AI.X.B — Demonstration of Flight Characteristics at Various Configurations and Airspeeds (ASEL and
AI.X.B for the Flight Instructor Airplane ACS: official objective, references, and 42 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 X. Slow flight, Stalls, and Spins |
| Task | Task B. Demonstration of Flight Characteristics at Various Configurations and Airspeeds (ASEL and |
| Task code prefix | AI.X.B |
| Official references | AC 61-67; 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 flight characteristics and power required at different airspeeds and configurations appropriate to the make and model of airplane flown, 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.
- X identifies Slow flight, Stalls, and Spins, the Area of Operation.
- B identifies Demonstration of Flight Characteristics at Various Configurations and Airspeeds (ASEL and, 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.X.B.K1 | Purpose of and procedures for demonstration of flight characteristics at various configurations and airspeeds. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.X.B.K2 | Power required at various airspeeds between cruise airspeed and critically slow airspeeds near the critical angle of attack. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.X.B.K3 | The minimum power required speed and its role in differentiating the region of normal command and the region of reversed command on the power-required curve. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.X.B.K4 | The relationships between lift, drag, angle of attack, airspeed, load factor, power required, weight, center of gravity, attitude, yaw effects, controllability, and stalls and spins. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.X.B.K5 | Pitch, power, and trim control inputs that are required to operate the airplane in level flight, turns, climbs, and descents and how the control inputs change at various airspeeds between cruise airspeed and critically slow airspeeds. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.X.B.K6 | Flight characteristics and aerodynamics associated with configuration changes applicable to the specific to the make and model of airplane provided for the practical test. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.X.B.K7 | Airspeeds specific to the airplane for various operations, how to identify them on the airspeed indicator (if applicable), and their significance in airplane performance, including: | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.X.B.K7a | a. Design/operating maneuvering speed | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.X.B.K7b | b. Landing gear extended/operating speed, if applicable | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.X.B.K7c | c. Flaps extended/operating speed, if applicable | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.X.B.K7d | d. Best glide speed | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.X.B.K7e | e. Reference landing speed | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.X.B.K7f | f. Stalling speeds | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.X.B.K8 | 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.X.B.R1 | Lack of familiarity with airplane airspeed limitations and interpretation of the airspeed indicator. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AI.X.B.R2 | Exceeding airspeed limitations. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AI.X.B.R3 | Flight characteristics in the region of reversed command and the potential for loss of control. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AI.X.B.R4 | Inadvertent exceedance of the critical angle of attack. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AI.X.B.R5 | Range, limitations, and operational characteristics of airspeed indicators and stall warning indicators (e.g., airplane buffet, stall horn, etc.). | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AI.X.B.R6 | Unacknowledged stall warning indications. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AI.X.B.R7 | Effects of environmental elements on airplane performance and controllability. (e.g., turbulence, microbursts, and high density altitude). | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AI.X.B.R8 | Collision hazards. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AI.X.B.R9 | Maneuvering at critically slow airspeeds. | 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.X.B.S1 | Conduct and explain the procedure, manage the associated risk, and fly the airplane, while maintaining altitude ±100 feet, airspeed +5/-0 knots, heading ±10°, and specified bank angle ±5°, 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.X.B.S2 | Select an altitude that allows the maneuver to be performed 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.X.B.S3 | 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.X.B.S4 | Clean configuration demonstration: | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.X.B.S4a | a. Establish and maintain design/operating maneuvering speed appropriate to the airplane’s weight while describing pitch, power, and trim inputs to maintain altitude and airspeed, then; | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.X.B.S4b | b. With gear and flaps retracted (as applicable), slow the airplane to, and maintain, best glide speed (or as specified by evaluator), noting the power setting required, then; | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.X.B.S4c | c. Continue to slow the airplane to, and maintain, an airspeed at which any further increase in angle of attack, increase in load factor, or reduction in power would result in an immediate stall, and maintain that airspeed in level flight, noting the airspeed and power setting required, while; | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.X.B.S4d | d. Verbally acknowledging stall warning indications, then; | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.X.B.S4e | e. Without changing power setting, lower the pitch attitude and accelerate to a faster airspeed until reestablishing the airplane in level flight, noting the new airspeed and amount of altitude lost, then; | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.X.B.S4f | f. Return to normal cruise flight at the altitude and heading specified 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. |
| AI.X.B.S5 | Landing configuration demonstration. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.X.B.S5a | a. Establish and maintain design/operating maneuvering speed appropriate to the airplane’s weight while describing pitch, power, and trim inputs to maintain altitude and airspeed, then; | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.X.B.S5b | b. Slow the airplane to, and maintain, the appropriate limiting airspeeds and fully extend the landing gear and flaps (as appropriate), then; | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.X.B.S5c | c. With gear and flaps fully extended (as applicable), slow the airplane to, and maintain, reference landing speed (or as specified by the evaluator), noting the power setting required, then; | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.X.B.S5d | d. With gear and flaps fully extended, continue to slow the airplane to, and maintain, an airspeed at which any further increase in angle of attack, increase in load factor, or reduction in power would result in an immediate stall, and maintain that airspeed in level flight, noting the airspeed and power setting required, while; | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.X.B.S5e | e. Verbally acknowledging stall warning indications, then; | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.X.B.S5f | f. Without changing power setting, lower the pitch attitude and accelerate to a faster airspeed until reestablishing the airplane in in level flight, noting the new airspeed and amount of altitude lost, then; | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.X.B.S5g | g. Return to normal cruise flight at the altitude and heading specified 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. |
| AI.X.B.S6 | 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.
Official task notes
- See Appendix 2: Safety of Flight and Appendix 3: Aircraft, Equipment, and Operational Requirements & Limitations for information related to this Task.
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.X.A — Maneuvering During Slow Flight
Area of Operation X. Slow flight, Stalls, and Spins
- AI.X.C — Power-Off Stalls
Area of Operation X. Slow flight, Stalls, and Spins
- AI.X.D — Power-On Stalls
Area of Operation X. Slow flight, Stalls, and Spins
- AI.X.E — Accelerated Stalls
Area of Operation X. Slow flight, Stalls, and Spins