AI.IX.B — Steep Spiral (ASEL, ASES)
AI.IX.B for the Flight Instructor Airplane ACS: official objective, references, and 19 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
| Certificate or rating | Flight Instructor |
|---|---|
| Aircraft category | Airplane |
| Area of operation | Area of Operation IX. Performance and Ground Reference Maneuvers |
| Task | Task B. Steep Spiral (ASEL, ASES) |
| Task code prefix | AI.IX.B |
| Official references | FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-9, FAA-H-8083-25; POH/AFM |
| FAA document | FAA-S-ACS-25 — Flight Instructor for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards |
| FAA source library | Open the official ACS library |
Official task objective
To determine the applicant understands steep spirals, 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.
- IX identifies Performance and Ground Reference Maneuvers, the Area of Operation.
- B identifies Steep Spiral (ASEL, ASES), 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 |
|---|---|---|
| AI.IX.B.K1 | Purpose of and procedures for a proper steep spiral. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.IX.B.K2 | Relationship to emergency landing procedures. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.IX.B.K3 | Maintaining a constant radius about a point. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.IX.B.K4 | Effects of wind on ground track and relation to a ground reference. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.IX.B.K5 | Common errors related to this Task. | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| AI.IX.B.R1 | Division of attention between aircraft control and orientation. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AI.IX.B.R2 | Collision hazards. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AI.IX.B.R3 | 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. |
| AI.IX.B.R4 | 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. |
| AI.IX.B.R5 | Uncoordinated flight. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AI.IX.B.R6 | Effects of wind. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AI.IX.B.R7 | Airframe or airspeed limitations. | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| AI.IX.B.S1 | Clear the area. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.IX.B.S2 | Select an altitude sufficient to continue through a series of at least three, 360° turns. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.IX.B.S3 | Establish and maintain a steep spiral, not to exceed 60° angle of bank, to maintain a constant radius about a suitable ground reference point. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.IX.B.S4 | Apply wind-drift correction to track a constant radius circle around selected reference point with bank not to exceed 60° a steepest point in turn. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.IX.B.S5 | Divide attention between airplane control, traffic avoidance and the ground track while maintaining coordinated flight. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.IX.B.S6 | Maintain the specified airspeed, ±10 knots and roll out toward an object or specified heading, ±10°, and complete the maneuver no lower than 1,500 feet above ground level (AGL). | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.IX.B.S7 | Analyze and correct common errors related to this Task. | 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.
Related ACS tasks
- All Flight Instructor Airplane ACS tasks
85 task-level resources from FAA-S-ACS-25.
- AI.IX.A — Steep Turns
Area of Operation IX. Performance and Ground Reference Maneuvers
- AI.IX.C — Chandelles (ASEL, ASES)
Area of Operation IX. Performance and Ground Reference Maneuvers
- AI.IX.D — Lazy Eights (ASEL, ASES)
Area of Operation IX. Performance and Ground Reference Maneuvers
- AI.IX.E — Ground Reference Maneuvers
Area of Operation IX. Performance and Ground Reference Maneuvers