What Documents Are Managed

The document system handles all files uploaded by applicants for a checkride. An applicant gives each file one of these types:

  • FAA Form 8710-1 — The applicant uploads a PDF copy of the form. The platform extracts the applicant and instructor information, redacts the SSN and the instructor's wet signature, and lets the applicant, instructor, and you sign it digitally. See Reviewing and Signing the 8710-1.
  • Knowledge Test Report — The applicant's Airman Knowledge Test Report, as the PDF the testing center issued or a photo of it. The platform reads the test, score, grade, exam date, name and FTN, and fills the result into the checklist's item for that test, checking it only for a pass that will still be valid on the checkride date. It lists the code for every area the applicant answered incorrectly with what it covers: the ACS element, area and task, or for a test still built on a PTS, the learning statement. Those are the areas you evaluate on the practical test. A code from an older ACS revision shows the text it had then. It warns when the name or FTN does not match the applicant's account, when the result is a failure, and when the report is for a test the checklist does not accept (such as the shorter AFA test on an initial flight instructor checkride, which calls for the FIA).
  • Letter of Discontinuance — From an earlier practical test that was discontinued.
  • Notice of Disapproval — From an earlier practical test that was failed.
  • Verification of Authenticity Letter — For a foreign license.
  • Other — Anything else, such as endorsement pages, a medical certificate or a scenario's planning.

How Documents Are Organized

Every document is associated with a specific checkride, not just the applicant's account. Each checkride has its own document set, so files stay organized even across discontinuances and reschedules. When an applicant accepts a checkride offer, any documents they previously uploaded to the matching Checkride Prep are promoted to the new checkride automatically — they will already be present when you open the checkride. Up to ten documents may be attached to any one checkride, and only one FAA Form 8710-1 is permitted per checkride.

Applicant Upload Flow

Document flow is one-way: applicants upload, and DPEs review. The process works as follows:

  1. The applicant opens their checkride, or their Checkride Prep, and clicks Attach Document in its documents section.
  2. They choose the file and its type, and upload it. The file is securely associated with the checkride.
  3. It appears under Attached Documents on the checkride for you to review. You aren't sent a message about it, so look at upcoming checkrides now and then.

Reviewing Documents

Access uploaded documents under Attached Documents on the checkride detail page. Click a document's name to open it in a new tab, where your browser shows images and PDFs, or its download button to save it.

Attached Documents on a checkride: a Letter of Discontinuance with its type, size and date, and a download button
Attached Documents on a checkride: a Letter of Discontinuance with its type, size and date, and a download button
Review documents as soon as they are uploaded — not the day before the checkride. Early review gives applicants time to fix issues. Late review means problems discovered at the last minute may force a reschedule.

Supported File Types

Applicants usually upload JPG, PNG, or PDF files, which open in the browser. An 8710-1 must be the PDF from IACRA for the platform to read it.

Storage and Security

Documents are stored in encrypted cloud storage (Amazon S3). Only the DPE and applicant associated with a checkride can access its documents — no other users can view them. All access requires authentication and documents are not publicly indexable.

The document verification you perform in the platform is a preliminary review to catch issues early. It does not replace the in-person document check required on checkride day per 14 CFR 61.47. Always verify original documents in person before beginning the practical test.