Keep or Destroy Student Written Exam.

[UndauntedFlyer]

So what is you opinion on this? You have just administered a pre-solo written exam and your student has passed. You have endorsed the student's log to this effect.

Should you make sure the actual test is kept for some period of time or should you just throw it out?

 

[GravityHater]

Scan it and keep it. Just never admit to having it til subpoened!

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

Sounds like a good idea. That kind of information, or the lack thereof will only be used against you. All that's required is the fact that the test was passed and the endorsement to that effect. Keeping it is only asking for problems, but storing it electronically as a last resort is probably a good idea.

 

[CFIse]

Sounds like a good idea. That kind of information, or the lack thereof will only be used against you. All that's required is the fact that the test was passed and the endorsement to that effect. Keeping it is only asking for problems, but storing it electronically as a last resort is probably a good idea.

You either have it or you don't. If having it will cause you problems then it doesn't mater if it's the hard copy, electronic, or digitally processed and printed on a banana - if having it is a problem then you have a problem.

In my opinion NOT having it looks like you have something to hide, and while you can't be hung by that, people will only start looking harder for something else. So I'd keep it (I did keep all mine) but as previously pointed out, don't volunteer it until asked.

 

[iflyjets4food]

Keep it until said student is no longer going solo (i.e. private pilot or quits flying completely). If you have something to hide about your pre-solo written, you shouldn't be giving it to students anyway. I would never give a pre-solo exam to a student that I wouldn't give to an FAA inspector.

 

[nosehair]

Keep it until said student is no longer going solo (i.e. private pilot or quits flying completely). If you have something to hide about your pre-solo written, you shouldn't be giving it to students anyway. I would never give a pre-solo exam to a student that I wouldn't give to an FAA inspector.

I am going to keep it until the student is no longer my student...at least. I will use it to document that the required training was done.If the stdent violates a reg, and tells the FAA you never taught him, your written test should show ample proof that you did.

The test itself does not require an "endorsement". The regulation only says that the test must be administered and corrected by the student's authorized instructor. If the student has an accident or violation, I would expect the FAA (and possibly insurance people) to see the pre-solo knowledge test to verify that the required knowledge was demonstrated at one time.

 

[rickair7777]

I'm not a lawyer, and this is just my opinion...

Unfortunately, a plaintiff's attorney will pick holes in ANY sort of documentation orr evidence, regardless of how correct, complete, or reasonable it is.

If you are subpoened, then it is probably in your best interest not to have documents that you are not required to keep. My former boss' wife had standing orders to destroy his logbooks if he was killed in a crash.

It is possible that you may want to reference certain documents for your own benefit in the future...the best sort of document to have would be one that is available to you, but not to a plaintiff's attorney...

 

[Flyerjosh]

Remember that the general statue of limitations for CFIs (in the FAA's mind) is 3 years. I kept all of the documentation from flights with students (including copies of their flight records and written exams that were corrected to 100%) for 3 years after my last flight with them.

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

There is no requirement to keep the pre-solo written exam for any period of time.

I would have no concern regarding showing a test that I would administer to anyone.

The problem only comes in the event that your student is somehow in an accident such as a mid-air collision with a corporate jet making a straight in ILS after the crew had announced the OM inbound. If your pre-solo written exam didn't have a question relating to what it means if an aircraft reports the OM then fault can be found with the CFI for not including this as a local area question.

There can always be an "expert" found somewhere who will say that such a question as well as a thousand others should be on the test and that such a question, if included in the test, would have prevented the accident. So you see, it is impossible to foresee every question that could prevent an accident and what you don’t ask can and will be used against you in the event of an accident.

So I say destroy the test, but be able to find it somehow, if necessary.