AI.VII.M — Slip to a Landing (ASEL, ASES)

AI.VII.M for the Flight Instructor Airplane ACS: official objective, references, and 31 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.VII.M official ACS context
Certificate or ratingFlight Instructor
Aircraft categoryAirplane
Area of operationArea of Operation VII. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds
TaskTask M. Slip to a Landing (ASEL, ASES)
Task code prefixAI.VII.M
Official referencesAIM; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-9, FAA-H-8083-25; POH/AFM
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 a slip to a landing, 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.
  • VII identifies Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds, the Area of Operation.
  • M identifies Slip to a Landing (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

Official ACS knowledge items and mock-oral treatment
ACS codeOfficial descriptionHow a mock oral can probe it
AI.VII.M.K1Purpose of and procedures for forward or side slip to a landing.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.VII.M.K2Concepts of energy management during a forward or side slip approach.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.VII.M.K3Effects of atmospheric conditions, including wind, on approach and landing performance.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.VII.M.K4Wind correction techniques during a forward or side slip.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
AI.VII.M.K5Common 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

Official ACS risk management items and mock-oral treatment
ACS codeOfficial descriptionHow a mock oral can probe it
AI.VII.M.R1Selection of runway/landing surface, approach path, and touchdown area based on pilot capability, aircraft performance and limitations, available distance, and wind.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.VII.M.R2Effects of:Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.VII.M.R2aa. CrosswindWork through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.VII.M.R2bb. WindshearWork through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.VII.M.R2cc. TailwindWork through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.VII.M.R2dd. Wake turbulenceWork through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.VII.M.R2ee. Landing surface/conditionWork through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.VII.M.R3Planning for:Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.VII.M.R3aa. Rejected landing and go-aroundWork through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.VII.M.R3bb. Land and hold short operations (LAHSO)Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.VII.M.R4Collision hazards.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.VII.M.R5Low 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.VII.M.R6Distractions, 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.VII.M.R7Forward slip operations, including fuel flowage, tail stalls with flaps, and airspeed control.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.VII.M.R8Surface contact with the airplane’s longitudinal axis misaligned.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
AI.VII.M.R9Unstable approach.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.VII.M.S1Complete the appropriate checklist(s).Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AI.VII.M.S2Make radio calls as appropriate.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AI.VII.M.S3Plan and follow a flightpath to the selected landing area considering altitude, wind, terrain, and obstructions.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AI.VII.M.S4Select the most suitable touchdown point based on wind, landing surface, obstructions, and airplane limitations.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AI.VII.M.S5Position airplane on downwind leg, parallel to landing runway or selected landing surface.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AI.VII.M.S6Configure the airplane correctly.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AI.VII.M.S7As necessary, correlate crosswind with direction of slip and transition to sideslip as appropriate before touchdown.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AI.VII.M.S8Touch down at a proper pitch attitude, within 400 feet beyond or on the specified point, with no side drift, and with the airplane’s longitudinal axis aligned with and over the runway center/landing path.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AI.VII.M.S9Maintain a ground track aligned with the runway center/landing path.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
AI.VII.M.S10Analyze 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.

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