SPC Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the SPC exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 SPC Exam Format at a Glance
📚 SPC Topics to Study (15)
✍️ Sample SPC Questions & Answers
1. According to 14 CFR Part 91, a pilot is prohibited from acting as a crewmember of a civil aircraft within how many hours of consuming any alcoholic beverage?
14 CFR § 91.17 states that no person may act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft within 8 hours after the consumption of any alcoholic beverage. The regulation also prohibits flying with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04% or greater or while under the influence of alcohol.
2. You are a student pilot planning a flight to a nearby airport that lies within Class D airspace. What is the minimum requirement before you can enter this airspace?
To operate in Class D airspace, a pilot must establish two-way radio communication with the Air Traffic Control facility providing air traffic services prior to entering the airspace and maintain that communication while within the airspace. A specific clearance is not required, unlike in Class B airspace.
3. You are approaching a non-towered airport to land. On which frequency should you self-announce your position and intentions?
The Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) is the designated frequency for pilots to communicate and self-announce their positions and intentions at an airport without an operating control tower. This allows pilots in the area to maintain situational awareness and sequence themselves safely.
4. Which of the following is a primary symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can result from a faulty aircraft cabin heating system?
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that, when inhaled, prevents the blood from carrying oxygen. Early symptoms often include headache, dizziness, and drowsiness. Bluish discoloration (cyanosis) is a sign of severe hypoxia, while tingling sensations are characteristic of hyperventilation.
5. What is the standard traffic pattern direction at most uncontrolled airports?
Most uncontrolled airports follow a left-hand traffic pattern for safety and consistency.
6. A student pilot receives the necessary training and endorsements to fly solo in the local area. How long is the initial solo endorsement in the student's logbook valid for?
As stated in 14 CFR 61.87(n), a student pilot may not operate an aircraft in solo flight unless they have received an endorsement in their logbook from an authorized instructor who gave the training within the preceding 90 days. This endorsement must be updated every 90 days.