AA.III.J — Go-Around/Rejected Landing

AA.III.J for the Airline Transport Pilot Airplane ACS: official objective, references, and 20 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

AA.III.J official ACS context
Certificate or ratingAirline Transport Pilot
Aircraft categoryAirplane
Area of operationArea of Operation III. Takeoffs and Landings
TaskTask J. Go-Around/Rejected Landing
Task code prefixAA.III.J
Official referencesAIM; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-23, FAA-H-8083-25; FSB Report (type specific); POH/AFM
FAA documentFAA-S-ACS-11A — Airline Transport Pilot and Type Rating for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards
FAA source libraryOpen the official ACS library

Official task objective

To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with a go-around/rejected landing.

What the ACS code means

  • AA identifies the ACS standard family used for this Airline Transport Pilot Airplane document.
  • III identifies Takeoffs and Landings, the Area of Operation.
  • J identifies Go-Around/Rejected Landing, 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

Official ACS knowledge items and mock-oral treatment
ACS codeOfficial descriptionHow a mock oral can probe it
AA.III.J.K1A stabilized approach, including energy management concepts.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AA.III.J.K2Effects of atmospheric conditions, including wind and density altitude, on a go-around or rejected landing.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AA.III.J.K3Wind correction techniques on takeoff/departure and approach/landing.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AA.III.J.K4Situations and considerations on approach that could require a go-around/rejected landing, including the inability to comply with a LAHSO clearance.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AA.III.J.K5Go-around/rejected landing procedures, the importance of a timely decision, and appropriate airspeed/V-speeds for the maneuver.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.

Risk management elements

Official ACS risk management items and mock-oral treatment
ACS codeOfficial descriptionHow a mock oral can probe it
AA.III.J.R1Delayed recognition of the need for a go-around/rejected landing.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AA.III.J.R2Delayed performance of a go-around at low altitude.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AA.III.J.R3Power application.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AA.III.J.R4Configuring the airplane.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AA.III.J.R5Collision hazards.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AA.III.J.R6Low altitude maneuvering, including stall, spin, or controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AA.III.J.R7Distractions, task prioritization, loss of situational awareness, or disorientation.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AA.III.J.R8Managing a go-around/rejected landing after accepting a LAHSO clearance.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.

Skills elements

Official ACS skills items and mock-oral treatment
ACS codeOfficial descriptionHow a mock oral can probe it
AA.III.J.S1Make a timely decision to go-around/reject the landing.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AA.III.J.S2Apply the appropriate power setting for the flight condition and establish a pitch attitude necessary to obtain the desired performance.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AA.III.J.S3Establish a positive rate of climb and the appropriate airspeed/V-speed, ±5 knots.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AA.III.J.S4Configure and trim the airplane, when 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.III.J.S5Make radio calls as 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.III.J.S6Maintain the ground track, heading, or course appropriate for the conditions, or as specified by ATC or 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.
AA.III.J.S7Complete the appropriate procedures and checklist(s) in a timely manner.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.

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