FAA AGI Advanced Ground Instructor exam-day guide
FAA AGI Advanced Ground Instructor · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID with signature
Bring an unexpired driver license, passport, or military ID. The name must match the name on your FAA Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) record exactly. Confirm with the provider which ID forms it accepts before test day.
Testing appointment confirmation
Bring the confirmation email or appointment number from the computer testing center (the FAA contracts knowledge test delivery to PSI/LaserGrade). Have the phone number handy in case of a delay en route.
FAA Tracking Number (FTN)
If you registered in IACRA, your FTN links your test result to your record. Retrieve it from your IACRA account the day before and write it down; the center may ask for it. Confirm with the provider what identifier it wants at check-in.
Instructor endorsement, if required
Some knowledge tests require a logbook or 14 CFR 61.65-style endorsement before the center will seat you. Verify with the provider whether the AGI test requires one, and carry it in writing if it does.
Confirmation that the test you booked is AGI, not BGI or IGI
The three ground instructor tests (Basic, Advanced, Instrument) are separate test codes. Ask the center to confirm the code on your appointment so you don't sit the wrong exam.
Review of the Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement figures
FAA knowledge tests present figures from the published testing supplement on screen. Practice reading those chart, legend, and excerpt formats during your study so you aren't decoding them for the first time under the clock.
No personal reference materials, notes, or study apps
Leave flashcards, printed supplements, and handwritten notes in the car or locker. Personal notes and reference material are not permitted at the workstation; the center supplies anything allowed.
Electronics stowed or left behind
Phones, smartwatches, and earpieces must be off and stored. Assume you cannot use a personal calculator and that the center provides what is permitted - confirm the calculator policy with the provider.
Directions, parking, and arrival buffer
Know the building, suite number, and where to park, and plan to arrive at least 30 minutes early to complete check-in without eating into your testing time.
Plan for a possible 30-day wait before a retest
If you don't pass, a regulatory waiting period plus a retest endorsement may apply. Know this before you sit down so you don't book a first attempt on a rushed deadline.
Plan the day
Take one or two full-length practice tests under time pressure using only the testing supplement figures. Log every missed question by topic; the AGI exam leans heavily on regulations, instructional technique, and flight-instructor-applicable aerodynamics and performance.
Drill only your weakest three topic areas. Rote re-reading of material you already know is the lowest-value use of these hours.
Confirm appointment time, address, suite, parking, and the provider's ID and check-in requirements by phone or email. Confirm which test code you're booked for.
Do one timed set of questions in the exact format you'll face (on-screen figures, no notes), then stop studying new material. Your goal now is stable performance, not new content.
Light review only - a one-page summary of formulas, regulatory time limits, and endorsements. Pack your ID, FTN printout, endorsement (if required), and appointment confirmation.
Check travel time to the center in the conditions you'll actually drive in, and set two alarms. Protect a full night's sleep; fatigue costs more points than one more hour of review gains.
Eat a normal meal and arrive early. Leave your phone and notes in the vehicle. Present your ID, complete check-in, and take the provided scratch materials before the clock starts.
Read the on-screen instructions, confirm how to flag and revisit questions, and note how the timer displays. If a figure fails to load or the interface misbehaves, raise your hand immediately - do not sit and wait.
With roughly 100 questions in a 3-hour window, you have under two minutes each. Answer in order at a steady pace, flag anything longer than about 90 seconds, and bank the easy points first. Read every stem to the last word - 'except' and 'most correct' change the answer.
Return to your flagged questions, but only change an answer if you can name the specific reason it's wrong. Second-guessing without a reason costs points more often than it saves them.
You receive a printed score report at the center. If you pass, keep it - the Airman Knowledge Test Report carries the codes for any missed areas, which your instructor or examiner may want to see. If you don't pass, note the deficient areas on the report and confirm the retest waiting period and endorsement requirements with the provider before rebooking.
Rules to check
Bring one valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID with your signature. The name on the ID must match your application record; a discrepancy can bar you from testing. Ask the provider in advance what it accepts.
The FAA delivers knowledge tests through contracted computer testing centers, not through FSDOs. Center-specific procedures - check-in, lockers, breaks, and scratch materials - are set by that provider, so confirm them directly rather than relying on another candidate's experience.
Assume no personal reference material, notes, or electronic devices are permitted at the workstation. The testing supplement figures are supplied as part of the exam; anything else you bring is a conduct issue.
Take a break if you need one, but confirm with the provider whether the clock stops. On most computer-delivered knowledge tests the timer keeps running, so budget breaks into your pacing rather than assuming they're free.
Scoring is a straight percentage of correct answers with no penalty for guessing - never leave a question blank. Confirm the current passing standard with the provider rather than trusting a study guide.
If you fail, a regulatory waiting period and a logbook endorsement for retest generally apply before you can sit again. Confirm the exact requirements with the provider before you pay for another attempt.
Report any equipment malfunction, illegible figure, or ambiguous question to the proctor immediately. Issues raised after you leave the center are difficult to remedy.
Your knowledge test result is time-limited for certificate application purposes. Confirm the current validity period with the provider or your FSDO so you don't have to retest because of a lapse.