Instrument Rating (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan
Instrument Rating (Helicopter) • ACS Area I, Task A
The Instrument Rating (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan covers the knowledge, risk management, and flight skills required by FAA-S-ACS-14.
Introduction
- Attention Getter: Present an IFR helicopter operation in which small errors, changing weather, automation, or workload can rapidly erode terrain, obstacle, power, or control margins.
- Objective: To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with requirements to act as pilot-in-command under instrument flight rules.
Materials
- FAA-S-ACS-14.
- Model-specific Rotorcraft Flight Manual, approved checklist, IFR supplements, and installed-equipment guides.
- Task references: 14 CFR part 61; AC 68-1; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-15, FAA-H-8083-21, FAA-H-8083-25
Instructor Actions
- Teach the task progressively in realistic helicopter IFR context and preserve aircraft control, obstacle clearance, power margin, and workload capacity.
- Teach and assess the following knowledge elements:
- Certification requirements, recency of experience, and recordkeeping. (IH.I.A.K1)
- Privileges and limitations. (IH.I.A.K2)
- Part 68 BasicMed privileges and limitations. (IH.I.A.K3)
- Use realistic helicopter IFR scenarios to teach and assess the following risk-management elements:
- Proficiency versus currency. (IH.I.A.R1)
- Personal minimums. (IH.I.A.R2)
- Fitness for flight and physiological factors that might affect the pilot’s ability to fly under instrument conditions. (IH.I.A.R3)
- Flying unfamiliar helicopters or operating with unfamiliar flight display systems and avionics. (IH.I.A.R4)
- Demonstrate, coach, and assess the following skills:
- Apply requirements to act as pilot-in-command (PIC) under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) in a scenario given by the evaluator. (IH.I.A.S1)
- Syllabus Objective Coverage:
- Explain certification requirements, recency of experience, and recordkeeping.
- Explain the privileges and limitations of an instrument rating for acting as pilot in command under IFR or in weather below VFR minimums in a helicopter.
- Apply instrument-rating privileges and limitations, including category, class, type-rating, aircraft, currency, and operating-rule requirements, to a proposed helicopter IFR flight.
- Explain 14 CFR part 68 BasicMed eligibility, privileges, operating limitations, and required documents.
- Apply 14 CFR part 68 BasicMed privileges and limitations to a proposed aircraft, flight, and operating scenario.
- Identify BasicMed exception for covered practical tests.
- Distinguish BasicMed documents carried from records retained in the logbook (if applicable).
- Identify and assess the risk of being legally instrument-current but not proficient or ready for the planned helicopter IFR flight.
- Select conservative controls when recent experience, helicopter-specific proficiency, or readiness is insufficient for the planned IFR flight.
- Establish and apply personal minimums without relaxing them under operational pressure.
- Determine when a condition, medication, or treatment prohibits operation and what must be established before returning.
- Assess fitness for flight before and during instrument operations and mitigate impairment.
- Identify, assess, and select effective controls for risks associated with flying unfamiliar helicopters or operating with unfamiliar flight display systems and avionics.
- Apply requirements to act as pilot-in-command (PIC) under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) in a scenario given by the evaluator.
- Use the current RFM, checklist, limitations, charts, procedures, and ATC information; document deficiencies and retraining.
Guided Scenario(s)
- Use an IFR helicopter flight involving changing weather, terrain or obstacles, route constraints, automation, and external pressure.
- Introduce a meaningful change in clearance, equipment status, weather, landing area, fuel, power margin, or workload and require a revised decision.
- Require a self-critique tied to every applicable ACS element and helicopter limitation.
Student Actions
- Complete assigned study and review the RFM, checklist, charts, and procedures.
- Explain each knowledge element in operational context.
- Identify, assess, and mitigate each applicable risk.
- Demonstrate each applicable skill within FAA-S-ACS-14 standards and helicopter limitations.
- Make and defend appropriate continue, delay, divert, missed-approach, or discontinue decisions.
Airman Certification Standards
Instrument Rating (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Airman Certification Standards
- Objective: To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with requirements to act as pilot-in-command under instrument flight rules.
- References: 14 CFR part 61; AC 68-1; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-15, FAA-H-8083-21, FAA-H-8083-25
Knowledge 3 ACS Elements
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IH.I.A.K1: Certification requirements, recency of experience, and recordkeeping. -
IH.I.A.K2: Privileges and limitations. -
IH.I.A.K3: Part 68 BasicMed privileges and limitations.
Risk Management 4 ACS Elements
-
IH.I.A.R1: Proficiency versus currency. -
IH.I.A.R2: Personal minimums. -
IH.I.A.R3: Fitness for flight and physiological factors that might affect the pilot’s ability to fly under instrument conditions. -
IH.I.A.R4: Flying unfamiliar helicopters or operating with unfamiliar flight display systems and avionics.
Skills 1 ACS Element
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IH.I.A.S1: Apply requirements to act as pilot-in-command (PIC) under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) in a scenario given by the evaluator.
Conclusion
- Review the objective, risks, performance strengths, and retraining needs.
- Record progress and assign the next applicable lesson.