FAA – CPL written exam

What you need to know about the written exam ? (CPL)

Attaining the status of a commercial pilot is a milestone. As a commercial pilot, you will be able to fly for compensation or hire. This could include flying people, cargo, or in a variety of other capacities. Many commercial pilots pursue careers as flight instructors, charter pilots, and/or with the airlines.

As the regulation says in the §61.123 (d) you will need to:

Pass the required knowledge test on the aeronautical knowledge areas listed in §61.125 of this part

61.125 : Aeronautical knowledge

• (a) General. A person who applies for a commercial pilot certificate must receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor, or complete a home-study course, on the aeronautical knowledge areas of paragraph (b) of this section that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought.
• (b) Aeronautical knowledge areas.
  1. Applicable Federal Aviation Regulations of this chapter that relate to commercial pilot privileges, limitations, and flight operations;
  2. Accident reporting requirements of the National Transportation Safety Board;
  3. Basic aerodynamics and the principles of flight;
  4. Meteorology to include recognition of critical weather situations, windshear recognition and avoidance, and the use of aeronautical weather reports and forecasts;
  5. Safe and efficient operation of aircraft;
  6. Weight and balance computations;
  7. Use of performance charts;
  8. Significance and effects of exceeding aircraft performance limitations;
  9. Use of aeronautical charts and a magnetic compass for pilotage and dead reckoning;
  10. Use of air navigation facilities;
  11. Aeronautical decision making and judgment;
  12. Principles and functions of aircraft systems;
  13. Maneuvers, procedures, and emergency operations appropriate to the aircraft;
  14. Night and high-altitude operations;
  15. Procedures for operating within the National Airspace System;
  16. Procedures for flight and ground training for lighter-than-air ratings.

To pass the written exam you will need to receive an endorsement from a CFI.
Most of the flight school / instructor will ask you to do 2 tests with a score more than 85% before to give you the endorsement.

All FAA written tests are multiple choice questionnaires and are entirely computerized.
The D-day you will have 3 hours for 100 questions and a minimum score of 70%.
Depending of the center you will do the test you will be able to bring all the stuff you need including a non-programmable calculator.

How to train ?

Where to take the exam ?

• I dont need to tell you than you can do it in the USA in a approuved center.
Please find the list on the pdf.
Expect between $100 and $150 and there are usually no delay there… (If you fail the test, you can do it again 1h after)

Source: https://faa.psiexams.com/faa/

• You also can do it in Flight Safety at Paris Le Bourget

The FAA test center is only open the WEDNESDAYS FROM 13:00 TO 17:00 and the THURSDAYS FROM 9.30 TO 17.30. You can expect a delay of 3 months and the fees are 210 €

Contact:

Maud Duboscq – DOS Assistant – FAA/TSA Administrator
FlightSafety International • Paris-Le Bourget Learning Center • Zone Aviation d’Affaires
• 1300 avenue de l’Europe • BP 25 • 93352 Le Bourget Cedex • France
Tel: 33-(0)1.49.92.19.19 • Fax: 33-(0)1.49.92.18.92
maud.duboscq@flightsafety.com • flightsafety.com

To schedule an exam, call, fill and send the following documents to Maud Dubosq
– FAA REGISTRATION FORM
– APPLY FOR AN EXAM

12/05/2020

Flight Center at Paris Le Bourget is not an approved center any more.

After your writen ?

The written exam is valid for two years. If you do not take or pass the practical part / check ride during this period, it will expire and you will have to retake it. No prorogation is possible.