pilot - Glider' .
Take practice tests endlessly instead of playing Freecell on your
computer.

Thanks for the help, but your pointers, while useful, don't appear to
address the question.

The endorsement I use:

Refer to: http://www.soaringsafety.org/pilots/ipend.pdf


6. Aeronautical Knowledge - FAR 61.35(a) & 61.105(b)(1-13)
I certify that I have given Mr/Ms the applicable ground instruction
required
by FAR 61.105(b)(1-13) and find him/her prepared for the private pilot
- glider
aeronautical knowledge test.

"Jim Logajan" wrote in message
.. .
Uncle Fuzzy wrote:
On Nov 20, 9:57 pm, Jim Logajan wrote:
Is the CFI endorsement to take a private pilot test for a specific
category (e.g. airplane, rotorcraft, glider) or a category and class
(e.g. airplane, single engine land) or some other classsification
(e.g. fixed-wing), or not category or class specific?
...

In addition to studying the books your instructor will no doubt
recommend, go he
http://www.exams4pilots.org/
and set it up for 'Private Pilot - Glider' .
Take practice tests endlessly instead of playing Freecell on your
computer.

Thanks for the help, but your pointers, while useful, don't appear to
address the question.


The specific answer to your question is----Yes, category and class.

See FAA Advisory Circular AC 61-65D (on the FAA Website www.faa.gov )
#37 Aeronoutical knowlege test will include name of specific test (glider)

"fixed wing" is a description, not a category or class.

Find a local CFIG willing to endorse you--(S)He will likely require an
intensive oral quiz of you.

Hope that helps--good luck on the test!

Hartley Falbaum USA CFIG

"HL Falbaum" wrote:
"Jim Logajan" wrote in message
.. .
Uncle Fuzzy wrote:
On Nov 20, 9:57 pm, Jim Logajan wrote:
Is the CFI endorsement to take a private pilot test for a specific
category (e.g. airplane, rotorcraft, glider) or a category and
class (e.g. airplane, single engine land) or some other
classsification (e.g. fixed-wing), or not category or class
specific?
...

In addition to studying the books your instructor will no doubt
recommend, go he
http://www.exams4pilots.org/
and set it up for 'Private Pilot - Glider' .
Take practice tests endlessly instead of playing Freecell on your
computer.

Thanks for the help, but your pointers, while useful, don't appear to
address the question.


The specific answer to your question is----Yes, category and class.

Hmmm - but it doesn't appear to be consistent. There appears to be only
one knowledge test for the entire "airplane" category - no knowledge
tests specific to airplane classes.

See FAA Advisory Circular AC 61-65D (on the FAA Website www.faa.gov
) #37 Aeronoutical knowlege test will include name of specific test
(glider)

"fixed wing" is a description, not a category or class.

I was pretty sure the "fixed wing" comment from the Sporty's support
person was a mistake. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't incorrectly
dismissing an option for getting the endorsement to take the test.

Find a local CFIG willing to endorse you--(S)He will likely require an
intensive oral quiz of you.

Yeah, looks like that is my only option. It means extra legwork and
scheduling all around, none of that extra work productive toward
increasing my knowledge. Quite literally a double-test: a test before a
test.

Hope that helps--good luck on the test!

Hartley Falbaum USA CFIG

Thanks.

"Jim Logajan" wrote in message
.. .
"HL Falbaum" wrote:
"Jim Logajan" wrote in message
.. .
Uncle Fuzzy wrote:
On Nov 20, 9:57 pm, Jim Logajan wrote:
Is the CFI endorsement to take a private pilot test for a specific
category (e.g. airplane, rotorcraft, glider) or a category and
class (e.g. airplane, single engine land) or some other
classsification (e.g. fixed-wing), or not category or class
specific?
...

In addition to studying the books your instructor will no doubt
recommend, go he
http://www.exams4pilots.org/
and set it up for 'Private Pilot - Glider' .

The specific answer to your question is----Yes, category and class.

Hmmm - but it doesn't appear to be consistent. There appears to be only
one knowledge test for the entire "airplane" category - no knowledge
tests specific to airplane classes.

See FAA Advisory Circular AC 61-65D (on the FAA Website www.faa.gov
) #37 Aeronoutical knowlege test will include name of specific test
(glider)


Yeah, looks like that is my only option. It means extra legwork and
scheduling all around, none of that extra work productive toward
increasing my knowledge. Quite literally a double-test: a test before a
test.

Hope that helps--good luck on the test!

Hartley Falbaum USA CFIG

Thanks.

Go to the exams4pilots and you can see *all* the available tests. They are a
functional grouping, related to the rating you seek. Not all category and
class so I'm sorry-I misspoke.

The faa.gov site has the AC 61-65D with all the templates for endorsements.

When an instructor endorses you for a test, that Instructor's signature and
reputation is on the line and the FAA "remembers". It hurts the Instructor
if you fail. So the Instructor has the duty to be sure you are ready before
endorsing you for a test.

Hartley Falbaum