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FAA Private Pilot Helicopter/Recreational Pilot - Transition Knowledge Test Practice Test

The PHT practice bank samples helicopter knowledge for private-pilot and recreational-pilot transition testing. Its questions touch on visual flight judgment, helicopter performance and control, basic flight instruments, airport information, and responses to changing conditions. Scenarios include recognizing autorotation energy, managing torque effects, and deciding how to respond when visibility or engine indications change.

Exam overview

Exam providerFederal Aviation Administration
Exam codePHT
CategoryAviation

About the FAA Private Pilot Helicopter/Recreational Pilot - Transition Knowl… Exam

Helicopter operation requires coordinating collective, cyclic, and anti-torque controls while monitoring rotor RPM, engine indications, and aircraft performance. Questions in this bank use examples such as the relationship between collective pitch and power, torque changes, and the airflow that sustains rotor rotation during autorotation. Other scenarios call for applying VFR judgment: retaining outside visual references, responding conservatively to deteriorating visibility, and using airport information and NOTAMs in flight planning. Instrument questions include interpreting vertical speed indications, while performance questions raise the need to respect aircraft operating limits and use the applicable aircraft information. These examples can help you practice connecting helicopter principles to operational decisions, rather than treating each fact as an isolated definition.

Sample Practice Questions

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

Question 1

When operating a helicopter at night, why is preserving outside visual references especially important?

  1. AWithout reliable visual references, the pilot may have difficulty maintaining orientation and controlling attitude.
  2. BOutside references are needed to keep the engine governor engaged.
  3. CNight lighting makes the aircraft's rotor RPM limits inapplicable.
  4. DVisual references are required only for determining fuel quantity.
Show answerCorrect answer: A

At night, especially over dark or featureless areas, visual cues may be limited or misleading. Maintaining suitable references and using instruments appropriately helps prevent loss of orientation and control.

Question 2

A pilot encounters deteriorating visibility while flying under visual flight rules. What is the safest general course of action?

  1. AContinue into worsening conditions because helicopter maneuverability makes visibility less important
  2. BUse an appropriate early option such as turning back or landing at a suitable location before conditions become unsafe
  3. CDescend below all obstacles to remain under the clouds
  4. DIncrease speed to get through the area quickly
Show answerCorrect answer: B

Continuing into deteriorating conditions can lead to loss of visual references and loss of control. Early decisions to turn back, divert, or land at a suitable location help preserve options; pilots must comply with applicable weather and operating rules.

Question 3

A pilot hears an unexpected change in engine sound during flight. What is the best initial approach?

  1. AIgnore it unless a warning light also appears.
  2. BMaintain aircraft control, assess relevant indications, and follow the aircraft's applicable procedures.
  3. CImmediately make an abrupt control input to test the engine.
  4. DAssume the engine has failed and shut it down without further assessment.
Show answerCorrect answer: B

A change in sound warrants attention, but the pilot should first maintain control and assess the situation using available indications and the aircraft's approved procedures. The appropriate response depends on the symptoms and aircraft guidance.

Question 4

In a conventional helicopter, what is the main effect of increasing collective pitch while maintaining approximately the same rotor RPM?

  1. AThe main rotor produces more lift, and engine power demand generally increases.
  2. BThe tail rotor automatically changes the direction of travel.
  3. CThe rotor blades produce less drag and require less engine power.
  4. DThe helicopter's center of gravity moves forward.
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Raising collective increases the pitch of all main rotor blades, generally increasing rotor thrust and lift. The greater aerodynamic load usually requires more engine power to maintain rotor RPM.

Question 5

Before operating near an unfamiliar airport, which resource is most useful for checking local procedures, frequencies, and airport information?

  1. ACurrent aeronautical charts and the applicable airport information publication or facility directory
  2. BA passenger's recollection of a previous visit
  3. CA road map alone
  4. DA weather report from a different region
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Current aeronautical publications provide information such as airport data, communications frequencies, and published procedures. Pilots should use current, appropriate sources and verify information as required for the flight.

Question 6

A helicopter pilot is operating near the published maximum allowable airspeed. What is the appropriate basis for determining whether the limit may be exceeded?

  1. AThe pilot’s estimate of how much control margin remains
  2. BThe applicable aircraft limitations and approved operating documentation
  3. CThe airspeed used by another helicopter of a similar appearance
  4. DWhether the engine is producing less than maximum power
Show answerCorrect answer: B

Aircraft limitations are specific to the make, model, and configuration. Pilots should observe the applicable approved limitations and operating guidance rather than extrapolating from another aircraft or subjective control feel.

Question 7

During a helicopter autorotation, what is the primary source of energy that keeps the main rotor turning after engine power is lost?

  1. AAir flowing upward through the rotor system as the helicopter descends
  2. BThe tail rotor driving the main rotor through the transmission
  3. CThe battery supplying power to the rotor blades
  4. DThe collective control mechanically winding the rotor system
Show answerCorrect answer: A

In autorotation, the descent produces upward airflow through the rotor disk. That airflow sustains rotor rotation, allowing the pilot to manage rotor energy for a landing. The specific procedure depends on the helicopter's approved flight manual.

How to use this practice test

Access is free. A session draws up to 20 random questions from the 50-question PHT practice bank, so a session may not include every subject example. Review the results after answering to identify which helicopter concepts or flight decisions need another pass.

Preparation tips

  • Explain how collective-pitch changes affect power demand, rotor RPM, and torque, and identify the control inputs used to manage those effects.
  • Review autorotation fundamentals, including how airflow through the rotor system supplies energy after engine power is lost.
  • Practice interpreting vertical speed indications and distinguishing instrument information from outside visual references needed for VFR flight.
  • Use airport publications and NOTAM examples to rehearse checking local procedures, frequencies, and temporary operational changes before departure.
  • Work through scenarios involving deteriorating visibility, unusual engine sounds, or operation near an airspeed limit; state a conservative next action and its basis.
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