Regulation Text
§ 61.45 Practical tests: Required aircraft and equipment.
(a) General. Except as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section or when permitted to accomplish the entire flight increment of the practical test in a flight simulator or a flight training device, an applicant for a certificate or rating issued under this part must furnish:
(1) An aircraft of U.S. registry for each required test that—
(i) Is of the category, class, and type, if applicable, for which the applicant is applying for a certificate or rating; and
(2) At the discretion of the examiner who administers the practical test, the applicant may furnish—
(i) An aircraft that has an airworthiness certificate other than a standard airworthiness certificate or special airworthiness certificate in the limited, primary, or light-sport category, but that otherwise meets the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section;
(ii) An aircraft of the same category, class, and type, if applicable, of foreign registry that is properly certificated by the country of registry; or
(iii) A military aircraft of the same category, class, and type, if aircraft class and type are appropriate, for which the applicant is applying for a certificate or rating, and provided—
(A) The aircraft is under the direct operational control of the U.S. Armed Forces;
(B) The aircraft is airworthy under the maintenance standards of the U.S. Armed Forces; and
(C) The applicant has a letter from his or her commanding officer authorizing the use of the aircraft for the practical test.
(b) Required equipment (other than controls). (1) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, an aircraft used for a practical test must have—
(i) The equipment for each area of operation required for the practical test;
(iii) Except as provided in paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section, at least two pilot stations with adequate visibility for each person to operate the aircraft safely; and
(iv) Cockpit and outside visibility adequate to evaluate the performance of the applicant when an additional jump seat is provided for the examiner.
(2) An applicant for a certificate or rating may use an aircraft with operating characteristics that preclude the applicant from performing all of the tasks required for the practical test. However, the applicant's certificate or rating, as appropriate, will be issued with an appropriate limitation.
(c) Required controls. Except for lighter-than-air aircraft, and a glider without an engine, an aircraft used for a practical test must have engine power controls and flight controls that are easily reached and operable in a conventional manner by both pilots, unless the Examiner determines that the practical test can be conducted safely in the aircraft without the controls easily reached by the Examiner.
(d) Simulated instrument flight equipment. An applicant for a practical test that involves maneuvering an aircraft solely by reference to instruments must furnish:
(1) Equipment on board the aircraft that permits the applicant to pass the areas of operation that apply to the rating sought; and
(2) A device that prevents the applicant from having visual reference outside the aircraft, but does not prevent the examiner from having visual reference outside the aircraft, and is otherwise acceptable to the Administrator.
(e) Aircraft with single controls. A practical test may be conducted in an aircraft having a single set of controls, provided the:
(1) Examiner agrees to conduct the test;
(2) Test does not involve a demonstration of instrument skills; and
(3) Proficiency of the applicant can be observed by an examiner who is in a position to observe the applicant.
(f) Light-sport aircraft with a single seat. A practical test for a sport pilot certificate may be conducted in a light-sport aircraft having a single seat provided that the—
(1) Examiner agrees to conduct the test;
(2) Examiner is in a position to observe the operation of the aircraft and evaluate the proficiency of the applicant; and
(3) Pilot certificate of an applicant successfully passing the test is issued a pilot certificate with a limitation “No passenger carriage and flight in a single-seat light-sport aircraft only.”
[Doc. No. 25910, 62 FR 16298, Apr. 4, 1997; Amdt. 61-103, 62 FR 40897, July 30, 1997; Amdt. 61-104, 63 FR 20286, Apr. 23, 1998; Amdt. 61-110, 69 FR 44865, July 27, 2004; Amdt. 61-124, 74 FR 42549, Aug. 21, 2009]
Research Notes
Research Notes — § 61.45 Practical Tests: Required Aircraft and Equipment
Overview
Section 61.45 establishes what the applicant must bring to a checkride: the aircraft, its airworthiness documentation, and the required equipment. The baseline rule (paragraph (a)) is that the aircraft must be U.S. registry and hold a standard, limited, primary, or light-sport airworthiness certificate. Paragraphs (b) through (f) address specific equipment scenarios — dual controls, simulated instrument flight, single-control aircraft, and single-seat light-sport aircraft.
Airworthiness Certificate Requirements
The aircraft used for the practical test must have a standard airworthiness certificate or a special airworthiness certificate in the limited, primary, or light-sport category. Experimental certificates, provisional certificates, and most special airworthiness categories (experimental amateur-built, experimental light-sport) are not qualifying under the default rule. At the examiner's discretion, other airworthiness categories can be used — but this requires explicit examiner agreement, not applicant assumption. Reference: § 61.45(a)(1)(ii) and (a)(2).
The Experimental Aircraft Carve-Out
An experimental certificate is specifically excluded from the default qualifying categories. However, paragraph (a)(2)(i) allows the examiner, at their discretion, to accept an aircraft that has an "airworthiness certificate other than a standard airworthiness certificate or special airworthiness certificate in the limited, primary, or light-sport category." This language creates a potential path for experimental aircraft, but only with examiner consent. Many DPEs will not conduct tests in experimental aircraft due to liability and insurance considerations — confirm in advance.
Dual Controls and the Examiner's Visibility Requirement
Paragraph (b)(1)(iii) requires the aircraft to have "at least two pilot stations with adequate visibility for each person to operate the aircraft safely" — except when paragraphs (e) or (f) apply. This is the foundation of the dual-control requirement for practical tests. Paragraph (c) extends this: controls must be "easily reached and operable in a conventional manner by both pilots" unless the examiner determines the test can be safely conducted without that access. Unusual control configurations (center sticks, push-pull controls) that are accessible to only one seat can disqualify an aircraft unless the examiner makes the determination under (c).
Simulated Instrument Flight Equipment
For an instrument proficiency check or instrument rating practical test involving hood work, paragraph (d) requires both the appropriate instruments and a view-limiting device. The device must prevent the applicant from seeing outside the aircraft but must not prevent the examiner from seeing outside. A standard Foggles or similar device satisfies this — a full hood that blocks the examiner's view does not. This is confirmed by FAA guidance and is a practical test setup requirement, not just a training requirement.
Single-Control Aircraft Tests
Paragraphs (e) and (f) address the edge cases: aircraft with a single set of controls (a solo stick/wheel, not dual controls) can be used if the examiner agrees, the test doesn't involve instrument demonstrations, and the examiner can observe the applicant. Single-seat light-sport aircraft can be used for a sport pilot test if the examiner agrees and can observe from outside the aircraft — resulting in a "No passenger carriage and flight in a single-seat light-sport aircraft only" limitation.
Equipment Must Cover All Required Areas of Operation
Paragraph (b)(1)(i)-(ii) requires the aircraft to have all the equipment needed for each required area of operation and must not have operating limitations that prohibit operations in any required area. This matters in practice — if an aircraft's MEL (Minimum Equipment List) has certain avionics inoperative, and those avionics are required for a test area, that aircraft doesn't qualify for the test that day. The applicant carries the burden of ensuring the aircraft is appropriately equipped.
Foreign-Registry and Military Aircraft
At examiner discretion (paragraph (a)(2)), foreign-registry aircraft properly certificated by their country of registry can be used, as can U.S. military aircraft under specific conditions including a commanding officer's letter authorizing the aircraft's use. These are narrow exceptions for specific circumstances (military applicants, international ferry scenarios) and are not available without prior examiner agreement.
Amendment History
AOA Notes
These notes correspond to the highlighted phrases in the regulation text above. Each one flags something worth knowing — a common misread, a checkride gotcha, or a practical pro tip.
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CFI Commentary
Highlighted phrases in the regulation text above link to instructor notes at the bottom of this page. Look for the amber or blue highlights — each one flags a gotcha or a pro tip worth knowing.