# PA.IV.B — Normal Approach and Landing — Private Pilot Airplane ACS

> PA.IV.B from FAA-S-ACS-6C, including the official objective, references, notes, and 28 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.

Canonical HTML: [https://www.check-ride.ai/acs/airplane/private-pilot/pa-iv-b](https://www.check-ride.ai/acs/airplane/private-pilot/pa-iv-b)

Site reference: [https://www.check-ride.ai/llms.txt](https://www.check-ride.ai/llms.txt)

## Official Task context

- FAA document: Private Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards
- Identifier: FAA-S-ACS-6C
- Published source date: November 2023
- Aircraft category: Airplane
- Certificate or rating: Private Pilot
- Area of Operation: Area of Operation IV. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds
- Task: Task B. Normal Approach and Landing
- Task code prefix: PA.IV.B
- Official references: AIM; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-23, FAA-H-8083-25; POH/AFM
- FAA source library: https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/acs

## Official Task objective

To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with normal approach and landing with emphasis on proper use and coordination of flight controls.

## Knowledge elements

- **PA.IV.B.K1** — A stabilized approach, including energy management concepts.
- **PA.IV.B.K2** — Effects of atmospheric conditions, including wind, on approach and landing performance.
- **PA.IV.B.K3** — Wind correction techniques on approach and landing.

## Risk management elements

- **PA.IV.B.R1** — Selection of runway/landing surface, approach path, and touchdown area based on pilot capability, aircraft performance and limitations, available distance, and wind.
- **PA.IV.B.R2** — Effects of:
- **PA.IV.B.R2a** — a. Crosswind
- **PA.IV.B.R2b** — b. Windshear
- **PA.IV.B.R2c** — c. Tailwind
- **PA.IV.B.R2d** — d. Wake turbulence
- **PA.IV.B.R2e** — e. Landing surface/condition
- **PA.IV.B.R3** — Planning for:
- **PA.IV.B.R3a** — a. Rejected landing and go-around
- **PA.IV.B.R3b** — b. Land and hold short operations (LAHSO)
- **PA.IV.B.R4** — Collision hazards.
- **PA.IV.B.R5** — Low altitude maneuvering, including stall, spin, or controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).
- **PA.IV.B.R6** — Distractions, task prioritization, loss of situational awareness, or disorientation.

## Skills elements

- **PA.IV.B.S1** — Complete the appropriate checklist(s).
- **PA.IV.B.S2** — Make radio calls as appropriate.
- **PA.IV.B.S3** — Ensure the airplane is aligned with the correct/assigned runway or landing surface.
- **PA.IV.B.S4** — Scan the runway or landing surface and adjoining area for traffic and obstructions.
- **PA.IV.B.S5** — Select and aim for a suitable touchdown point considering the wind conditions, landing surface, and obstructions.
- **PA.IV.B.S6** — Establish the recommended approach and landing configuration, airspeed, and trim, and adjust pitch attitude and power as required to maintain a stabilized approach.
- **PA.IV.B.S7** — Maintain manufacturer’s published approach airspeed or in its absence not more than 1.3 times the stalling speed or the minimum steady flight speed in the landing configuration (VSO), +10/-5 knots with gust factor applied.
- **PA.IV.B.S8** — Maintain directional control and appropriate crosswind correction throughout the approach and landing.
- **PA.IV.B.S9** — Make smooth, timely, and correct control application during round out and touchdown.
- **PA.IV.B.S10** — Touch 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.
- **PA.IV.B.S11** — Execute a timely go-around if the approach cannot be made within the tolerances specified above or for any other condition that may result in an unsafe approach or landing.
- **PA.IV.B.S12** — Use runway incursion avoidance procedures, if applicable.

## Difficulty methodology

Difficulty calibration is ongoing for this Task. Observed difficulty is a privacy-thresholded check-ride.ai mock-oral practice proxy, not an FAA practical-test pass or fail rate. Underlying sample sizes and the private reporting threshold are not published.

## Official Task notes

- If a crosswind condition does not exist, the applicant’s knowledge of crosswind elements must be evaluated through oral testing.

## Use in practice

A mock examiner can ask a pilot to explain the published elements, apply them to the configured aircraft and airport context, identify risks, and defend a decision. Practice prompts are not represented as actual FAA examiner scripts or predictions of the questions a candidate will receive.