# CA.IV.C — Soft-Field Takeoff and Climb (ASEL) — Commercial Pilot Airplane ACS

> CA.IV.C from FAA-S-ACS-7B, including the official objective, references, notes, and 33 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.

Canonical HTML: [https://www.check-ride.ai/acs/airplane/commercial-pilot/ca-iv-c](https://www.check-ride.ai/acs/airplane/commercial-pilot/ca-iv-c)

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

## Official Task context

- FAA document: Commercial Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards
- Identifier: FAA-S-ACS-7B
- Published source date: November 2023
- Aircraft category: Airplane
- Certificate or rating: Commercial Pilot
- Area of Operation: Area of Operation IV. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds
- Task: Task C. Soft-Field Takeoff and Climb (ASEL)
- Task code prefix: CA.IV.C
- Official references: AIM; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-25; POH/AFM
- 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 soft-field takeoff, climb operations, and rejected takeoff procedures.

## Knowledge elements

- **CA.IV.C.K1** — Effects of atmospheric conditions, including wind, on takeoff and climb performance.
- **CA.IV.C.K2** — Best angle of climb speed (VX) and best rate of climb speed (VY).
- **CA.IV.C.K3** — Appropriate airplane configuration.
- **CA.IV.C.K4** — Ground effect.
- **CA.IV.C.K5** — Importance of weight transfer from wheels to wings.
- **CA.IV.C.K6** — Left turning tendencies.

## Risk management elements

- **CA.IV.C.R1** — Selection of runway based on pilot capability, airplane performance and limitations, available distance, and wind.
- **CA.IV.C.R2** — Effects of:
- **CA.IV.C.R2a** — a. Crosswind
- **CA.IV.C.R2b** — b. Windshear
- **CA.IV.C.R2c** — c. Tailwind
- **CA.IV.C.R2d** — d. Wake turbulence
- **CA.IV.C.R2e** — e. Takeoff surface/condition
- **CA.IV.C.R3** — Abnormal operations, including planning for:
- **CA.IV.C.R3a** — a. Rejected takeoff
- **CA.IV.C.R3b** — b. Potential engine failure in takeoff/climb phase of flight
- **CA.IV.C.R4** — Collision hazards.
- **CA.IV.C.R5** — Low altitude maneuvering, including stall, spin, or controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).
- **CA.IV.C.R6** — Distractions, task prioritization, loss of situational awareness, or disorientation.

## Skills elements

- **CA.IV.C.S1** — Complete the appropriate checklist(s).
- **CA.IV.C.S2** — Make radio calls as appropriate.
- **CA.IV.C.S3** — Verify assigned/correct runway.
- **CA.IV.C.S4** — Determine wind direction with or without visible wind direction indicators.
- **CA.IV.C.S5** — Position the flight controls for the existing wind, if applicable.
- **CA.IV.C.S6** — Clear the area, maintain necessary flight control inputs, taxi into takeoff position and align the airplane on the runway centerline without stopping, while advancing the throttle smoothly to takeoff power.
- **CA.IV.C.S7** — Confirm takeoff power and proper engine and flight instrument indications.
- **CA.IV.C.S8** — Establish and maintain a pitch attitude that transfers the weight of the airplane from the wheels to the wings as rapidly as possible.
- **CA.IV.C.S9** — Lift off at the lowest possible airspeed and remain in ground effect while accelerating to VX or VY, as appropriate.
- **CA.IV.C.S10** — Establish a pitch attitude for VX or VY, as appropriate, and maintain selected airspeed ±5 knots during the climb.
- **CA.IV.C.S11** — Configure the airplane after a positive rate of climb has been verified or in accordance with airplane manufacturer’s instructions.
- **CA.IV.C.S12** — Maintain VX or VY, as appropriate, ±5 knots to a safe maneuvering altitude.
- **CA.IV.C.S13** — Maintain directional control and proper wind-drift correction throughout takeoff and climb.
- **CA.IV.C.S14** — Comply with noise abatement procedures, as applicable.

## 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.

## 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.