Retaking knowledge test for higher score.

8

80driver

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Feb 1, 2022
Messages
3
Display Name
Display name:
80driver
I have a student who is working on his commercial certificate. He studied hard for the knowledge test and before I made the endorsment I had him take two practice test. One from the FAA site and the other from Shepard Air. He made mid to upper 90's on the practice test's so endorsement was issued. He came back with a score of 83. He was disappointed and wants to retake the test so he can get a better score. I know he needs to wait 30 days and just return to the testing center with his knowledge test report and he can take the test again. The last test taken will be the score used. The problem is he wants to make his way to the Airlines someday and I'm wondering how this will look on his PRIA. Does the FAA list the tests that were taken with the score and with there being two tests taken for the same certificate or rating would it look as if he might have failed the first one. I would welcome anyone's experience or advice with this. Thanks.
 
The only reason the written score matters is that the examiner needs to make sure he covers the areas missed. Not a big deal.

PRIA shouldn’t even be a consideration at this stage.
 
Like the others have said, 83 is a pass… no need to take again.
 
An FAA knowledge test isn't the SAT. Throwing away a passing score for a higher passing score is a waste.
 
What if he fails it the second time? If he gets a better score, nobody will care, if he gets a worse score nobody will care and he wasted his time, if he fails, it looks far worse. The only thing he can do is make things worse. Move on.
 
The worst thing is for him to take the test for the second time, put a lot of pressure on himself and fail like Salty said.
A pass is a pass, the only time test scores are relevant is during the oral portion of the checkride.
 
Commercial knowledge test score will be irrelevant when the student is meets ATP experience requirements.
 
The only thing he can gain from this is stroking his ego. Advise him that he passed and that is all that matters. But if he takes it again and gets a lower score or worse, fails, that will be the record.

Move on.
 
I'll buck the trend here slightly - the knowledge test isn't quite that undervalued. "Anything over a 70 is a waste of your time," etc. That's a popular sentiment I've read many times over the years, but frankly I don't agree that the score doesn't, and will never matter.

I applaud your learner's interest in demonstrating his knowledge via the score associated with his airman knowledge test results. It is certainly an advantage to show up to a practical test with a strong score on the knowledge test. If he'd like to up that score, more power to him. That's an attitude we should be encouraging and it will serve him well moving forward.
 
It's a pass, focus your energy on the next tasks necessary to knock out the commercial.
 
While I joke about the over 70 is a waste of time, what would be a waste would be spending money to retake the test. The money would be better spent paying an instructor to go over the deficiencies in your training that led to the lower score. Technically, that's a requirement anyhow before you go for the ride and better spent than just getting the rote answers right.
 
Would he insist on re-doing tasks during the flight test if he didn't, say, hold altitude to +/- 10'?
 
Ryan F. said:
I'll buck the trend here slightly - the knowledge test isn't quite that undervalued. "Anything over a 70 is a waste of your time," etc. That's a popular sentiment I've read many times over the years, but frankly I don't agree that the score doesn't, and will never matter.

I applaud your learner's interest in demonstrating his knowledge via the score associated with his airman knowledge test results. It is certainly an advantage to show up to a practical test with a strong score on the knowledge test. If he'd like to up that score, more power to him. That's an attitude we should be encouraging and it will serve him well moving forward.
Click to expand...

The attitude we should be encouraging is to learn the material rather than memorize answers. The fact that the student in question did significantly poorer on the real test compared to practice tests shows that they did the latter. Furthermore, if the student wants to right their wrong all they have to do is study and prove their newly acquired knowledge on the oral. No need to waste time and money for a number on a piece of paper.
 
Later, in the halls of the NTSB...

"The pilot flew through the localizer and landed in a field of beans. When interviewed, he stated that he was attempting to track the 080 vector as assigned, but was unable to do better than 79.9 degrees. He was uncomfortable making the turn until he had complied with the previous instruction"
 
dmspilot said:
The attitude we should be encouraging is to learn the material rather than memorize answers. The fact that the student in question did significantly poorer on the real test compared to practice tests shows that they did the latter.
Click to expand...
Maybe. But, in my case, I understood many topics well, but did not memorize the FAA's expected answer, so I missed a few that way, so it can go either way.
 
Its like education system...only thing that matters is that you got a degree...no one gives a rat's arse what your GPA was.

Like the saying goes..."A" students teach and "B" students end up working for "C" students...so he if perfectly positioned to be a spam can driver!

Take the win and move on.
 
I can guarantee you the airlines aren't going to pass on a candidate because of a FAA written score.

Airline Hiring Criteria:
Have a pulse...Check
Have or able to obtain an ATP...Check

Congratulations!
 
Ryan F. said:
I'll buck the trend here slightly - the knowledge test isn't quite that undervalued. "Anything over a 70 is a waste of your time," etc. That's a popular sentiment I've read many times over the years, but frankly I don't agree that the score doesn't, and will never matter.

I applaud your learner's interest in demonstrating his knowledge via the score associated with his airman knowledge test results. It is certainly an advantage to show up to a practical test with a strong score on the knowledge test. If he'd like to up that score, more power to him. That's an attitude we should be encouraging and it will serve him well moving forward.
Click to expand...
Other than on his commercial checkride when will it matter?
 
schmookeeg said:
Later, in the halls of the NTSB...

"The pilot flew through the localizer and landed in a field of beans. When interviewed, he stated that he was attempting to track the 080 vector as assigned, but was unable to do better than 79.9 degrees. He was uncomfortable making the turn until he had complied with the previous instruction"
Click to expand...
I was imagining more along the lines of: "The A350, operating under Part 121 as a scheduled air carrier flight, suffered dual engine failure and crashed into Long Island Sound. All 15 flight crew and 230 passengers died. The probable cause of the accident was determined to be the pilot's decision to execute a fifth go-around with inadequate fuel reserves, after having touched down three feet past the touchdown zone of the runway on his first five attempts to land."

We should all constantly strive to be better pilots, in every way. Retaking a knowledge test you already passed for the purpose of getting a higher score is not going to make you a better pilot. Learning how to tell when the milk has already been spilled, on the other hand, will. This milk is already spilled.
 
Isn't the test fee up to something like $175 now? That's a whole lot of money to try to get another irrelevant percent or two (and, of course, risk doing worse). Your student should spend his or her money elsewhere.
 
I believe they should take the score they earned. If there is a real desire to prove how great they are then do so going forward. Show better preparation and focus from here on out.

My oral with the DPE was more difficult than written answers on a test. If you want to prove how good you are prove it when you are in front of the examiner!
 
The test is pass or fail, if you take it again you risk failing or getting a worse score. Move on and take your 83 and run. Lol.

Also, airlines are hiring experienced pilots, I doubt they care about your test scores. They cannot find pilots with time, so spend your energy on building hours.

I got an 86% on my commercial, I thought I was closer to 70% and I was disappointed when I clicked finish exam. I’m taking my 86% and running, just hope I take the checkride before it expires!! I’m still 70 hours shy of 250.
 
The only scores I remember were on both my airplane and helicopter ATP written. By the time I had taken eleven FAA written exams, all the scores were forgotten and oral discussion on the checkride covered any knowledge shortfalls to the satisfaction of the examiner.

I failed my first try at the Instrument-airplane and passed the second try with a score above 70. That was the only test I ever failed. Do I care now? Nope.
 
I passed my checkride but personally wasn’t happy with my steep turns and one landing. Should I have asked for a redo?
 
Thanks all for your replies. Most were informative and a few were WTF are you even talking about. Sounds like the consensus says to take the 83 and go with it.
 
Getting a "low" passing grade on the written is probably most traumatic for people used to aceing tests. I only got a 72 on my private written (back back back way back when it really was a written test). My CFI told me 72 is a passing score and we went over the problem areas. No big deal. But, yeah, my GPA is school was a bit higher than a 72.
 
With an 83, there's plenty for the DPE to focus on in the oral, and you know the topics. If he goes back and aces it, the DPE will still have to fill the time.....
 
In over 25 years of commercial flying, I have only been asked if I had ever failed a checkride. I’ve never been asked for a written score or if I ever failed a written exam.

Take the 83 and move on. Nobody cares if you made a 90 or 100 on the written. All that matters is taking a passing written exam to the checkride and being prepared for the oral and practical exam.

The student will need the below endorsement from his CFI for the Commercial Flight Exam stating you covered the missed questions on the written exam.

Review of deficiencies identified on airman knowledge test: § 61.39(a)(6)(iii)

“I certify that [First Name, MI, Last Name] has demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of the subject areas in which [he or she] was deficient on the [applicable] airman knowledge test.”

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
Fracpilot said:
In over 25 years of commercial flying, I have only been asked if I had ever failed a checkride. I’ve never been asked for a written score or if I ever failed a written exam.

Take the 83 and move on. Nobody cares if you made a 90 or 100 on the written. All that matters is taking a passing written exam to the checkride and being prepared for the oral and practical exam.

He need the below endorsement from his CFI for the Commercial Flight Exam stating you covered the missed questions on the written exam.

Review of deficiencies identified on airman knowledge test: § 61.39(a)(6)(iii)

“I certify that [First Name, MI, Last Name] has demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of the subject areas in which [he or she] was deficient on the [applicable] airman knowledge test.”

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
You have me beat by a couple years but same here. No one will ask or care other than the examiner and then only to the extent required to evaluate knowledge on the ride.
 
Lindberg said:
With an 83, there's plenty for the DPE to focus on in the oral, and you know the topics. If he goes back and aces it, the DPE will still have to fill the time.....
Click to expand...

Exactly. The examiner is going to cover what they are going to cover, which usually at least hits on most of the knowledge areas anyway.
 
I made a 70 on my ATP written. :sigh:

This was after scoring in the 90s on all previous written test.

No one ever asked me about it.
 
You know what the airlines call a captain who got a 70 on any test? Captain. :)
 
Zeldman said:
No one ever asked me about it.
Click to expand...


I’m sorry to hear that, but please allow POA to make it up to you.

So how about it? What’s your excuse for such a low passing score? What were your weak areas? And why should we trust such a marginal passee with the lives of paying passengers?

;)
 
Half Fast said:
So how about it? What’s your excuse for such a low passing score?
Click to expand...

I left my cheat sheet at home.??

The guy next to me kept his paper covered with his hand.??

I taped an answer sheet to the window sill and when I went to open the window I discovered a bird had crapped all over it.??

I only payed someone 10 bucks to take the test for me.??

I mean give me a break, it was multiple guess. How would I know there would be more than 1 answer for each question.??

I was looking for the T or F...

:lol:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top