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CFI endorsements: the PPL track
Every endorsement a CFI gives on the road from first solo to the private pilot checkride, in AC 61-65K’s own words — the verbatim template, the FAR it satisfies, and what expires when, cited to the rule. The A-numbers are the AC’s own appendix numbers; the sheet orders them by where they fall in training.
What these are — in the AC’s words
AC 61-65K, Appendix A, Sample Endorsements“The following examples are recommended sample endorsements for use by authorized instructors when endorsing logbooks, or other means found acceptable to the Administrator for airmen applying for a knowledge or practical test, or when certifying accomplishment of requirements for pilot operating privileges.”
“Each endorsement must be legible and include the instructor’s signature, date of signature, certificated flight instructor (CFI) or certificated ground instructor certificate number, and flight instructor recent experience (RE) end date or certificate expiration date, as applicable.”
1 · Before the first solo
FAA GUIDANCEThe citizenship record the TSA rule demands before training, then the two endorsements every student needs before any solo — plus the night add-on for students who will solo after dark.
A.14Endorsement of U.S. citizenship recommended by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
“The flight instructor must keep a copy of the documents used to provide proof of citizenship for 5 years or make the following endorsement in the student’s logbook and the instructor’s logbook or other record used to record flight student endorsements with the following:” — the AC’s own heading note
I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has presented me a [type of document presented, such as a U.S. birth certificate or U.S. passport, and the relevant control or sequential number on the document, if any] establishing that they are a U.S. citizen or national in accordance with 49 CFR § 1552.7(a).
Satisfies: 49 CFR § 1552.15(c)
A.3Pre-solo aeronautical knowledge
I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has satisfactorily completed the pre-solo knowledge test of 14 CFR § 61.87(b) for the [make and model (M/M)] aircraft.
Satisfies: 14 CFR § 61.87(b)
Duration / limits: No expiration stated in § 61.87(b). The knowledge test is per make and model — a new make and model means a new test and a new endorsement.
A.4Pre-solo flight training
I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has received and logged pre-solo flight training for the maneuvers and procedures that are appropriate to the [M/M] aircraft. I have determined they have demonstrated satisfactory proficiency and safety on the maneuvers and procedures required by 14 CFR § 61.87 in this or similar make and model of aircraft to be flown.
Satisfies: 14 CFR § 61.87(c)(1) and (2)
Duration / limits: No expiration stated in § 61.87(c). The 90-day clock lives on the solo endorsement (A.6), not on this one.
A.5Pre-solo flight training at night
“Flight training must be received within the 90-calendar-day period preceding the date of the flight.” — the AC’s own heading note
I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has received flight training at night on night flying procedures that include takeoffs, approaches, landings, and go-arounds at night at the [airport name] airport where the solo flight will be conducted; navigation training at night in the vicinity of the [airport name] airport where the solo flight will be conducted. This endorsement expires 90 calendar days from the date the flight training at night was received.
Satisfies: 14 CFR § 61.87(o)
Duration / limits: A 90-day clock, run from the training: § 61.87(o)(3) requires an instructor “who gave the training within the 90-day period preceding the date of the flight” — and the training is airport-specific: at the airport where the solo flight will be conducted.
2 · Solo, and keeping solo current
FAA GUIDANCEThe endorsement that makes the first 90 days of solo legal, the one that renews it, and the one that opens up a nearby airport for pattern work.
A.6Solo flight (first 90-calendar-day period)
I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has received the required training to qualify for solo flying. I have determined they meet the applicable requirements of 14 CFR § 61.87(n) and are proficient to make solo flights in [M/M].
Satisfies: 14 CFR § 61.87(n)
Duration / limits: § 61.87(n): the endorsement must be “for the specific make and model aircraft to be flown by an authorized instructor who gave the training within the 90 days preceding the date of the flight” — the 90 days run from the training, and it is make-and-model specific.
A.7Solo flight (each additional 90-calendar-day period)
I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has received the required training to qualify for solo flying. I have determined that they meet the applicable requirements of 14 CFR § 61.87(p) and are proficient to make solo flights in [M/M].
Satisfies: 14 CFR § 61.87(p)
Duration / limits: § 61.87(p)(4): the solo endorsement “remains current for solo flight privileges, provided an authorized instructor updates the student's logbook every 90 days thereafter” — so this endorsement recurs every 90 days for as long as the student solos.
A.8Solo takeoffs and landings at another airport within 25 nautical miles (NM)
I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has received the required training of 14 CFR § 61.93(b)(1). I have determined that they are proficient to practice solo takeoffs and landings at [airport name]. The takeoffs and landings at [airport name] are subject to the following conditions: [List any applicable conditions or limitations.]
Satisfies: 14 CFR § 61.93(b)(1)
Duration / limits: No expiration of its own in § 61.93(b)(1), but it is single-purpose: “The purpose of the flight is to practice takeoffs and landings at that other airport.” (§ 61.93(b)(1)(v)) — and § 61.93(b)(1)(iii) still requires a current § 61.87 solo endorsement (A.6/A.7).
3 · Solo cross-country
FAA GUIDANCEOne endorsement for the training, one for every individual flight's planning — and the repeated-route exception that replaces the per-flight review inside 50 NM.
A.9Solo cross-country flight
I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has received the required solo cross-country training. I find they have met the applicable requirements of 14 CFR § 61.93 and are proficient to make solo cross-country flights in a [M/M] aircraft, [aircraft category].
Satisfies: 14 CFR § 61.93(c)(1) and (2)
Duration / limits: No expiration stated in § 61.93(c)(1)–(2). Two scopes in one: an endorsement “for the specific category of aircraft to be flown” (c)(1) and one “for the specific make and model of aircraft to be flown” (c)(2) — the AC's sample covers both by naming M/M and category. Each individual flight still needs A.10.
A.10Solo cross-country flight
I have reviewed the cross-country planning of [First name, MI, Last name]. I find the planning and preparation to be correct to make the solo flight from [origination airport] to [origination airport] via [route of flight] with landings at [names of the airports] in a [M/M] aircraft on [date]. [List any applicable conditions or limitations.]
Satisfies: 14 CFR § 61.93(c)(3)
Duration / limits: Good for the one flight it names, on the date it names: § 61.93(c)(3) — “For each cross-country flight, the authorized instructor who reviews the cross-country planning must make an endorsement in the person's logbook after reviewing that person's cross-country planning”. (The doubled [origination airport] blank is the AC's own text — verified against the PDF.)
A.11Repeated solo cross-country flights not more than 50 NM from the point of departure
I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has received the required training in both directions between and at both [airport names]. I have determined that they are proficient of 14 CFR § 61.93(b)(2) to conduct repeated solo cross-country flights over that route, subject to the following conditions: [List any applicable conditions or limitations.]
Satisfies: 14 CFR § 61.93(b)(2)
Duration / limits: The exception to A.10: § 61.93(b)(2)(iv) — “for repeated solo cross country flights to another airport within 50 nautical miles from which the flight originated, separate endorsements are not required to be made for each flight”. Route-specific; a current § 61.87 solo endorsement is still required (§ 61.93(b)(2)(iii)).
4 · Class B airspace (situational)
FAA GUIDANCETwo separate endorsements — one for the airspace area, one for an airport inside it — each on its own 90-day clock.
A.12Solo flight in Class B airspace
I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has received the required training of 14 CFR § 61.95(a). I have determined they are proficient to conduct solo flights in [name of Class B] airspace. [List any applicable conditions or limitations.]
Satisfies: 14 CFR § 61.95(a)
Duration / limits: 90 days, run from the endorsement date, per Class B area: § 61.95(a)(2) requires that “the endorsement is dated within the 90-day period preceding the date of the flight in that Class B airspace area”.
A.13Solo flight to, from, or at an airport located in Class B airspace
I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has received the required training of 14 CFR § 61.95(b)(1). I have determined that they are proficient to conduct solo flight operations at [name of airport]. [List any applicable conditions or limitations.]
Satisfies: 14 CFR § 61.95(b) · 14 CFR § 91.131(b)(1)
Duration / limits: 90 days, run from the endorsement date, per airport: § 61.95(b)(2) requires that “the endorsement is dated within the 90-day period preceding the date of the flight at that airport”.
5 · The knowledge test and the checkride
FAA GUIDANCEThe endorsement that admits the student to the knowledge test, then the practical-test set: the § 61.39 prerequisites pair and the § 61.103 practical-test endorsement the AC requires alongside them.
A.36Aeronautical knowledge test
I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has received the required training in accordance with 14 CFR § 61.105. I have determined they are prepared for the [name of] knowledge test.
Satisfies: 14 CFR § 61.35(a)(1) · 14 CFR § 61.103(d) · 14 CFR § 61.105
Duration / limits: No expiration stated for the endorsement itself. The test it admits the student to has one: § 61.39(a)(1)(i) requires the knowledge test be passed “Within the 24-calendar-month period preceding the month the applicant completes the practical test”.
A.1Prerequisites for practical test
I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has received and logged training time within 2 calendar months preceding the month of application in preparation for the practical test and they are prepared for the required practical test for the issuance of [applicable] certificate.
Satisfies: 14 CFR § 61.39(a)(6)(i) and (ii)
Duration / limits: § 61.39(a)(6)(i): the training it certifies must be “within 2 calendar months preceding the month of application” — a calendar-month clock, not 60 days.
A.2Review of deficiencies identified on airman knowledge test
I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of the subject areas in which they were deficient on the [applicable] airman knowledge test.
Satisfies: 14 CFR § 61.39(a)(6)(iii)
Duration / limits: The AC's heading marks it “as required”: § 61.39(a)(6)(iii) applies only where the applicant “was deficient on the airman knowledge test” — a 100% knowledge test needs no A.2.
A.37Flight proficiency/practical test
“The endorsement for a practical test is required in addition to the 14 CFR § 61.39 endorsements provided in paragraphs A.1 and A.2.” — the AC’s own heading note
I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has received the required training in accordance with 14 CFR §§ 61.107 and 61.109. I have determined they are prepared for the [name of] practical test.
Satisfies: 14 CFR § 61.103(f) · 14 CFR § 61.107(b) · 14 CFR § 61.109
Duration / limits: No expiration stated in the cited sections. The recency clock rides on A.1, which the AC's own headnote above makes a required companion — so a checkride applicant shows up with A.37, A.1, and (if the knowledge test had misses) A.2.
Before you sign A.36 or A.37
An endorsement is a certification, not a favor. Run a practice oral first and score it by ACS task, so the readiness call you sign your number to is backed by evidence.
Mock-Oral Scorecard — a CFI’s scoring sheet for a practice oral, laid out by ACS Area of Operation.
Pre-Solo Test Template — the knowledge test A.3 certifies, framed as the regulation frames it, with the required areas quoted.
Badges.REGULATION quoted from 14 or 49 CFR.FAA GUIDANCE quoted from the AIM, an AC, or an FAA handbook — advice, not law.POH/AFM your aircraft’s own records govern.TECHNIQUE our voice — how to think about it.Text outside quotation marks is ours, whatever badge sits nearby.
Source. Endorsement templates and heading notes quoted verbatim from AC 61-65K, Appendix A (issued 2025-11-14, Active), retrieved 2026-08-31 from faa.gov. Frozen artifacts: reference/AC-61-65K.pdf (sha256 34c255d17ffa65c4…) and its pdftotext (poppler 25.07.0) -layout, full path text extraction (sha256 1bd350245752c634…). Duration and limit claims are quoted from 14 CFR §§ 61.39, 61.87, 61.93 and 61.95 at eCFR issue date 2026-08-24, each frozen under reference/ with its hash recorded in this page’s source. Check the current AC and the current regulation before relying on any of it.
This is a study aid, not authority. The AC’s samples are recommended wording — the regulation each endorsement satisfies is the requirement. The student-pilot endorsements for sport and recreational applicants (A.15–A.16), the sport- and recreational-pilot endorsements (A.17–A.35), and everything after the private certificate are out of scope here.
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