FAA Pilot Exams (Practical Tests)
To schedule an appointment to take your practical pilot exam (Check Ride) please contact FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) David Shields at 828-687-7540 or 828-545-1963. You do NOT need to be an enrolled student at WNC Aviation to schedule an exam with Mr. Shields. Please see the information below for ALL written exams.
FAA Written Exams (Including ALL Remote Pilots)
You do NOT need to be an enrolled student at WNC Aviation in order to take a written exam.
Regular testing hours:
Tuesday 0900 to 1700
Wednesday 0900 to 1700
Thursday 0900 to 1300
To schedule a test during regular testing hours, call PSI – CATS at 800-947-4228. You will pay them directly. Please have your credit card and your photo ID ready. You do NOT need to contact WNC Aviation. NOTE: from time to time, the testing center will be open outside of the regular testing days. The call center at PSI – CATS is aware of these days and can schedule you. Please do NOT call the flight school to schedule an exam on any date.
Please bring the following items with you to your exam:
Please bring the following items with you to your exam:
- An undamaged government issued picture ID. THE NUMBER ONE REASON PEOPLE ARE TURNED AWAY ON TEST DAY IS DAMAGED ID’s. (address must match the address where you actually live as of test day)
- An instructor endorsement to take the exam for the desired rating (if required by FAA regulation) **
- Optional: An E6B (electronic or mechanical), calculator (without a memory feature), magnifying glass and/or a plotter.
Please leave the following items at home or in your car:
- Your cell phone
- Your smart watch
- Your computer and/or computer tablet
- Study materials
- Pens and/or pencils
- Paper
- Manuals and/or instructions for your E6B
** If your test requires an endorsement, please make absolutely certain your logbook endorsement is exactly correct before arriving for your test. If your logbook entry is not exactly correct when you arrive, you will not be allowed to test that day. If your instructor is not from WNC Aviation, your instructor may call us prior to making your endorsement to ensure it is properly worded for your particular test. This is a zero-tolerance FAA/CATS inspection item. Again, if your logbook entry is not exactly correct when you arrive, you will not be allowed to test that day. If your ID is damaged in any manner or we cannot make a legible high resolution scan, you cannot test. Many of the old style NC Driver’s Licenses are easily damaged. Please inspect your documents very carefully for ANY damage. The fact that you bought beer with it last week or got a ticket yesterday and the police didn’t complain about your ID does NOT mean we can scan it.
These old licenses rarely scan. If you attempt to use this license, there is a 99% chance you will be TURNED AWAY. If you have this old style license we HIGHLY recommend you go to the DMV and get a new license and while you’re at it, get one that is REAL ID compliant under federal law – it will save you lots of trouble later on. Click here for NC REAL ID information.
If you intend to use a US Passport as your ID, please make certain that it is not expired. Since US Passports do not include a residential address, you will need an approved item for address verification. The list of approved items is in the Test Matrix. Click here.
The FAA Advisory Circular on endorsements with samples can be found here. See Appendix 1.
REMEMBER: Many of the “template” endorsements found in logbooks are wrong or incomplete. For example, there is no such test as a “Private Pilot Knowledge Test” – there is a Private Pilot Airplane, a Private Pilot Helicopter, a Private Pilot Airship, et cetera. There is no such test as an “Instrument Test” or “Instrument Rating” or “Instrument Pilot”. There is an “Instrument Rating – Airplane” and “Instrument Rating – Helicopter” test.
THE OFFICIAL NAMES OF ALL TESTS ARE IN THE TEST MATRIX. CLICK HERE TO VIEW. YOUR ENDORSEMENT MUST HAVE THE EXACT NAME OF THE TEST.