In rec.aviation.soaring Jim Logajan wrote:
Michael Ash wrote:

In rec.aviation.soaring Jim Logajan wrote:
"The Private Pilot on line course endorsement is for the private
pilot fixed wing test.

Glider information is not covered in the course and the endorsement
will not include glider."

The "fixed wing" part kinda threw me - and now I'm even more
confused. I had no idea the tests had yet another classification -
one in which gliders aren't fixed wing aircraft! Geez - I hope there
aren't any questions on the FAA knowledge tests about the FAA
knowledge tests - at this point I'd flunk! :-)

Don't let it throw you, I'm pretty sure they're just using
"fixed-wing" to mean that it's not for helicopters and such.

I wonder if I should ask Sporty's or King Schools for the template they
use for their endorsements. All their ads (and websites) claim their
courses are for "Private Pilot" - no "airplane" qualifier obvious to me,
anyway. No doubt they believe that goes without saying in their airplane-
centric world.

There's probably no point. I'm sure the materials are for the airplane
test, and no doubt the endorsement is as well. It wouldn't hurt to ask,
but unless they're supplying glider-specific test prep, they're probably
not supplying glider test endorsements. Wouldn't hurt to ask them though.

I can't answer your original question as to just how specific the
endorsement was. But I just wanted to throw in that my instructor was
happy letting me go off and study on my own for a while with various
materials, including the big cheating test-prep book with the entire
question bank in it, and then he signed me off when I said that I was
done and ready to take the test. Depending on your instructor and your
learning style this may not be appropriate for you, but for me at
least this preparation was more than sufficient.

I briefly discussed the knowledge test endorsement issue up with my
principal CFI during the summer but due to the informal setting after
flights and my leisurely pace, I didn't look into the matter more deeply
till now. I think I've allowed the deceptive nature of the Sporty's/King
ads to confuse me - and the response from Sporty's support is even more
confusing, since there doesn't appear to be any FAA "fixed wing" test.

I'll have to contact my principal CFI-G and discuss with her what I
should do to get her endorsement. I can't rely on any endorsement issued
by Sporty's or King Schools courses to be valid for taking that exam, and
that it's a long wait for the next ground school.

Sounds like the way to go. He may not press you too hard. My conversation
was pretty much just, "did you go through everything?" "yep" "are you
ready for the test?" "yep" "ok, gimme that endorsement and I'll sign it".
Of course not every CFIG will be quite so laid back.

(For what it's worth, just in case anyone is thinking that he was too lax,
I did quite well on the test.)

--
Mike Ash
Radio Free Earth
Broadcasting from our climate-controlled studios deep inside the Moon