AA.I.A — Operation of Systems
AA.I.A for the Airline Transport Pilot Airplane ACS: official objective, references, and 27 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.
FAA-S-ACS-11A, November 2023. This study page does not replace the current FAA publication or an examiner's plan of action.
Official task context
| Certificate or rating | Airline Transport Pilot |
|---|---|
| Aircraft category | Airplane |
| Area of operation | Area of Operation I. Preflight Preparation |
| Task | Task A. Operation of Systems |
| Task code prefix | AA.I.A |
| Official references | AC 90-117, AC 91.21-1, AC 91-78, AC 120-76; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-23, FAA-H-8083-25; FSB Report (type specific); POH/AFM |
| FAA document | FAA-S-ACS-11A — Airline Transport Pilot and Type Rating for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards |
| FAA source library | Open the official ACS library |
Official task objective
To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with aircraft systems and their components; and their normal, abnormal, and emergency procedures.
What the ACS code means
- AA identifies the ACS standard family used for this Airline Transport Pilot Airplane document.
- I identifies Preflight Preparation, the Area of Operation.
- A identifies Operation of Systems, the Task within that Area.
- K, R, and S identify knowledge, risk-management, and skill elements. The number selects the item; a trailing lowercase letter identifies a listed sub-element.
Knowledge elements
| ACS code | Official description | How a mock oral can probe it |
|---|---|---|
| AA.I.A.K1 | Landing gear–extension/retraction system(s), indicators, float devices, brakes, antiskid, tires, nosewheel steering, and shock absorbers. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K2 | Powerplant–controls and indications, induction system, carburetor and fuel injection, turbocharging, cooling, mounting points, turbine wheels, compressors, deicing, anti-icing, and other related components. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K3 | Propellers–type, controls, feathering/unfeathering, auto-feather, negative torque sensing, synchronizing, synchrophasing, and thrust reverse, including uncommanded reverse procedures. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K4 | Fuel system–capacity, drains, pumps, controls, indicators, cross-feeding, transferring, jettisoning, fuel grade, color and additives, fueling and defueling procedures, and fuel substitutions. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K5 | Oil system–capacity, allowable types of oil, quantities, and indicators. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K6 | Hydraulic system–capacity, pumps, pressure, reservoirs, allowable types of fluid, and regulators. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K7 | Electrical system–alternators, generators, batteries, circuit breakers and protection devices, controls, indicators, and external and auxiliary power sources and ratings. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K8 | Pneumatic and environmental systems–heating, cooling, ventilation, oxygen, pressurization, supply for ice protection systems, controls, indicators, and regulating devices. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K9 | Avionics and communications–autopilot, flight director, Electronic Flight Instrument Systems (EFIS), Flight Management System (FMS), Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), Radar, Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Space-Based Augmentation System (SBAS), Ground-Based Augmentation System (GBAS), ground-based navigation systems and components, Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) In and Out, Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Contract (ADS-C), traffic awareness/warning/avoidance systems, terrain awareness/warning/alert systems, communication systems (e.g., data link, Ultra High Frequency (UHF)/Very High Frequency (VHF)/High Frequency (HF), satellite), Controller Pilot Data Link Communication (CPDLC), indicating devices, transponder, and emergency locator transmitter, Head Up-Display (HUD). | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K10 | Ice protection–anti-ice, deice, pitot-static system protection, turbine inlet, propeller, windshield, airfoil surfaces, and other related components. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K11 | Crewmember and passenger equipment–oxygen system, survival gear, emergency exits, evacuation procedures and crew duties, quick donning oxygen mask for crewmembers, passenger oxygen system. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K12 | Flight controls–ailerons, elevator(s), rudder(s), control tabs, control boost/augmentation systems, flaps, spoilers, leading edge devices, speed brakes, stability augmentation system (e.g., yaw damper), and trim systems. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K13 | Pitot-static system–associated instruments and the power source for those flight instruments. Operation and power sources for other flight instruments. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K14 | Fire & smoke detection, protection, and suppression–powerplant, cargo and passenger compartments, lavatory, pneumatic and environmental, electrical/avionics, and batteries (on aircraft and personal electronic devices). | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K15 | Envelope protection–angle of attack warning and protection, and speed protection. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K16 | The contents of the Pilot Owner's Handbook (POH) or Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) with regard to the systems and components in the airplane. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.I.A.K17 | How to use a Minimum Equipment List (MEL) and a Configuration Deviation List (CDL). | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
Risk management elements
| ACS code | Official description | How a mock oral can probe it |
|---|---|---|
| AA.I.A.R1 | Detection of system malfunctions or failures. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AA.I.A.R2 | Management of a system failure. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AA.I.A.R3 | Monitoring and management of automated systems. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AA.I.A.R4 | Following checklists or procedures. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
Skills elements
| ACS code | Official description | How a mock oral can probe it |
|---|---|---|
| AA.I.A.S1 | Explain and describe the operation of the aircraft systems and components using correct terminology. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AA.I.A.S2 | Recall immediate action items or memory items, if appropriate. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AA.I.A.S3 | Identify system or component limitations listed in the POH/AFM. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AA.I.A.S4 | Demonstrate or describe, as appropriate, the process for deferring inoperative equipment (e.g., MEL) and using a CDL. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AA.I.A.S5 | Comply with operations specifications, management specifications, and letters of authorization, if applicable. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AA.I.A.S6 | Through the use of the appropriate checklists and normal and abnormal procedures, demonstrate the proper use of the aircraft systems, subsystems, and devices, as determined by the evaluator. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
Difficulty data
Difficulty calibration is ongoing for this Task. A difficulty estimate is published only with a sufficiently large, privacy-preserving first directly recorded assessment sample. Any observed difficulty comes from Checkride AI mock-oral practice assessments and is a practice-data proxy, not an FAA practical-test pass or fail rate.
Difficulty calibration remains ongoing until an item clears the private reporting threshold. Percentages, when available, describe the share who needed review on their first directly recorded assessment. Underlying sample sizes are never published, and historical final states are not backfilled into this measure.
Official task notes
- See Appendix 3: Aircraft, Equipment, and Operational Requirements & Limitations for information related to this Task.
How to use this in a mock oral
A mock examiner can ask you to explain the published elements, apply them to the configured aircraft and airport scenario, identify risks, and defend a decision. The prompts are practice scenarios; they are not claimed to be actual FAA examiner scripts or a prediction of the questions you will receive.
Related ACS tasks
- All Airline Transport Pilot Airplane ACS tasks
48 task-level resources from FAA-S-ACS-11A.
- AA.I.B — Performance and Limitations
Area of Operation I. Preflight Preparation
- AA.I.C — Weather Information (ATP)
Area of Operation I. Preflight Preparation
- AA.I.D — High-Altitude Aerodynamics (ATP) (AMEL, AMES)
Area of Operation I. Preflight Preparation
- AA.I.E — Air Carrier Operations (ATP) (AMEL, AMES)
Area of Operation I. Preflight Preparation