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AA.VI.E — Precision Approaches

AA.VI.E for the Airline Transport Pilot Airplane ACS: official objective, references, and 25 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.VI.E official ACS context
Certificate or ratingAirline Transport Pilot
Aircraft categoryAirplane
Area of operationArea of Operation VI. Instrument Procedures
TaskTask E. Precision Approaches
Task code prefixAA.VI.E
Official references14 CFR parts 91, 97; AIM; Chart Supplements; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-15, FAA-H-8083-16, FAA-H-8083-25; Terminal Procedures Publications
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 performing precision approach procedures.

What the ACS code means

  • AA identifies the ACS standard family used for this Airline Transport Pilot Airplane document.
  • VI identifies Instrument Procedures, the Area of Operation.
  • E identifies Precision Approaches, 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.VI.E.K1Procedures and limitations associated with a precision approach, including determining required descent rates and adjusting minimums in the case of inoperative equipment.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AA.VI.E.K2Navigation system displays, annunciations, and modes of operation.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AA.VI.E.K3Ground-based and satellite-based navigation systems (orientation, course determination, equipment, tests and regulations, interference, appropriate use of navigation data, signal integrity).Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AA.VI.E.K4A 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.

Risk management elements

Official ACS risk management items and mock-oral treatment
ACS codeOfficial descriptionHow a mock oral can probe it
AA.VI.E.R1Deviating from the assigned approach procedure.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AA.VI.E.R2Selecting a navigation frequency.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AA.VI.E.R3Management of automated navigation and autoflight systems.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AA.VI.E.R4Aircraft configuration during an approach and missed approach.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AA.VI.E.R5An unstable approach, including excessive descent rates.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AA.VI.E.R6Deteriorating weather conditions on approach.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AA.VI.E.R7Continuing to descend below the Decision Altitude (DA)/Decision Height (DH) when the required visual references are not visible.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.VI.E.S1Accomplish the precision instrument approaches selected 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.
AA.VI.E.S2Establish two-way communications with air traffic control (ATC) appropriate for the phase of flight or approach segment, and use proper communication phraseology.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AA.VI.E.S3Select, tune, identify, and confirm the operational status of navigation equipment to be used for the approach.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AA.VI.E.S4Comply in a timely manner with all clearances, instructions, and procedures.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AA.VI.E.S5Recognize if any flight instrumentation is inaccurate or inoperative, and take appropriate action.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AA.VI.E.S6Advise ATC or the evaluator if unable to comply with a clearance.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AA.VI.E.S7Coordinate with crew, if applicable, and complete the appropriate 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.
AA.VI.E.S8Establish the appropriate airplane configuration and airspeed considering meteorological and operating conditions.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AA.VI.E.S9Maintain altitude ±100 feet, selected heading ±5°, airspeed ±10 knots, and accurately track radials, courses, and bearings, prior to beginning the final approach segment.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AA.VI.E.S10Adjust the published DA/DH and visibility criteria for the aircraft approach category, as appropriate, to account for NOTAMS, inoperative airplane or navigation equipment, or inoperative visual aids associated with the landing environment.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AA.VI.E.S11Establish a predetermined rate of descent at the point where vertical guidance begins, which approximates that required for the aircraft to follow the vertical guidance.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AA.VI.E.S12Maintain a stabilized final approach from the Final Approach Fix (FAF) to DA/DH allowing no more than ¼-scale deflection of either the vertical or lateral guidance indications and maintain the desired airspeed ±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.VI.E.S13Upon reaching the DA/DH, immediately initiate the missed approach procedures if the required visual references for the runway are not distinctly visible and identifiable (or if in a seaplane); or transition to a normal landing approach only when the aircraft is in a position from which a descent to a landing on the runway can be made at a normal rate of descent using normal maneuvering.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AA.VI.E.S14Use an MFD and other graphical navigation displays, if installed, to monitor position, track wind drift and other parameters to maintain desired flightpath.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.

Practice in a mock oral

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