Airman Certification Standards (ACS)

Airman Certification Standards are the minimum performance standards set by the Federal Aviation Administration for a rating or qualification.


Introduction

Introduction
  • The Airman Certification Standards (ACS) are the criteria by which aeronautical performance is measured in the pursuance of a certification or rating
    • Printed copies can also be found at your local FBO, the FAA's website or ordered online at stores such as Amazon.com
  • Originally called the Pilot Testing Standards (PTS), the FAA transitioned to ACS beginning on June 15 2016
  • Must be reviewed when pursuing a rating as it explains everything you could ever want to know about your check-ride expectations
  • Always reference the most current publication of the Airman Certification Standards
  • Testing statistics and trends can be found at: http://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/test_statistics/

Airman Certification Standards Purpose

Airman Certification Standards Purpose
  • Amazon, Airman Certification Standards
  • Standardizes the conduct and performance of FAA inspectors and Designated Examiners
  • Standards are not minimums
  • Amazon, Airman Certification Standards

General Information

General Information
  • The U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Office of Safety Standards, Regulatory Support Division, Airman Testing Standards Branch, has published the Private Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards (ACS) to communicate the aeronautical knowledge, risk management, and flight proficiency standards for private pilot certification in the airplane category, single-engine land and sea; and multiengine land and sea classes
  • The FAA created FAA-G-ACS-2, Airman Certification Standards Companion Guide for Pilots, to provide guidance considered relevant and useful to the community. The number of appendices in the ACS was reduced and much of the non-regulatory material was moved to the Airman Certification Standards Companion Guide for Pilots. Applicants, instructors, and evaluators should consult this companion guide to familiarize themselves with ACS procedures. FAA-G-ACS-2 is available for download, in PDF format, from www.faa.gov

Airman Certification Standards Concept

Airman Certification Standards Concept
  • The goal of the airman certification process is to ensure the applicant possesses the knowledge, ability to manage risks, and skill consistent with the privileges of the certificate or rating being exercised, in order to act as pilot-in-command (PIC)
  • Safe operations in today’s National Airspace System (NAS) require the integration of aeronautical knowledge, risk management, and flight proficiency standards.
    • To accomplish these goals, the FAA drew upon the expertise of organizations and individuals across the aviation and training community to develop the ACS
    • The ACS integrates the elements of knowledge, risk management, and skill required for each airman certificate or rating
    • It thus forms a more comprehensive standard for what an applicant must know, consider, and do to demonstrate proficiency to pass the tests required for issuance of the applicable airman certificate or rating

How to Use/Read the ACS

How to Use/Read the ACS
  • The practical test is conducted in accordance with the ACS and FAA regulations that are current as of the date of the test
  • The Areas of Operation in this ACS align with the Areas of Operation found in 14 CFR part 61, section 61.107(b).
    • Each Area of Operation includes Tasks appropriate to that Area of Operation
    • Each Task contains an Objective stating what the applicant must know, consider, and/or do. The ACS then lists the aeronautical knowledge, risk management, and skill elements relevant to the specific Task, along with the conditions and standards for acceptable performance
    • The ACS uses Notes to emphasize special considerations
  • During the ground and flight portion of the practical test, the FAA expects evaluators to assess the applicant's mastery of the topic in accordance with the level of learning most appropriate for the specified Task.
    • The oral questioning will continue throughout the entire practical test
    • For some topics, the evaluator will ask the applicant to describe or explain
    • For other items, the evaluator will assess the applicant's understanding by providing a scenario that requires the applicant to appropriately apply and/or correlate knowledge, experience, and information to the circumstances of the given scenario
    • The flight portion of the practical test requires the applicant to demonstrate knowledge, risk management, flight proficiency, and operational skill in accordance with the ACS
  • The abbreviation(s) within parentheses immediately following a Task refer to the category and/or class airplane appropriate to that Task:
    • ASEL: Airplane - Single-Engine Land
    • ASES: Airplane - Single-Engine Sea
    • AMEL: Airplane - Multiengine Land
    • AMES: Airplane - Multiengine Sea
    • Helicopter
    • Gyro-plane
    • Airship
    • Free Balloon
    • Powered Parachute Land
    • Powered Parachute Sea
    • Weight-Shift Control Land
    • Weight-Shift Control Sea
  • Note: When administering a test, the Tasks appropriate to the class used for the test must be included in the plan of action
    • The absence of a class indicates the Task is for all classes
  • The elements within each Task in this ACS are coded according to a scheme that includes four components.
    • For example, PA.I.C.K2:
      • PA = Applicable ACS (Private Pilot ‒ Airplane in this example)
      • I = Area of Operation
      • C = Task
      • K2 = Task element (Knowledge 2 in this example)
  • There is no requirement for an evaluator to test every knowledge and risk management element in a Task; rather the evaluator has discretion to sample as needed to ensure the applicant’s mastery of that Task.
    • The required minimum elements to be tested from each applicable Task include:
      • any elements in which the applicant was shown to be deficient on the knowledge test, as applicable;
      • at least one knowledge element;
      • at least one risk management element; and
      • all skill elements unless otherwise noted
    • Note: The Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR) lists ACS codes that correlate to a specific Task element for a given Area of Operation for any incorrect responses on the knowledge test
  • Knowledge and risk management elements are primarily evaluated during the knowledge testing phase of the airman certification process. The evaluator administering the practical test has the discretion to combine Tasks/elements as appropriate to testing scenarios
  • Unless otherwise noted in the Task, the evaluator must test each item in the skills section by observing the applicant perform each one. As safety of flight conditions permit, the evaluator should use questions during flight to test knowledge and risk management elements not evident in the demonstrated skills. To the greatest extent practicable, evaluators should test the applicant’s ability to apply and correlate information and use rote questions only when they are appropriate for the material being tested
  • If the Task includes a knowledge or risk element with sub-elements, the evaluator may choose the primary element and select at least one sub-element to satisfy the requirement. Selection of the sub-element satisfies the requirement for one element unless otherwise noted.
    • For example, an evaluator who chooses PA.I.H.K1 may select a sub-element such as PA.I.H.K1e to satisfy the requirement to select one knowledge element
  • The References for each Task indicate the source material for Task elements. For example, in the Task element "Acceptable weather products and resources required for preflight planning, current and forecast weather for departure, en route, and arrival phases of flight such as:" (PA.I.C.K2), the applicant should be prepared for questions on any weather product presented in the references for that Task
  • The FAA encourages applicants and instructors to use the ACS when preparing for the airman knowledge tests and practical tests. Evaluators must conduct the practical test in accordance with the current ACS and FAA regulations pursuant to 14 CFR part 61, section 61.43. If an applicant is entitled to credit for Areas of Operation previously passed as indicated on a Notice of Disapproval of Application or Letter of Discontinuance, evaluators shall use the ACS currently in effect on the date of the test
  • The ground portion of the practical test allows the evaluator to determine whether the applicant is sufficiently prepared to advance to the flight portion of the practical test. The applicant must pass the ground portion of the practical test before beginning the flight portion. The oral questioning will continue throughout the entire practical test

Additional Rating Task Table

Additional Rating Task Table
  • Additional Rating Task Table
    Additional Rating Task Table
  • When adding a rating onto an already existing certificate, it may not be required to perform all of the tasks associated with the new rating
    • For example, if adding a glider rating onto an existing private pilot certificate, tasks such as "Certificates and Documents" will not change whereas "Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds" will
  • At first glance the table [Figure 1] can seem quite intimidating or confusing but it is actually very straight forward once familiar with how to read it
  • To determine tasks required, open to the Additional Rating Task Table found toward the front of the Airman Certification Standards (see table of contents)
    • On the left column you will see the "Areas of Operation" while on the top row you see the "Ratings Held"
    • Acronyms are spelled out either below the chart or in the abbreviations section toward the front of the ACS
  • Find the rating you already and go down that column
  • For each Area of Operation, Tasks required will be listed
    • This can range from ALL, to a few (maybe just B, and C)
  • Now that we have a list of Tasks required we can continue on into the ACS to read the Objective and sub-steps associated with each Task
  • Always be sure you are referencing the most current standards as they do change!
  • Note: An applicant seeking to add an additional category or class to an existing certificate must comply with 14 CFR section 61.63, as applicable

Saftey of Flight

Saftey of Flight
  • Safety of flight must be the prime consideration at all times
  • The evaluator, applicant, and crew must be constantly alert for other traffic
  • If performing aspects of a given maneuver, such as emergency procedures, would jeopardize safety, the evaluator will ask the applicant to simulate that portion of the maneuver
  • The evaluator will assess the applicant's use of visual scanning and collision avoidance procedures throughout the entire test
  • Among these are:
    1. Stall/spin awareness,
    2. Checklist usage,
    3. Distractions,
    4. Positive exchange of the flight controls procedure,
    5. Aeronautical Decision-Making (ADM), Crew Resource Management, and Single-Pilot Resource Management
  • A given special emphasis area may not be specifically addressed under a given Task
    • Additional specifics can be found under the risk management section for each task
  • All areas are essential to flight and will be evaluated during the practice test

Instructor Responsibilities

Instructor Responsibilities
  • The instructor trains and qualifies the applicant to meet the established standards for knowledge, risk management, and skill elements in all Tasks appropriate to the certificate and rating sought. The instructor should use this ACS and its references when preparing the applicant to take the practical test and when retraining the applicant to proficiency in any subject(s) missed on the knowledge test

Evaluator Responsibilities

Evaluator Responsibilities
  • An evaluator includes the following:
    • Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI);
    • Pilot examiner (other than administrative pilot examiners);
    • Training center evaluator (TCE);
    • Chief instructor, assistant chief instructor or check instructor of pilot school holding examining authority; or
    • Instrument Flight Instructor (CFII) conducting an instrument proficiency check (IPC)
  • The evaluator who conducts the practical test verifies the applicant has met the aeronautical experience requirements specified for a certificate or rating before administering the test. During the practical test, the evaluator determines whether the applicant meets the established standards of aeronautical knowledge, risk management, and skills for the Tasks in the appropriate ACS
  • The evaluator must develop a plan of action (POA) that includes all required Areas of Operation and Tasks and administer each practical test in English. The POA must include scenario(s) that evaluate as many of the required Areas of Operation and Tasks as possible. As a scenario unfolds during the test, the evaluator will introduce problems and simulate emergencies that test the applicant’s ability. The evaluator has the discretion to modify the POA to accommodate unexpected situations as they arise or suspend and later resume a scenario to assess certain Tasks
  • Prior to and throughout the evaluation, the evaluator ensures the applicant meets the FAA Aviation English Language Standard (AELS). An applicant must be able to communicate in English in a discernible and understandable manner with air traffic control (ATC), pilots, and others involved in preparing an aircraft for flight and operating an aircraft in flight. This communication may or may not involve radio communications. An applicant for an FAA certificate or rating issued in accordance with 14 CFR parts 61, 63, 65, or 107 who cannot hear or speak due to a medical deficiency may be eligible for an FAA certificate with specific operational limitations
  • If the applicant’s ability to meet the FAA AELS comes into question before starting the practical test, the evaluator will not begin the practical test. An evaluator other than an ASI will check the box, "Referred to FSO for Aviation English Language Standard Determination," located on the bottom of page 2 of the applicant’s FAA Form 8710-1, Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application, or FAA Form 8710-11, Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application - Sport Pilot, as applicable. The evaluator will refer the applicant to the appropriate Flight Standards Office (FSO)
  • If the applicant’s ability to meet the FAA AELS comes into question after the practical test begins, an evaluator who other than an ASI will discontinue the practical test and check the box, "Referred to FSO for Aviation English Language Standard Determination," on the application. The evaluator will also issue FAA Form 8060-5, Notice of Disapproval of Application, with the comment "Does Not Demonstrate FAA AELS" in addition to any unsatisfactory Task(s). The evaluator will refer the applicant to the appropriate FSO. ASIs conducting the practical test may assess an applicant’s English language proficiency in accordance with FAA Order 8900.1
  • In either case, the evaluator must complete and submit the application file through normal application procedures and evaluators other than an ASI notify the appropriate FSO of the referral
  • If the ability of an FAA certificated airman comes into question prior to or during a required regulatory check (e.g., proficiency check) the evaluator other than an ASI will not continue the check or provide an endorsement indicating completion. The evaluator will refer the airman to the jurisdictional FAA field office for further determination of ability to meet the FAA AELS
  • For additional information, reference AC 60-28, FAA English Language Standard for an FAA Certificate issued under 14 CFR parts 61, 63, 65, and 107, as amended

Conclusion

Conclusion
  • Note that temporary flight certificates are only valid for 120 days
    • An extension may be granted through the FAA if your pilot certificate has not yet arrived by 120 days
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References

References