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FAA Flight Instructor Glider Knowledge Test Practice Test

The FAA Flight Instructor Glider Knowledge Test practice material centers on explaining glider operation and applying sound instructional judgment. Sample questions address aircraft performance and limitations, flight instruments, stability, rigging checks, landing-area assessment, and decisions when conditions become unsafe. These subjects connect a student’s understanding of glider aerodynamics and procedures with the instructor’s role in teaching safe flight practices.

Exam overview

Exam providerFederal Aviation Administration
Exam codeFIG
CategoryAviation

About the FAA Flight Instructor Glider Knowledge Test Exam

Effective glider instruction requires more than naming aircraft components: instructors must explain how operating limits, density altitude, and aircraft-specific handbook information affect flight decisions. The practice bank also samples instrument interpretation, including compass behavior in turns and the altimeter setting window, along with aerodynamic concepts such as center of pressure. On the ground, an instructor must teach students to verify correct control movement after assembly and respond appropriately to sluggish controls or inadequate travel. In flight-planning and landing scenarios, the questions emphasize recognizing hazards, checking that a landing area is clear, and changing plans when a flight is becoming unsafe. These examples call for clear explanations, careful observation, and practical risk management rather than reliance on rules of thumb.

Sample Practice Questions

Review a selection from this exam's published US Practice Tests practice bank.

Question 1

Why should a glider instructor teach students to verify that the intended landing area is clear before committing to land?

  1. ATo confirm that no people, vehicles, animals, or other hazards obstruct the landing path
  2. BTo determine whether the glider can exceed its placarded speed
  3. CTo ensure that the wind has stopped before touchdown
  4. DTo avoid using the normal prelanding checks
Show answerCorrect answer: A

A visual check helps identify traffic and surface hazards that could make the landing unsafe. It complements, rather than replaces, normal landing planning, checklist use, and continued monitoring of the approach.

Question 2

While planning a glider flight, a student asks what density altitude means. Which explanation is most accurate?

  1. AThe height above the ground corrected for terrain slope
  2. BPressure altitude corrected for nonstandard temperature, representing air density in altitude terms
  3. CThe altitude shown by a radio altimeter
  4. DThe height above sea level corrected for wind direction
Show answerCorrect answer: B

Density altitude is pressure altitude adjusted for temperature departures from standard conditions. Higher density altitude means lower air density, which can affect aircraft performance.

Question 3

A student asks why a glider’s flight manual specifies airspeed limits. Which explanation is most accurate?

  1. AThe limits define conditions in which the aircraft’s structural and operational restrictions must be observed
  2. BThe limits apply only when flying near clouds
  3. CThe limits are optional if the pilot uses smooth control inputs
  4. DThe limits indicate the speed at which the variometer is most accurate
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Published airspeed limitations are part of the aircraft’s approved operating limitations and help protect the structure and ensure operation within established boundaries.

Question 4

A student is learning about glider rigging. Why should the instructor require the prescribed post-assembly control checks before flight?

  1. ATo confirm that controls are connected correctly and move in the intended direction and range
  2. BTo determine the day’s best thermal locations
  3. CTo replace the need for a preflight inspection
  4. DTo check whether the towplane has enough fuel
Show answerCorrect answer: A

After assembly, the prescribed checks help verify that control connections are secure and that control movement and direction are correct before flight.

Question 5

A student notices that the glider's magnetic compass does not agree exactly with the aircraft's heading indicator during a turn. Which explanation is most appropriate?

  1. AMagnetic compasses can show turning errors, especially on easterly or westerly headings
  2. BThe heading indicator always becomes inaccurate whenever the glider banks
  3. CThe compass indicates ground track rather than magnetic heading
  4. DThe disagreement proves that the glider's wings are unbalanced
Show answerCorrect answer: A

A magnetic compass is subject to turning and acceleration errors, with turning errors most noticeable on east and west headings in the Northern Hemisphere. The student should understand instrument limitations and use appropriate cross-checks.

Question 6

A student is learning how a glider’s center of pressure relates to stability. What is the center of pressure?

  1. AThe point where the aircraft’s total weight is concentrated
  2. BThe point through which the resultant aerodynamic force is considered to act
  3. CThe point where the pilot applies rudder pressure
  4. DThe point at which the wing’s structural load is always zero
Show answerCorrect answer: B

The center of pressure is the point at which the resultant aerodynamic force on a surface is considered to act. It is distinct from the center of gravity, which relates to aircraft mass distribution.

Question 7

When teaching a student about a glider’s operating handbook, what is the best reason to consult the aircraft-specific information rather than relying on general rules of thumb?

  1. AAircraft limitations and procedures can differ among models and configurations
  2. BThe handbook is needed only for powered aircraft
  3. CGeneral rules always provide more precise performance figures
  4. DThe handbook applies only after an aircraft has been damaged
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Aircraft-specific manuals and placards provide the limitations, procedures, and performance information applicable to that particular make, model, and configuration.

How to use this practice test

The free practice set draws from 50 published questions and presents up to 20 random questions in a session. After you finish, results are shown so you can identify which sampled concepts need another review. Use missed questions to revisit the relevant glider handbook information, instrument principles, or instructional decision.

Preparation tips

  • Practice explaining how density altitude affects glider performance, and connect the explanation to the conditions a student would evaluate before flight.
  • Review the purpose of aircraft-specific operating limits and handbook procedures; distinguish those instructions from general rules of thumb.
  • Rehearse a post-assembly control check, including how to respond when a control moves sluggishly or fails to reach its expected travel.
  • Explain common instrument interpretation issues, including compass behavior during turns and the use of the altimeter setting window.
  • Work through landing and go/no-go scenarios: assess whether the landing area is clear and identify when deteriorating safety conditions require a change of plan.
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