FAA Ground Instructor
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ExploreAbout this exam
The FAA Ground Instructor certificate is an airman certificate that allows the holder to provide ground training to applicants for pilot certificates and ratings. Three ratings exist - Basic, Advanced, and Instrument - and each differs in the scope of ground instruction it authorizes, so candidates should confirm current privileges and eligibility in the regulations before applying. The credential suits working flight instructors, flight school staff, ground-school teachers, and experienced pilots who want to teach the knowledge side of aviation rather than (or in addition to) the flight portion. Because a ground instructor must be able to explain regulations, airspace and ATC procedures, aerodynamics and performance, weather and weather services, navigation and flight planning, weight and balance, and safety-of-flight subjects, the knowledge test samples broadly across the same aeronautical bodies of knowledge tested of pilots, plus the instructional-fundamentals material expected of anyone who teaches. Preparation should combine a current commercial ground school or self-study course, the FAA handbooks and regulations the test draws on, and repeated practice with realistic multiple-choice questions until each subject area is consistently strong. Note that the FAA's Airman Certification Standards page lists ACS documents for pilot, instructor, mechanic, and remote pilot certificates but does not list a Ground Instructor ACS; candidates should obtain the current ground instructor knowledge test guide and the FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, which carry the authoritative test details. This page is independent study material and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FAA.
What you'll study
About FAA Ground Instructor preparation
Is there an Airman Certification Standards document for Ground Instructor?
The FAA's Airman Certification Standards page lists ACS documents for private, commercial, airline transport, instrument, flight instructor, aviation mechanic, and remote pilot certificates, but it does not list a Ground Instructor ACS. Use the current ground instructor knowledge test guide together with the FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix as your authoritative source for test content and logistics.
How many questions are on the test, and how long do I get?
Those figures are not published on the FAA page this guide is based on, so treat any number you see elsewhere as unverified. The FAA's Airman Testing section includes an 'ACS Knowledge Test Table: Correct Allotted Times' and Computer Testing Supplements; check those and the current Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix before you schedule.
What score do I need to pass?
The source material for this page does not state a passing score, and requirements are revised periodically. Confirm the current minimum passing score in the FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix or the applicable ground instructor knowledge test guide rather than relying on a figure from an older study product.
What format is the exam?
It is a multiple-choice knowledge test delivered through the FAA's computer-based airman testing system, with no practical test attached to the ground instructor rating itself. The FAA airman testing pages list the Computer Testing Supplements and testing service information you will need for registration and scheduling.
If I fail, how soon can I retake it, and what does it cost?
Retake rules and test fees are not stated in the FAA pages underlying this guide, and they change. Verify the current retake waiting period and fee with the FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix and your local computer testing center before you book a second attempt, and budget time for additional study on your weakest areas.
What is the difference between Basic, Advanced, and Instrument Ground Instructor?
The three ratings authorize different scopes of ground training, with the Instrument rating oriented toward instrument instruction and the Basic rating the most limited. Because privileges and eligibility trace to the regulations rather than to a test-prep page, read the current rules and confirm which rating matches the training you intend to give.
What study order works best?
Build fundamentals first: regulations and publications, then airspace and ATC procedures, aerodynamics and performance, weather and weather services, navigation and flight planning, and weight and balance. Layer instructional-techniques material on top once the technical subjects are solid, since teaching questions assume you already understand the content you are explaining.
What are the most common ways candidates lose points?
Weak spots tend to be weather interpretation, airspace and equipment requirements, performance and weight-and-balance calculations, and instructional-fundamentals terminology. Another frequent problem is studying only question memorization without understanding the underlying reference, which fails as soon as a question is phrased differently on the actual test.
How current is the material on this page?
It is built from FAA sources retrieved on 2026-10-31, but the FAA revises tests, documents, and effective dates regularly. Values such as question counts, allotted time, passing scores, and fees were not available in those sources and are left unstated rather than guessed - always verify against the live FAA pages before your test date.