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I have been working with the Sporty's course for a while, and doing their FAA Test preps. What are the chances that the questions I am learning on are the same on the actual test?

Are the questions on FAA Knowledge test different than what studied on Sporty's or any other Online Course?

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    $\begingroup$ Multiple guess test questions are diabolical if done properly. You have two obviously wrong answers, and two seemingly correct answers, that require you to really know the material to parse them and decide which one is the right one. If you don't know the material well enough, it's only a 50/50 chance you'll get it right. $\endgroup$
    – John K
    Jul 15, 2021 at 21:27

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The official answer is in an FAA FAQ:

The FAA does not publish actual knowledge test questions, in part because at least two independent studies indicate that publication of active questions could negatively affect learning and understanding, as well as undermine the validity of the knowledge test as an assessment tool.

The agency does provide sample knowledge tests on the FAA website. The questions in these sample tests are intended to help applicants understand the scope and type of knowledge that will be tested to qualify for the target certificate or rating. The goal is for applicants to devote their efforts to mastering the fundamental aeronautical knowledge necessary for safe operations in the National Airspace System (NAS) rather than to memorizing specific questions and answers.

The questions that you may have seen and studied in commercially-available materials have been developed by test preparation providers for similar reasons – that is, to enable applicants to study concepts and practice calculations specified in the 14 CFR part 61 “aeronautical knowledge” requirements for each airman certificate or rating. These are not, and should not be represented to be, “real” questions.

In some cases, unscrupulous test preparation providers have sought to obtain actual test questions by overtly or otherwise encouraging knowledge test takers to share information about actual questions and possible answers immediately after taking the knowledge test. The FAA has taken action against such companies. You should also be aware that an applicant’s participation in such practices could be a violation of 14 CFR part 61, section 61.37

The unofficial answer is that third-party study aid questions are extremely - or suspiciously - close to the real test questions. At least one provider even guarantees that they're the same. Clearly that's only possible because providers are getting the questions from somewhere, but I imagine they don't want to talk much about it.

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  • $\begingroup$ The FAA had the entire question bank available for public view once, back in the 90s or so. Something like 500 or 1000. I guess that ended some time ago. $\endgroup$
    – John K
    Jul 15, 2021 at 21:28
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The questions are the same, though the answers identified as being "correct" may be different in a few rare instances.

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    $\begingroup$ uh oh...thats scary. Does that mean, the answers we get from Sports/ or study aids are wrong sometimes? $\endgroup$
    – Jesh Kundem
    Jul 16, 2021 at 0:32
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    $\begingroup$ Even more scary: the answers from the FAA might be wrong sometimes. $\endgroup$
    – alephzero
    Jul 16, 2021 at 3:21

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