# PA.IV.J — Glassy Water Approach and Landing (ASES, AMES) — Private Pilot Airplane ACS

> PA.IV.J from FAA-S-ACS-6C, including the official objective, references, notes, and 20 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.

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

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 J. Glassy Water Approach and Landing (ASES, AMES)
- Task code prefix: PA.IV.J
- 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 glassy water approach and landing.

## Knowledge elements

- **PA.IV.J.K1** — A stabilized approach, including energy management concepts.
- **PA.IV.J.K2** — Effects of atmospheric conditions, including wind, on approach and landing performance.
- **PA.IV.J.K3** — When and why glassy water techniques are used.
- **PA.IV.J.K4** — How a glassy water approach and landing is executed.

## Risk management elements

- **PA.IV.J.R1** — Selection of approach path and touchdown area based on pilot capability, airplane performance and limitations, and available distance.
- **PA.IV.J.R2** — Water surface/condition.
- **PA.IV.J.R3** — Planning for a go-around and rejected landing.
- **PA.IV.J.R4** — Collision hazards.
- **PA.IV.J.R5** — Low altitude maneuvering, including stall, spin, or controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).
- **PA.IV.J.R6** — Distractions, task prioritization, loss of situational awareness, or disorientation.
- **PA.IV.J.R7** — Gear position in an amphibious airplane.

## Skills elements

- **PA.IV.J.S1** — Complete the appropriate checklist(s).
- **PA.IV.J.S2** — Make radio calls as appropriate.
- **PA.IV.J.S3** — Scan the landing area for traffic and obstructions.
- **PA.IV.J.S4** — Select a proper approach and landing path considering the landing surface, visual attitude references, water depth, and collision hazards.
- **PA.IV.J.S5** — 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.J.S6** — Maintain manufacturer’s published approach airspeed or in its absence not more than 1.3 VSO, +10/-5 knots.
- **PA.IV.J.S7** — Make smooth, timely, and correct power and control adjustments to maintain proper pitch attitude and rate of descent to touchdown.
- **PA.IV.J.S8** — Contact the water in a proper pitch attitude, and slow to idle taxi speed.
- **PA.IV.J.S9** — Maintain directional control throughout the approach and landing.

## 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 glassy water condition does not exist, the applicant must be evaluated by simulating the Task.

## 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.