FAR 141.65 — Examining Authority Privileges

FAR 141.65 spells out the special privilege granted to a Part 141 pilot school that holds examining authority. Most pilot applicants must pass an FAA knowledge test (the written) and a practical test (the checkride with a DPE) to earn a certificate or rating. But a school with examining authority is trusted by the FAA to evaluate its own students at a high enough standard that those tests can be waived.

Under this section, such a school may:

• Recommend a graduate of its approved course for the appropriate pilot, flight instructor, or ground instructor certificate or rating
• Do so without the graduate taking the FAA knowledge test or practical test

This privilege only applies to graduates of that school's specific approved course, and it must be exercised in accordance with the rest of Subpart D. Operationally, this matters because it streamlines certification for students at top-tier schools — but it also means the school's internal testing standards must mirror what the FAA would otherwise administer.