Private Pilot (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan

Private Pilot (Helicopter) • ACS Area I, Task A

The Private Pilot (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan covers the knowledge, risk management, and skills required by FAA-S-ACS-15.

Private Pilot (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan

Introduction

  • Schedule

    Topic:
    Time:
    Attention/Motivator:
    0:05
    Part 1, Lesson Introduction:
    0:05
    Part 2, Knowledge Elements:
    0:20
    Part 3, Risk Management:
    0:15
    Part 4, Skill Development:
    0:30
    Part 5, Guided Scenario(s):
    0:20
    Part 6, Lesson Conclusion:
    0:05
    Remotivation/Closure:
    0:05
    Total Ground Time:
    0:00

  • Attention Getter:

    • Present a helicopter scenario in which the outcome depends on sound pilot qualifications knowledge, risk management, and technique.
    • Ask the student to identify the earliest decision or control input that determines a safe outcome.

  • Motivator:

    • To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with airman and medical certificates including privileges, limitations, currency, and operating as pilot-in- command as a private pilot.

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Private Pilot (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan

Materials

  • Required Materials:

    • Writing instrument and instructional surface.
    • FAA-S-ACS-15, Private Pilot for Rotorcraft Category Helicopter Rating Airman Certification Standards.
    • Student training record and applicable lesson records.

  • Optional Materials:

    • Model-specific Pilot's Operating Handbook or Rotorcraft Flight Manual (POH/RFM).
    • Manufacturer-approved checklist and performance data.
    • Current charts, Chart Supplement, Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), and electronic flight bag, as applicable.
    • Helicopter, cockpit procedures trainer, or approved training device, as appropriate.

  • Reference Materials:

Private Pilot (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan

Instructor Actions

  • Before the lesson, review the reference materials, helicopter limitations, and local operating considerations.
  • Part 1, Lesson Introduction:
    • Present the attention getter and motivator.
    • Review Area of Operation I, Task A, and the Airman Certification Standards.
    • State the lesson objective: To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with airman and medical certificates including privileges, limitations, currency, and operating as pilot-in- command as a private pilot.
  • Part 2, Knowledge Elements:
    • Explain and assess the student's understanding of certification requirements, recent flight experience, and recordkeeping. (PH.I.A.K1)
    • Explain and assess the student's understanding of privileges and limitations. (PH.I.A.K2)
    • Explain and assess the student's understanding of medical certificates: class, expiration, privileges, temporary disqualifications. (PH.I.A.K3)
    • Explain and assess the student's understanding of documents required to exercise private pilot privileges. (PH.I.A.K4)
      • Teach and assess the learner's ability to identify the required pilot certificate or authorized substitute and its accessibility; identify acceptable photo identification and its accessibility; identify the applicable medical documentation; verify qualifications, required documents, and currency for the intended passenger flight; distinguish retained logbook records from documents required aboard the aircraft; identify authorized requests to inspect pilot certificates and identification.
    • Explain and assess the student's understanding of part 68 BasicMed privileges and limitations. (PH.I.A.K5)
  • Part 3, Risk Management:
    • Use a helicopter scenario to have the student identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with proficiency versus currency. (PH.I.A.R1)
    • Use a helicopter scenario to have the student identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with flying an unfamiliar helicopter or operating with unfamiliar flight display systems and avionics. (PH.I.A.R2)
    • Require the student to verbalize trigger points for discontinuing or modifying the operation.
  • Part 4, Skill Development:
    • Demonstrate, then coach the student to apply requirements to act as pilot-in-command (PIC) under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) in a scenario given by the evaluator. (PH.I.A.S1)
    • Apply the helicopter POH/RFM, checklist, limitations, and FAA safety-of-flight guidance throughout the demonstration and practice.
  • Part 5, Guided Scenario(s):
    • Lead the guided scenario.
    • Evaluate the student's decisions and performance against every applicable ACS element.
  • Approved syllabus objective coverage:
    • Introduce, demonstrate, and assess the learner's ability to verify all applicable training, solo, cross-country, night if required, recent practical-test preparation, knowledge-test, and endorsement requirements against the current regulation and applicant pathway. Record instructor confirmation and resolve deficiencies before test scheduling. (PH.TRAINING.T52)
    • Introduce, demonstrate, and assess the learner's ability to demonstrate the applicable knowledge, risk management, and flight skills to the current helicopter ACS standards in an instructor-supervised readiness evaluation. Completion of online material alone does not demonstrate flight proficiency. (PH.TRAINING.T53)
  • Part 6, Lesson Conclusion:
    • Review the lesson objective, identified risks, performance strengths, and items requiring additional practice.
    • Present the re-motivation and closure.
  • Update instructor records and the student's training record, as required.
Private Pilot (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan

Guided Scenario(s)

  • During a planned helicopter flight, conditions require the student to apply the knowledge and procedures associated with pilot qualifications.
  • Ask the student to identify hazards, including Proficiency versus currency, and explain how each risk will be controlled.
  • Require the student to brief, perform, or explain how to Apply requirements to act as pilot-in-command (PIC) under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) in a scenario given by the evaluator, as appropriate to the task and training environment.
  • Introduce a realistic change in wind, power available, landing area, traffic, system status, or external pressure and require the student to reassess the plan.
  • Conclude with a self-critique tied to the ACS knowledge, risk management, and skill elements.
Private Pilot (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan

Student Actions

  • Complete assigned readings and review the model-specific POH/RFM and checklist.
  • Explain the applicable knowledge elements in scenario context rather than by rote recall.
  • Identify, assess, and mitigate the risks associated with the task.
  • Demonstrate or explain each applicable skill within ACS standards and helicopter limitations.
  • Ask pertinent questions, perform a self-assessment, and make appropriate go/no-go or continue/discontinue decisions.
Private Pilot (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan

Airman Certification Standards

Private Pilot (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Airman Certification Standards

  • Task A: Pilot Qualifications.
  • Objective: To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with airman and medical certificates including privileges, limitations, currency, and operating as pilot-in- command as a private pilot.
  • References: 14 CFR parts 61, 68, 91; AC 68-1; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-21, FAA-H-8083-25
Knowledge 5 ACS Elements
  • PH.I.A.K1:
    Certification requirements, recent flight experience, and recordkeeping.
  • PH.I.A.K2:
    Privileges and limitations.
  • PH.I.A.K3:
    Medical certificates: class, expiration, privileges, temporary disqualifications.
  • PH.I.A.K4:
    Documents required to exercise private pilot privileges.
  • PH.I.A.K5:
    Part 68 BasicMed privileges and limitations.
Risk Management 2 ACS Elements
  • PH.I.A.R1:
    Proficiency versus currency.
  • PH.I.A.R2:
    Flying an unfamiliar helicopter or operating with unfamiliar flight display systems and avionics.
Skills 1 ACS Element
  • PH.I.A.S1:
    Apply requirements to act as pilot-in-command (PIC) under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) in a scenario given by the evaluator.
Private Pilot (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan

Conclusion

  • Re-Motivation:

    • Consistent pilot qualifications performance protects the helicopter's limited margins and supports sound pilot-in-command decisions.

  • Closure:

    • Advise students that this lesson will be used as a starting point for the next lesson.
    • Assign study materials for the next lesson.