Sport Pilot (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan
Sport Pilot (Helicopter) • ACS Area I, Task A
The Sport Pilot (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan covers the knowledge, risk management, and skills required by FAA-S-ACS-26.
Introduction
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Schedule
Topic:Time:Attention/Motivator:0:05Part 1, Lesson Introduction:0:05Part 2, Knowledge Elements:0:20Part 3, Risk Management:0:15Part 4, Skill Development:0:30Part 5, Guided Scenario(s):0:20Part 6, Lesson Conclusion:0:05Remotivation/Closure:0:05Total Ground Time:0:00
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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.
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Motivator:
- To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with airman and medical eligibility including privileges, limitations, currency, and operating as pilot-in-command as a sport pilot.
Materials
Required Materials:
- Writing instrument and instructional surface.
- FAA-S-ACS-26, Sport Pilot for Helicopter - Simplified Flight Controls 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:
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airman Certification Standards (ACS).
- Helicopter Flying Handbook.
- Risk Management Handbook.
- Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge.
- Task references: 14 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) parts 1, 61, 68, 91; Advisory Circular (AC) 68-1; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-21, FAA-H-8083-25; Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM)/POH/FAA Operating Limitations
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 eligibility including privileges, limitations, currency, and operating as pilot-in-command as a sport pilot.
- Part 2, Knowledge Elements:
- Explain and assess the student's understanding of certification requirements, recent flight experience, and recordkeeping. (SH.I.A.K1)
- Explain and assess the student's understanding of privileges and limitations. (SH.I.A.K2)
- Explain and assess the student's understanding of medical eligibility and temporary disqualifications. (SH.I.A.K3)
- Explain and assess the student's understanding of documents required to exercise sport pilot privileges. (SH.I.A.K4)
- Part 3, Risk Management:
- Use a helicopter scenario to have the student identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with proficiency versus currency. (SH.I.A.R1)
- Use a helicopter scenario to have the student identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with flying an unfamiliar helicopter-simplified flight controls or operating with unfamiliar flight display systems and avionics. (SH.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. (SH.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. (SH.TRAINING.T51)
- 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. (SH.TRAINING.T52)
- 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.
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.
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.
Airman Certification Standards
Sport Pilot (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Airman Certification Standards
- Area of Operation I: Preflight Preparation.
- Task A: Pilot Qualifications.
- Objective: To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with airman and medical eligibility including privileges, limitations, currency, and operating as pilot-in-command as a sport pilot.
- References: 14 CFR parts 1, 61, 68, 91; AC 68-1; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-21, FAA-H-8083-25; AFM/POH/FAA Operating Limitations
- Sport Pilot (Helicopter) Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan.
Knowledge 4 ACS Elements
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SH.I.A.K1: Certification requirements, recent flight experience, and recordkeeping. -
SH.I.A.K2: Privileges and limitations. -
SH.I.A.K3: Medical eligibility and temporary disqualifications. -
SH.I.A.K4: Documents required to exercise sport pilot privileges.
Risk Management 2 ACS Elements
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SH.I.A.R1: Proficiency versus currency. -
SH.I.A.R2: Flying an unfamiliar helicopter-simplified flight controls or operating with unfamiliar flight display systems and avionics.
Skills 1 ACS Element
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SH.I.A.S1: Apply requirements to act as pilot-in-command (PIC) under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) in a scenario given by the evaluator.
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.