What is the difference between a checkride and a general flight test?

• A. A flight test is the FAA-certification flight test for a specific rating or certificate.
• B. A checkride is a casual practice flight with no certification implications.
• C. A checkride is the FAA-certification flight test for a specific rating or certificate.
• D. There is no difference between a checkride and a general flight test.

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is that a checkride is the official FAA-certification flight test for a specific rating or certificate. It’s conducted by a designated examiner and includes both an oral portion and a flight portion, with the outcome determining whether you earn that rating or certificate. A general flight test, on the other hand, is simply a flight done for practice, training, or proficiency and does not by itself grant FAA certification. It may be conducted by an instructor and isn’t tied to issuing a certificate. So the difference comes down to official certification status and the examiner’s role: the checkride is the sanctioned route to obtain the rating, while a general flight test is informal and does not certify. The other options describe the test inaccurately as casual practice, claim there’s no difference, or generalize “flight test” to certification, which isn’t correct.