FAA CAX
·Updated August 2026
CAX Knowledge Test — Study Plan from the Free FAA Corpus
Commercial study builds on private-pilot knowledge with commercial regulations, airplane systems, and performance calculations. Our ACS text comparison found PAR matches for about 86% of CAX elements. That measures shared wording, not exam questions or weighting. Use practice results to decide which topics need review.
Test format
100 multiple-choice questions, 2.5 hours, passing score 70%. Taken at PSI testing centers, with embedded images and access to CT-8080-1E until its announced removal. Minimum age 16 for the written (18 for the certificate).
About 86% of CAX ACS element texts matched PAR in our comparison. Text overlap does not determine how much study you need.
CY2025 pass rate: 99.17%; average score: 91.25%. These statistics do not identify why candidates pass or fail.
Performance and weight-and-balance computations from the CT-8080-1E supplement reward practiced chart work under time.
CY2025: 20,530 tests, 99.17% pass rate, 91.25% average score (FAA AKT Volume Report). The CAX passing score is 70%. Verify current testing details at faa.gov/training_testing before scheduling.
Commercial pilot tests already use embedded images. Printed supplements remain available until the FAA announces their removal. See the August 2026 FAA testing advisory.
CAX knowledge areas
These study topics summarize the FAA Airman Certification Standards and source handbooks. Consult the applicable standards and references for the complete requirements.
Commercial Regulations and Privileges
What a commercial certificate actually lets you do — the most commercially-specific domain.
Airplane Systems and Performance
Complex-airplane systems and the performance charts asked at commercial depth.
Advanced Aerodynamics and Maneuvers
The aerodynamic reasoning behind the commercial maneuver set.
Weather and Cross-Country Planning
PAR-level weather and navigation, re-asked with commercial scenario framing.
ADM, Night Operations, and Aeromedical
Decision-making and physiology at the depth the commercial ACS demands.
exclam.ai does not reproduce FAA test questions. Area names and focus points above are paraphrased from the publicly published ACS at faa.gov.
Free FAA corpus for the CAX
These official FAA handbooks and standards provide a starting source list. The ACS also references regulations, the AIM, advisory circulars, charts, and aircraft-specific POH/AFM material. Use the references applicable to your test alongside these documents.
The base aeronautical-knowledge text: aerodynamics, systems, performance, airspace, navigation, and weather theory.
Maneuvers, takeoffs and landings, emergency procedures, and night operations — the flight-procedure half of the written.
The consolidated weather reference — theory, hazards, and every weather product the ACS references.
Weight-and-balance theory and computation problems, a fixture of the commercial written.
The official test blueprint: every CAX question maps to a knowledge element in this document.
How exclam.ai helps with the CAX
Study the real handbooks
The FAA PDFs above are free to study. Upload them with the additional references your test requires, and exclam.ai builds a reading plan.
Quizzes mapped to the source
Practice questions and quick checks generated from the handbooks themselves, mapped to the 5 CAX knowledge areas. Every answer traces back to a page.
A dated daily plan
~55 hours of weighted coverage paced to your test date, with review of weak areas and recomputation when you fall behind.
CAX questions
How long should I study for the CAX?
For a current private pilot, 4-6 weeks of weighted review is typical. exclam.ai’s composed plan allocates ~55 hours, weighted toward the commercial-only material rather than a full PHAK re-read.
Is the CAX harder than the private written?
CY2025 pass rates were 99.17% for CAX and 89.56% for PAR. Different candidates take these tests, so pass rates alone do not establish relative difficulty. Check both familiar topics and commercial requirements with practice.
What is actually new vs the private written?
Review commercial privileges and limitations, common and private carriage, airplane systems, and performance calculations. Our text comparison found no PAR match for about 14% of CAX elements. This is a wording comparison, not an estimate of new exam questions.
Do I need a paid question bank?
The FAA publishes the blueprint (ACS) and the source handbooks free. exclam.ai generates practice questions mapped to those sources. If you also own a commercial bank, upload your notes alongside.
Start your CAX plan today
Upload the free FAA handbooks or your own ground-school notes and exclam.ai builds an adaptive daily plan around your test date.
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