# AA.VI.A — Instrument Takeoff — Airline Transport Pilot Airplane ACS

> AA.VI.A from FAA-S-ACS-11A, including the official objective, references, notes, and 23 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.

Canonical HTML: [https://www.check-ride.ai/acs/airplane/airline-transport-pilot/aa-vi-a](https://www.check-ride.ai/acs/airplane/airline-transport-pilot/aa-vi-a)

Site reference: [https://www.check-ride.ai/llms.txt](https://www.check-ride.ai/llms.txt)

## Official Task context

- FAA document: Airline Transport Pilot and Type Rating for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards
- Identifier: FAA-S-ACS-11A
- Published source date: November 2023
- Aircraft category: Airplane
- Certificate or rating: Airline Transport Pilot
- Area of Operation: Area of Operation VI. Instrument Procedures
- Task: Task A. Instrument Takeoff
- Task code prefix: AA.VI.A
- Official references: 14 CFR part 91; AIM; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-15, FAA-H-8083-16, FAA-H-8083-23, FAA-H-8083-25; POH/AFM; Terminal Procedures Publications
- FAA source library: https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/acs

## Official Task objective

To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with an instrument takeoff.

## Knowledge elements

- **AA.VI.A.K1** — Operational factors that could affect an instrument takeoff (e.g., runway length, runway lighting, surface conditions, wind, wake turbulence, icing conditions, obstructions, available instrument approaches or alternate airports available) in the event of an emergency after takeoff.

## Risk management elements

- **AA.VI.A.R1** — Selection of a runway based on aircraft performance and limitations, available distance, surface conditions, lighting, and wind.
- **AA.VI.A.R2** — Wake turbulence.
- **AA.VI.A.R3** — Abnormal operations, including planning for:
- **AA.VI.A.R3a** — a. Rejected takeoff
- **AA.VI.A.R3b** — b. Potential engine failure in takeoff/climb phase of flight with the ceiling or visibility below the minimums for an instrument approach at departure airport
- **AA.VI.A.R4** — Collision hazards.
- **AA.VI.A.R5** — Low altitude maneuvering, including stall, spin, or controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).
- **AA.VI.A.R6** — Distractions, task prioritization, loss of situational awareness, or disorientation.

## Skills elements

- **AA.VI.A.S1** — Coordinate with crew, if applicable, and complete the appropriate checklist(s) prior to takeoff in a timely manner.
- **AA.VI.A.S2** — Properly set the applicable avionics and flight instruments prior to initiating the takeoff.
- **AA.VI.A.S3** — Make radio calls as appropriate.
- **AA.VI.A.S4** — Verify assigned/correct runway (ASEL, AMEL) or takeoff path (ASES, AMES).
- **AA.VI.A.S5** — Position the flight controls for the existing wind, if applicable.
- **AA.VI.A.S6** — Clear the area, taxi into takeoff position, and align the airplane on the runway centerline (ASEL, AMEL) or takeoff path (ASES, AMES).
- **AA.VI.A.S7** — Perform an instrument takeoff with instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) simulated at or before reaching an altitude of 100 feet above ground level (AGL). If accomplished in a full flight simulator, visibility should be no greater than ¼ mile, or as specified by applicable operations specifications, whichever is lower.
- **AA.VI.A.S8** — Maintain centerline (ASEL, AMEL) and proper flight control inputs during the takeoff roll.
- **AA.VI.A.S9** — Confirm takeoff power and proper engine and flight instrument indications prior to rotation making callouts, as appropriate, for the airplane or per the operator’s procedures.
- **AA.VI.A.S10** — Rotate and lift off at the recommended airspeed, establish the desired pitch attitude, and accelerate to the desired airspeed/V-speed.
- **AA.VI.A.S11** — Transition smoothly from visual meteorological conditions (VMC) to actual or simulated instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
- **AA.VI.A.S12** — Maintain desired heading ±5° and desired airspeeds ±5 knots.
- **AA.VI.A.S13** — Comply with air traffic control (ATC) clearances and instructions issued by ATC or the evaluator, as appropriate.
- **AA.VI.A.S14** — Complete appropriate after takeoff checklist(s) in a timely manner.

## Difficulty methodology

Difficulty calibration is ongoing for this Task. Observed difficulty is a privacy-thresholded check-ride.ai mock-oral practice proxy, not an FAA practical-test pass or fail rate. Underlying sample sizes and the private reporting threshold are not published.

## Official Task notes

- See Appendix 3: Aircraft, Equipment, and Operational Requirements & Limitations for information related to this Task.

## Use in practice

A mock examiner can ask a pilot to explain the published elements, apply them to the configured aircraft and airport context, identify risks, and defend a decision. Practice prompts are not represented as actual FAA examiner scripts or predictions of the questions a candidate will receive.