The FAA has released data on the volume of knowledge test delivery in 2024, including overall volume and for all the specific tests the FAA offers for certificates and ratings. This data set is always a little bit of an indicator on what we might see for last year’s airman certification efforts, and potentially a window into what we might expect to see in the upcoming year also as these tests are precursors to the next steps in certification.

With that intro, let’s look at a couple of highlights I noted quickly.

Overall Test Volume UP

When we look at overall test volume of all tests that the FAA offers, we again see the total volume of tests is up from the previous year. The chart below shows the huge spike that happened around 2019 as the FAA launched tests for unmanned aircraft systems and a new class of pilots was launched, but even after that initial dip the next year we are seeing overall test volume increasing year-to-year. continued strong pilot certification efforts are driving pilots to keep pushing through knowledge testing requirements and that keeps driving the overall number of tests up yearly in the past years.

It is worth noting that when we look at the overall knowledge test volume this includes everything from those ATP Canadian Helicopter Conversion tests (of which there were only 13 test takers) to the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small test (which included a much larger number of test takers, 67,576) and everything in between. Even those 6 Sport Pilot Gyroplane, 20 Recreational Pilot, and the 1,1375 Aircraft Dispatcher test takers to call out only a few of the tests. It also includes the 1,118 mechanics that took the Inspection Authorization test.

Most Primary Testing Knowledge Tests Volume Continue Increase

When we split out some of the specific tests that I track every year, specifically the Private Pilot Airplane, Instrument Rating Airplane, Commercial Pilot Airplane ATP (Single- and Multi-engine) Airplane, Flight Instructor Airplane, and Sport Pilot Airplane, we see that most of these have continued to trend upward.

This next chart shows each of these over the past few years, beginning in 2002 through this past year, 2024.

We do note that private pilot knowledge testing numbers didn’t increase at the same rate as recent years, and this might be an indicator of the system hitting maximum training capacity. It also might be an indicator or stabilizing entrant numbers for private pilot certification. From this particular data, I can’t tell you if it is either or both, but I suspect it has elements of both of those factors. We do see that Commercial Pilot, Instrument Rating, and CFI volumes continued to increase again. Sport pilot knowledge tests remain a very small portion of the test volume, a testament to the fact that this remains to be a small demand sector in aviation training. This may see some change in upcoming years if MOSAIC is finalized and sport pilots are eligible to fly a wider variety of aircraft; something we will watch if that change is finalized.

ATP Knowledge Tests Volume Decreases

A standout in the data points is that ATP knowledge test volume decreased in 2024 from 2023, and even dipped below the 2022 volume. As many airlines paused hiring, are in the process of restructuring routes, awaiting aircraft deliveries, and many other factors, it does seem that the demand for ATP knowledge testing did drop slightly. You can see the volume trend in the next chart.

In another post I made recently, How many ATP certificates in 2024?, I highlighted some of the trends specifically on ATP certificate issuance in 2024. Many of those who completed these certifications may have even completed their knowledge testing requirements back in 2023, so seeing a dip in 2024 ATP knowledge test volume seems to be an indicator we may see a slightly lower volume of final certificate completions in 2025 if that knowledge test volume doesn’t increase again.

All of these data points are just part of our picture of the training flow in our industry and the demands upon it, but they do help us see some trends. In the next few weeks we will see additional information including the airman certification data for 2024, and I will surely share that with you and some insights when it comes out and I have a bit to dig through it.

To see a more tabular representation of all of the data points used in this post, here is where it comes from in the following chart: