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PA.III.A — Communications, Light Signals, and Runway Lighting Systems

PA.III.A for the Private Pilot Airplane ACS: official objective, references, and 16 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.

FAA-S-ACS-6C, November 2023. This study page does not replace the current FAA publication or an examiner's plan of action.

Official task context

PA.III.A official ACS context
Certificate or ratingPrivate Pilot
Aircraft categoryAirplane
Area of operationArea of Operation III. Airport and Seaplane Base Operations
TaskTask A. Communications, Light Signals, and Runway Lighting Systems
Task code prefixPA.III.A
Official references14 CFR part 91; AIM; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-25
FAA documentFAA-S-ACS-6C — Private Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards
FAA source libraryOpen the official ACS library

Official task objective

To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with normal and emergency radio communications, air traffic control (ATC) light signals, and runway lighting systems.

What the ACS code means

  • PA identifies the ACS standard family used for this Private Pilot Airplane document.
  • III identifies Airport and Seaplane Base Operations, the Area of Operation.
  • A identifies Communications, Light Signals, and Runway Lighting Systems, 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
PA.III.A.K1How to obtain appropriate radio frequencies.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PA.III.A.K2Proper radio communication procedures and air traffic control (ATC) phraseology.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PA.III.A.K3ATC light signal recognition.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PA.III.A.K4Appropriate use of transponder(s).Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PA.III.A.K5Lost communication procedures.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PA.III.A.K6Equipment issues that could cause loss of communication.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PA.III.A.K7Radar assistance.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PA.III.A.K8National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident/incident reporting.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PA.III.A.K9Runway Status Lighting Systems.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
PA.III.A.R1Communication.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
PA.III.A.R2Deciding if and when to declare an emergency.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
PA.III.A.R3[Archived]Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
PA.III.A.R4Use of non-standard phraseology.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
PA.III.A.S1Select and activate appropriate frequencies.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
PA.III.A.S2Transmit using standard phraseology and procedures as specified in the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) and Pilot/Controller Glossary.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
PA.III.A.S3Acknowledge radio communications and comply with ATC instructions or as directed 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.

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.

Practice in a mock oral

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