AA.VII.E — Approach and Landing with a Powerplant Failure (Simulated) (AMEL, AMES)
AA.VII.E for the Airline Transport Pilot Airplane ACS: official objective, references, and 22 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 VII. Emergency Operations |
| Task | Task E. Approach and Landing with a Powerplant Failure (Simulated) (AMEL, AMES) |
| Task code prefix | AA.VII.E |
| Official references | FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-25; POH/AFM; SAFO 19001 |
| 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 approach and landing with a powerplant failure in a multiengine airplane.
What the ACS code means
- AA identifies the ACS standard family used for this Airline Transport Pilot Airplane document.
- VII identifies Emergency Operations, the Area of Operation.
- E identifies Approach and Landing with a Powerplant Failure (Simulated) (AMEL, AMES), 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.VII.E.K1 | Flight characteristics and controllability associated with maneuvering to a landing with inoperative powerplant(s). | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.VII.E.K2 | Go-around/rejected landing procedures with a powerplant failure. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AA.VII.E.K3 | How to determine a suitable airport. | 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.VII.E.R1 | Planning for a powerplant failure inflight or during an approach. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AA.VII.E.R2 | Collision hazards. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AA.VII.E.R3 | Configuring the airplane. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AA.VII.E.R4 | Low 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.VII.E.R5 | Distractions, 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.VII.E.R6 | Performing a go-around/rejected landing with a powerplant failure. | 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.VII.E.S1 | Recognize and correctly identify powerplant(s) failure, complete memory items (if applicable), and maintain positive airplane control. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AA.VII.E.S2 | Coordinate with crew, if applicable, and complete the appropriate emergency procedures and checklist(s) for simulated propeller feathering or simulated powerplant shutdown. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AA.VII.E.S3 | Use flight controls and configure the aircraft as required to maintain best performance or as recommended by the manufacturer. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AA.VII.E.S4 | Maintain the operating powerplant(s) within acceptable operating limits. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AA.VII.E.S5 | Communicate with air traffic control (ATC) and the evaluator, as appropriate for the situation. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AA.VII.E.S6 | Prior to beginning the final approach segment, maintain the desired altitude ±100 feet, the desired airspeed ±10 knots, the desired heading ±5°, and accurately track courses, radials, and bearings. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AA.VII.E.S7 | Establish the recommended approach and landing configuration and airspeed, ±5 knots, and adjust pitch attitude and power as required to maintain a stabilized 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.VII.E.S8 | Maintain directional control and appropriate crosswind correction throughout the approach and 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.VII.E.S9 | Make smooth, timely, and correct control application before, during, and after touchdown. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AA.VII.E.S10 | Touch down at the appropriate speed and pitch attitude at the runway aiming point markings -250/+500 feet, or where there are no runway markings 750 to 1,500 feet from the approach threshold of the runway (AMEL). | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AA.VII.E.S11 | During round out and touchdown contact the water at the proper pitch attitude within 200 feet beyond a specified point. In addition, for AMES, the touchdown is within the first one-third of the water landing area. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AA.VII.E.S12 | Maintain positive aircraft control throughout the landing using drag and braking devices, as appropriate, to come to a stop. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AA.VII.E.S13 | Coordinate with crew, if applicable, and complete after landing checklists. | 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 2: Safety of Flight and 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.VII.D — Inflight Powerplant(s) Failure and Restart (AMEL, AMES)
Area of Operation VII. Emergency Operations
- AA.VII.F — Precision Approach (Manually Flown) with a Powerplant Failure (Simulated) (AMEL, AMES)
Area of Operation VII. Emergency Operations
- AA.VII.A — Emergency Procedures
Area of Operation VII. Emergency Operations
- AA.VII.B — Powerplant Failure During Takeoff
Area of Operation VII. Emergency Operations
- AA.VII.C — Powerplant Failure (Simulated) (ASEL, ASES)
Area of Operation VII. Emergency Operations