AI.XIII.B — VMC Demonstration (AMEL, AMES)
AI.XIII.B for the Flight Instructor Airplane ACS: official objective, references, and 25 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 XIII. Multiengine Operations |
| Task | Task B. VMC Demonstration (AMEL, AMES) |
| Task code prefix | AI.XIII.B |
| Official references | FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-9, FAA-H-8083-25; FAA-P-8740-66; 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 VMC demonstration, 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.
- XIII identifies Multiengine Operations, the Area of Operation.
- B identifies VMC Demonstration (AMEL, AMES), 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.XIII.B.K1 | Purpose of the maneuver. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.XIII.B.K2 | Proper procedures for maneuver entry and safe recovery. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.XIII.B.K3 | Factors affecting VMC and how VMC differs from stall speed (VS). | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.XIII.B.K4 | VMC (red line), VYSE (blue line), and safe single-engine speed (VSSE). | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.XIII.B.K5 | Cause of loss of directional control at airspeeds below VMC. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| AI.XIII.B.K6 | 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.XIII.B.R1 | Configuring the airplane. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AI.XIII.B.R2 | Maneuvering with one engine inoperative. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| AI.XIII.B.R3 | 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. |
Skills elements
| ACS code | Official description | How a mock oral can probe it |
|---|---|---|
| AI.XIII.B.S1 | Configure the airplane in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, in the absence of the manufacturer’s recommendations, then at safe single-engine speed (VSSE/VYSE), as appropriate, and: | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.XIII.B.S1a | a. Landing gear retracted | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.XIII.B.S1b | b. Flaps set for takeoff | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.XIII.B.S1c | c. Cowl flaps set for takeoff | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.XIII.B.S1d | d. Trim set for takeoff | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.XIII.B.S1e | e. Propellers set for high revolutions per minute (rpm) | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.XIII.B.S1f | f. Power on critical engine reduced to idle and propeller windmilling | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.XIII.B.S1g | g. Power on operating engine set to takeoff or maximum available power | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.XIII.B.S2 | Establish a single-engine climb attitude with the airspeed at approximately 10 knots above VSSE. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.XIII.B.S3 | Establish a bank angle not to exceed 5° toward the operating engine, as required for best performance and controllability. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.XIII.B.S4 | Increase the pitch attitude slowly to reduce the airspeed at approximately 1 knot per second while applying increased rudder pressure as needed to maintain directional control. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.XIII.B.S5 | Recognize and recover at the first indication of loss of directional control, stall warning, or buffet. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.XIII.B.S6 | Recover promptly by simultaneously reducing power sufficiently on the operating engine, decreasing the angle of attack as necessary to regain airspeed and directional control, and without adding power on the simulated failed engine. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.XIII.B.S7 | Recover within 20° of entry heading. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.XIII.B.S8 | Advance power smoothly on the operating engine and accelerate to VSSE/VYSE, as appropriate, ±5 knots during recovery. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| AI.XIII.B.S9 | 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.XIII.A — Maneuvering with One Engine Inoperative (AMEL, AMES)
Area of Operation XIII. Multiengine Operations
- AI.XIII.C — Demonstration of Effects of Various Airspeeds and Configurations during Engine Inoperative
Area of Operation XIII. Multiengine Operations