FAA Flight Instructor — Airplane Added Rating (AFA) knowledge test
The short knowledge test for flight instructors adding an airplane rating — 25 questions in 1 hour on airplane aerodynamics, performance, navigation, weather and the instructor rules.
About the exam
The Flight Instructor — Airplane Added Rating (AFA) test is for flight instructors who already hold a flight instructor certificate with another category rating — helicopter, glider, gyroplane or powered-lift, for example — and want to add an airplane category rating. The FAA allows the AFA test only for applicants who already hold a flight instructor certificate; first-time CFI applicants take the full 100-question FIA test instead. It draws on the same technical subject areas of the Flight Instructor ACS: aerodynamics and principles of flight, systems and performance, airspace, navigation and flight planning, weather, the regulations and endorsements instructors work under, human factors and the knowledge behind the airplane maneuvers you'll teach.
The test has 25 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour, each with three answer choices (A, B, C), and you need 70% to pass. It's taken on computer at a PSI test center with a photo ID and an FAA Tracking Number (FTN) from IACRA; the testing matrix lists no instructor endorsement for a first attempt and a minimum testing age of 16. Charts, performance graphs and loading tables come from the FAA instructor testing supplement (FAA-CT-8080-5H) handed to you at the center. Because you already hold an instructor certificate, you don't take the Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) test again (61.183(e)). A passing result is valid for 24 calendar months for the practical test.
Our practice covers every area with original questions mapped to the ACS, including step-by-step worked solutions for every calculation — wind triangle, density altitude, weight and balance and weight shift, load factor and stall speed in a bank, crosswind components, time, speed, distance and fuel. Add flashcards for regulations, endorsements and V-speeds, worked case walkthroughs of student scenarios, illustrated guides to aerodynamics, instruments and airspace, and timed practice tests at the real length — 25 questions in 1 hour — with a score.
How we track your progress
Every blueprint domain moves through five levels as you study:
- Not startedNo questions answered in this domain yet.
- Getting startedFirst questions answered — not enough yet to judge.
- DevelopingAt least 5 answered and 50% or better on your recent questions.
- ProficientAt least 15 answered and 70% or better on your recent questions.
- Exam readyAt least 25 answered, 80% or better recently, and holding up on hard questions.
The exam blueprint
FAA-S-ACS-25, Flight Instructor for Airplane Category ACS (effective May 31, 2024) — The technical subject areas of the CFI ACS for instructors adding an airplane category rating — aerodynamics, systems and performance, airspace and navigation, weather, regulations and endorsements, human factors and teaching the maneuvers. Domain weights are QuizMe estimates — the FAA does not publish them. Tap a domain to see its topics.
1 Aerodynamics and Principles of Flight about 16% (est.) of the exam
60 practice questions in this domain so far
2 Systems, Instruments, Performance and Weight & Balance about 20% (est.) of the exam
80 practice questions in this domain so far
3 Airspace, Navigation and Flight Planning about 20% (est.) of the exam
80 practice questions in this domain so far
4 Weather about 8% (est.) of the exam
40 practice questions in this domain so far
5 Regulations, Endorsements and Pilot Qualifications about 20% (est.) of the exam
80 practice questions in this domain so far
6 Human Factors and Risk Management about 8% (est.) of the exam
32 practice questions in this domain so far
7 Teaching Flight Maneuvers about 8% (est.) of the exam
28 practice questions in this domain so far
What you get when you access this exam
Free with your QuizMe account.
Questions built on the ACS
Every question is original and tagged to a CFI ACS area — three choices like the real test, with described charts, performance tables, loading graphs and weather products.
Hints and worked solutions
Reveal the rule, reference or formula behind the question when you're stuck. Every answer has the full rationale, and every calculation is solved step by step.
Adaptive practice
Questions steer toward your weakest areas, weighted like the real test, and get harder as you get stronger.
Timed practice tests
Full-length tests at the real pace — 25 questions in 1 hour — with a pacing indicator, full review and a percent score against the 70% pass mark.
Flashcards, walkthroughs and guides
Flashcards for regulations, endorsements, V-speeds and airspace minimums, worked case walkthroughs that reason through harder questions step by step, and interactive illustrated guides you explore hotspot by hotspot.
Progress in every area
Each area moves from Not started to Exam ready, so you know exactly what to study next.
Radio & callouts drill
Listen to your student on the radio, catch the errors and teach the fix — scenarios including stall-horn, emergency and radio-failure lessons.
Test at home or at a center
The AFA test is scheduled and taken through PSI, the FAA's knowledge-testing provider. Make sure your IACRA profile and FAA Tracking Number (FTN) are current, then choose a PSI test center and time. Remote testing is not offered for FAA airman knowledge tests.
At a PSI test center
- Book through PSI's FAA scheduling site; the fee is paid to PSI, not the FAA — about $175 at PSI (confirm when you book).
- Bring a current government-issued photo ID that meets FAA identification rules, and your FAA Tracking Number (FTN).
- The center gives you the FAA-CT-8080-5H testing supplement with the charts and figures; some questions show images on screen.
- You may use an FAA-approved flight computer (E6B) and calculator under the test center's rules; PSI's testing system also includes an on-screen E6B.
Before you book
- AFA is only for applicants who already hold a flight instructor certificate — if you don't, take the full FIA test and FOI instead.
- The testing matrix lists no instructor endorsement for a first attempt at AFA — check the current matrix before you book.
- You don't take FOI again — holding a flight instructor certificate exempts you (61.183(e)).
- If you retake after a failure, bring the failed test report and an endorsement from an authorized instructor who gave you the additional training.
Exam-day game plan
How to walk in ready — and how to pace 25 questions in 1 hour.
Pacing checkpoints
Our timed test uses the real length and time — 25 questions in 1 hour — as one block of single-answer, three-choice questions. Figures that the real test shows from the FAA-CT-8080-5H testing supplement or as embedded images are reproduced as described text, tables or simple diagrams — not the official FAA charts.
The week before
- Take one full-length timed practice test 4–7 days out, then shorter sets and rest.
- Focus on what's new for you in airplanes: left-turning tendencies, stall and spin behavior, airplane performance charts and weight shift.
- Review the airplane-specific student rules: solo and solo cross-country requirements and endorsements, and airplane aeronautical experience.
- Confirm your PSI appointment, your FTN, your ID and the flight computer and calculator you'll bring.
During the test
- Pace yourself at about 2½ minutes a question — enough for a chart problem, but don't sink 10 minutes into one.
- For chart questions, check the figure number and read the legend, units and notes before you start computing.
- Watch the exact regulatory wording — 'within the preceding 90 days', 'calendar months', 'solo' versus 'PIC'.
- With three choices, eliminate the one you know is wrong first; your odds jump to 50–50.
- Mark hard questions, answer every one and come back if time allows — there's no penalty for guessing.
Keep your head
- A few nerves sharpen focus. If you freeze, take three slow breaths and reread the question.
- You need 18 of 25 — on a short test each question counts more, so read every one twice.
- Missed topics show up as ACS codes on your report, and your examiner will review them with you — it's a study list, not a black mark.
After you test
- You get your Airman Knowledge Test Report at the test center; it shows your score and the ACS codes of any knowledge areas you missed, and you'll show it to your examiner.
- A passing result is valid for 24 calendar months — you must complete the practical test for the airplane category rating before it runs out.
- Next comes the practical test for the added airplane rating under the Flight Instructor Airplane ACS: your instructor reviews the missed ACS codes and endorses you, and the examiner covers them on the oral and flight portions.
Official sources and further reading
- Flight Instructor — Airplane ACS (FAA-S-ACS-25) ↗The official areas of operation, tasks and knowledge elements the test is built on.
- FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix ↗Official question count, time, minimum age and the authorization each test requires.
- FAA FIA sample questions (PDF) ↗Official airplane flight instructor sample questions in the same style, with the supplement figures they use.
Ready to start?
400 questions and scenarios across the blueprint — and growing.
QuizMe is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FAA or PSI. All questions are original. Details are summarized from FAA sources (ACS, testing matrix, 14 CFR); rules and policies change — always confirm at faa.gov. Estimated scores are rough guides.