Sporty’s Most Frequently Missed Test Questions—Fall 2025
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Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course analyzes thousands of simulated exams each month, and the latest batch showed a noticeable change in where pilots are getting tripped up. Airport markings, aerodynamic fundamentals, night flight rules, and even approach-and-landing technique questions topped the list—areas that can feel simple at first glance but hold plenty of nuance. Use these commonly missed questions to target the weak spots before test day. Here are this season’s top offenders.
Extending the flaps:
Correct!
Wrong!
What is the purpose of the runway/runway hold position sign?
Correct!
Wrong!
What condition applies when taking off at a high density altitude?
Correct!
Wrong!
When performing an approach and landing to a soft field, what is the proper approach angle?
Correct!
Wrong!
During a night flight, you observe a steady white light and a flashing red light ahead and at the same altitude. What is the general direction of movement of the other aircraft?
Correct!
Wrong!
Sporty's Most Frequently Missed Test Questions—Fall 2025 (bis)
You got out of 5 right!
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Thanks for the article on missed questions. I think I know why one of them is often missed: there is no correct answer provided. I believe the answer you provide for the high density altitude question is incorrect. First, a high density altitude has **lower** air density, not higher. More importantly, it is dangerous and not recommended to use a higher angle of attack to compensate for the lower air density. If we use the indicated airspeed recommended in the POH, just like we would at lower density altitudes, we will have sufficient airspeed to lift off at a safe angle of attack.
The challenge with high density altitude is that it requires a higher **true** airspeed to achieve the required **indicated** airspeed for liftoff. This typically requires a longer ground roll than it would at low density altitude. Note that the indicated airspeed is proportional to the air density and the square of true airspeed; for example, at a pressure altitude of 7000 ft with standard temperature, the density is 0.81 times the value at sea level; this means the true airspeed must be 1.11 times the value at sea level in order to achieve the same indicated airspeed (0.81 x 1.11^2) = 1.0
OMG those are crappy questions!
Test questions can serve many purposes. Some validate the training, others are meant to validate the test itself. I can’t tell from these questions what the writer is actually testing. If the intent is to test a student’s knowledge, and therefore whether learning has occurred, then I don’t think these questions are appropriate. Consider the question regarding runway hold position markers. It appears to be testing learning at the rote level. The more appropriate way to word this question would be to ask what a pilot should do when approaching the marker. And the question regarding density altitude is nonsensical. As Mr. Mayhew notes in his comment, the explanation is erroneous. This is another question testing rote knowledge that offers a pilot no operational benefit. How does knowing high density altitudes increase induced drag help a pilot planning a takeoff from a high density altitude airport? This is minutia that serves no purpose.
I agree with the two comments posted above. In addition, the last question shows a picture of an airplane crossing to the right even thought the question itself relates to an airplane flying away from the observer. Strange questions. Who was/were the authors of the questions? Are these taken from Sporty’s instructional materials or an FAA exam?
The purpose of a runway/runway hold position sign is not to “denote intersecting runways”. The purpose of a runway/runway hold position sign is to let you know that you are approaching a runway, period. There will be a sign like this if you are on a taxiway that intersects a runway. There will be signs like this at airports that don’t have intersecting runways.
Induced drag question, second sentence: Would it be clearer to say ‘To compensate for the higher density altitude’…, or ‘To compensate for the lower air density’…?