PA.X.A — Maneuvering with One Engine Inoperative (AMEL, AMES)
PA.X.A for the Private Pilot Airplane ACS: official objective, references, and 18 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
| Certificate or rating | Private Pilot |
|---|---|
| Aircraft category | Airplane |
| Area of operation | Area of Operation X. Multiengine Operations |
| Task | Task A. Maneuvering with One Engine Inoperative (AMEL, AMES) |
| Task code prefix | PA.X.A |
| Official references | FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-25; FAA-P-8740-66; POH/AFM |
| FAA document | FAA-S-ACS-6C — Private Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards |
| FAA source library | Open the official ACS library |
Official task objective
To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with maneuvering with one engine inoperative.
What the ACS code means
- PA identifies the ACS standard family used for this Private Pilot Airplane document.
- X identifies Multiengine Operations, the Area of Operation.
- A identifies Maneuvering with One Engine Inoperative (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 |
|---|---|---|
| PA.X.A.K1 | Factors affecting minimum controllable speed (VMC). | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PA.X.A.K2 | VMC (red line) and best single-engine rate of climb airspeed (VYSE) (blue line). | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PA.X.A.K3 | How to identify, verify, feather, and secure an inoperative engine. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PA.X.A.K4 | Importance of drag reduction, including propeller feathering, gear and flap retraction, the manufacturer's recommended control input and its relation to zero sideslip. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PA.X.A.K5 | Feathering, securing, unfeathering, and restarting. | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| PA.X.A.R1 | Potential engine failure during flight. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PA.X.A.R2 | Collision hazards. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PA.X.A.R3 | Configuring the airplane. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PA.X.A.R4 | Low altitude maneuvering, including stall, spin, or controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PA.X.A.R5 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| PA.X.A.S1 | Recognize an engine failure, maintain control, use manufacturer’s memory item procedures, and use appropriate emergency procedures. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PA.X.A.S2 | Set the engine controls, identify and verify the inoperative engine, and feather the appropriate propeller. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PA.X.A.S3 | Use flight controls in the proper combination as recommended by the manufacturer, or as required to maintain best performance, and trim as required. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PA.X.A.S4 | Attempt to determine and resolve the reason for the engine failure. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PA.X.A.S5 | Secure the inoperative engine and monitor the operating engine and make necessary adjustments. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PA.X.A.S6 | Restart the inoperative engine using manufacturer’s restart procedures. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PA.X.A.S7 | Maintain altitude ±100 feet or minimum sink rate if applicable, airspeed ±10 knots, and selected headings ±10°. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PA.X.A.S8 | Complete the appropriate checklist(s). | 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 Private Pilot Airplane ACS tasks
61 task-level resources from FAA-S-ACS-6C.
- PA.IX.G — Approach and Landing with an Inoperative Engine (Simulated)(AMEL, AMES)
Area of Operation IX. Emergency Operations
- PA.X.B — VMC Demonstration (AMEL, AMES)
Area of Operation X. Multiengine Operations
- PA.X.C — One Engine Inoperative (Simulated) (solely by Reference to Instruments) During Straight-and-Level Flight and Turns (AMEL, AMES)
Area of Operation X. Multiengine Operations
- PA.X.D — Instrument Approach and Landing with an Inoperative Engine (Simulated) (AMEL, AMES)
Area of Operation X. Multiengine Operations