# AI.IX.A — Steep Turns — Flight Instructor Airplane ACS

> AI.IX.A from FAA-S-ACS-25, including the official objective, references, notes, and 20 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.

Canonical HTML: [https://www.check-ride.ai/acs/airplane/flight-instructor/ai-ix-a](https://www.check-ride.ai/acs/airplane/flight-instructor/ai-ix-a)

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

## Official Task context

- FAA document: Flight Instructor for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards
- Identifier: FAA-S-ACS-25
- Published source date: November 2023
- Aircraft category: Airplane
- Certificate or rating: Flight Instructor
- Area of Operation: Area of Operation IX. Performance and Ground Reference Maneuvers
- Task: Task A. Steep Turns
- Task code prefix: AI.IX.A
- Official references: FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-9, FAA-H-8083-25; POH/AFM
- FAA source library: https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/acs

## Official Task objective

To determine the applicant understands steep turns, can apply that knowledge, manage associated risks, demonstrate appropriate skills, and provide effective instruction.

## Knowledge elements

- **AI.IX.A.K1** — Purpose of and procedures for steep turn.
- **AI.IX.A.K2** — Pilot sensations and control forces.
- **AI.IX.A.K3** — Aerodynamics associated with steep turns, including:
- **AI.IX.A.K3a** — a. Maintaining coordinated flight
- **AI.IX.A.K3b** — b. Overbanking tendencies
- **AI.IX.A.K3c** — c. Maneuvering speed, including the impact of weight changes
- **AI.IX.A.K3d** — d. Load factor and accelerated stalls
- **AI.IX.A.K3e** — e. Rate and radius of turn
- **AI.IX.A.K4** — Common errors related to this Task.

## Risk management elements

- **AI.IX.A.R1** — Division of attention between aircraft control and orientation.
- **AI.IX.A.R2** — Collision hazards.
- **AI.IX.A.R3** — Low altitude maneuvering, including stall, spin, or controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).
- **AI.IX.A.R4** — Distractions, task prioritization, loss of situational awareness, or disorientation.
- **AI.IX.A.R5** — Uncoordinated flight.

## Skills elements

- **AI.IX.A.S1** — Clear the area.
- **AI.IX.A.S2** — Establish the manufacturer's recommended airspeed; or if one is not available, an airspeed not to exceed maneuvering speed (VA).
- **AI.IX.A.S3** — Roll into a coordinated 360° steep turn with approximately a 50° bank.
- **AI.IX.A.S4** — Perform the Task in the opposite direction.
- **AI.IX.A.S5** — Maintain the entry altitude ±100 feet, airspeed ±10 knots, bank ±5°, and roll out on the entry heading ±10°.
- **AI.IX.A.S6** — Analyze and correct common errors related to this Task.

## 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.