# CA.IV.H — Confined Area Approach and Landing (ASES, AMES) — Commercial Pilot Airplane ACS

> CA.IV.H from FAA-S-ACS-7B, including the official objective, references, notes, and 27 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.

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

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 H. Confined Area Approach and Landing (ASES, AMES)
- Task code prefix: CA.IV.H
- Official references: AIM; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-23, 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 confined area approach and landing.

## Knowledge elements

- **CA.IV.H.K1** — A stabilized approach, including energy management concepts.
- **CA.IV.H.K2** — Effects of atmospheric conditions, including wind, on approach and landing performance.
- **CA.IV.H.K3** — Wind correction techniques on approach and landing.

## Risk management elements

- **CA.IV.H.R1** — Selection of approach path and touchdown area based on pilot capability, airplane performance and limitations, available distance, and wind.
- **CA.IV.H.R2** — Effects of:
- **CA.IV.H.R2a** — a. Crosswind
- **CA.IV.H.R2b** — b. Windshear
- **CA.IV.H.R2c** — c. Tailwind
- **CA.IV.H.R2d** — d. Wake turbulence
- **CA.IV.H.R2e** — e. Water surface/condition
- **CA.IV.H.R3** — Planning for a go-around and rejected landing.
- **CA.IV.H.R4** — Collision hazards.
- **CA.IV.H.R5** — Low altitude maneuvering, including stall, spin, or controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).
- **CA.IV.H.R6** — Distractions, task prioritization, loss of situational awareness, or disorientation.

## Skills elements

- **CA.IV.H.S1** — Complete the appropriate checklist(s).
- **CA.IV.H.S2** — Make radio calls as appropriate.
- **CA.IV.H.S3** — Ensure the airplane is aligned for an approach to the correct/assigned landing surface.
- **CA.IV.H.S4** — Scan the landing area for traffic and obstructions.
- **CA.IV.H.S5** — Select and aim for a suitable touchdown point considering the wind conditions, landing surface, and obstructions.
- **CA.IV.H.S6** — Establish the recommended approach and landing configuration, airspeed, and trim, and adjust pitch attitude and power as required to maintain a stabilized approach.
- **CA.IV.H.S7** — Maintain manufacturer’s published approach airspeed or in its absence not more than 1.3 VSO, +10/-5 knots with gust factor applied.
- **CA.IV.H.S8** — Maintain directional control and appropriate crosswind correction throughout the approach and landing.
- **CA.IV.H.S9** — Make smooth, timely, and correct control application before, during, and after touchdown.
- **CA.IV.H.S10** — Contact the water at the recommended airspeed with a proper pitch attitude for the surface conditions.
- **CA.IV.H.S11** — Touch down at a proper pitch attitude, within 100 feet beyond or on the specified point, with no side drift, minimum float, and with the airplane’s longitudinal axis aligned with the projected landing path.
- **CA.IV.H.S12** — Execute a timely go-around if the approach cannot be made within the tolerances specified above or for any other condition that may result in an unsafe approach or landing.
- **CA.IV.H.S13** — Apply elevator control as necessary to stop in the shortest distance consistent with safety.

## 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.