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AI.II.I — Navigation and Cross-Country Flight Planning

AI.II.I for the Flight Instructor Airplane ACS: official objective, references, and 28 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.

FAA-S-ACS-25, November 2023. This study page does not replace the current FAA publication or an examiner's plan of action.

Official task context

AI.II.I official ACS context
Certificate or ratingFlight Instructor
Aircraft categoryAirplane
Area of operationArea of Operation II. Technical Subject Areas
TaskTask I. Navigation and Cross-Country Flight Planning
Task code prefixAI.II.I
Official references14 CFR part 91; AIM; Chart Supplements; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-9, FAA-H-8083-25, NOTAMs; VFR Navigation Charts
FAA documentFAA-S-ACS-25 — Flight Instructor for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards
FAA source libraryOpen the official ACS library

Official task objective

To determine the applicant understands navigation and cross-country flight planning, can apply that knowledge, manage associated risks, demonstrate appropriate skills, and provide effective instruction.

What the ACS code means

  • AI identifies the ACS standard family used for this Flight Instructor Airplane document.
  • II identifies Technical Subject Areas, the Area of Operation.
  • I identifies Navigation and Cross-Country Flight Planning, 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
AI.II.I.K1Route planning, including consideration of different classes and special use airspace (SUA) and selection of appropriate and available navigation/communication systems and facilities.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K2Altitude selection accounting for terrain and obstacles, glide distance of airplane, visual flight rules (VFR) cruising altitudes, and effect of wind.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K3Plotting a course.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K4Power setting selection.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K5Calculating:Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K5aTime, climb and descent rates, course, distance, heading, true airspeed, and groundspeedExplain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K5bEstimated time of arrival, including conversion to universal coordinated time (UTC)Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K5cFuel requirements, including reserveExplain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K6Elements of a VFR flight plan.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K7Correlate weather information to make a go/no-go decision.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K8Procedures for activating and closing a VFR flight plan.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K9Magnetic compass errors.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K10Pilotage and dead reckoning.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K11Planned calculations versus actual results and required corrections.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K12Diversion and lost procedures.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K13Inflight intercept procedures.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K14Use of an electronic flight bag (EFB), if used.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.II.I.K15Chart symbols.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
AI.II.I.R1Pilot.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.II.I.R2Aircraft.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.II.I.R3Environment (e.g., weather, airports, airspace, terrain, obstacles).Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.II.I.R4External pressures.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.II.I.R5Limitations of air traffic control (ATC) services.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.II.I.R6Fuel planning.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
AI.II.I.S1Prepare, present, and explain a cross-country flight plan assigned by the evaluator, including a risk analysis to the first fuel stop.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AI.II.I.S2Apply pertinent information from appropriate and current aeronautical charts, Chart Supplements; Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) relative to airport, runway and taxiway closures; and other flight publications.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AI.II.I.S3Create a navigation plan and simulate filing a VFR flight plan.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AI.II.I.S4Recalculate fuel reserves based on a scenario provided 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.

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.

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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