Commercial Pilot — Powered Lift ACS tasks
Browse 55 FAA ACS Tasks from FAA-S-ACS-2, with official objectives, references, and exact K/R/S item descriptions.
FAA-S-ACS-2, November 2023. Verify amendments and current applicability in the FAA source library.
Document context
| FAA document | Commercial Pilot for Powered-Lift Category Airman Certification Standards |
|---|---|
| Document identifier | FAA-S-ACS-2 |
| Published source date | November 2023 |
| Aircraft category | Powered Lift |
| Certificate or rating | Commercial Pilot |
| Task pages | 55 |
| K/R/S item descriptions | 1,089 |
| FAA source library | Open the official ACS library |
Area of Operation I. Preflight Preparation
- CP.I.A — Pilot Qualifications
8 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with airman and medical certificates including privileges, limitations, currency, and operating as pilot-incommand as a commercial pilot.
- CP.I.B — Airworthiness Requirements
16 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with airworthiness requirements, including aircraft certificates.
- CP.I.C — Weather Information
34 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with weather information for a flight under VFR.
- CP.I.D — Cross-Country Flight Planning
22 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with cross-country flights and VFR flight planning.
- CP.I.E — National Airspace System
8 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with National Airspace System (NAS) operations under VFR as a commercial pilot.
- CP.I.F — Performance and Limitations
17 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with operating an aircraft within the parameters of its performance capabilities and limitations.
- CP.I.G — Operation of Systems
20 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with safe operation of systems on the aircraft provided for the flight test.
- CP.I.H — Human Factors
22 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with personal health, flight physiology, and aeromedical and human factors related to safety of flight.
- CP.I.I — Night Operations
17 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with night preparation and flight.
Area of Operation II. Preflight Procedures
- CP.II.A — Preflight Assessment
17 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with preparation for safe flight.
- CP.II.B — Flight Deck Management
11 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with flight deck management practices.
- CP.II.C — Powerplant Starting
11 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with recommended powerplant starting procedures.
- CP.II.D — Ground Taxiing
28 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with ground taxi operations, in a wheel-type aircraft, including runway incursion avoidance.
- CP.II.E — Before Takeoff Check
17 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with before takeoff check.
Area of Operation III. Airport and Heliport Operations
- CP.III.A — Communications, Light Signals, and Runway Lighting Systems
15 K/R/S items. 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.
- CP.III.B — Runway/Taxiway/Heliport/Helipad Signs, Markings, and Lighting
8 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with runway/taxiway/heliport/helipad signs, markings and lighting.
- CP.III.C — Traffic Patterns
16 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with traffic patterns.
Area of Operation IV. Hovering Maneuvers
- CP.IV.A — Vertical Takeoff and Landing
18 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with vertical takeoff and landing from a hover.
- CP.IV.B — Hover Taxi
30 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with hover taxi operations, including runway incursion avoidance.
- CP.IV.C — Air Taxi
27 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with air taxi operations.
Area of Operation V. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds
- CP.V.A — Normal Takeoff and Climb from a Hover
33 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with normal takeoff and climb from a hover.
- CP.V.B — Rolling Takeoff and Climb
27 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with rolling takeoff with wheel-type landing gear.
- CP.V.C — Maximum Performance Takeoff and Climb
31 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with maximum performance takeoff and climb.
- CP.V.D — Normal Approach to a Hover
30 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with approach profile to a hover.
- CP.V.E — Normal Approach and Landing
26 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with a normal approach and landing.
- CP.V.F — Steep Approach and Landing
28 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with a steep approach to the surface.
- CP.V.G — Running/Roll-On Landing
31 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with running/roll-on landing operation.
- CP.V.H — Go-Around/Rejected Landing
21 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with go-around/rejected landing with emphasis on factors that contribute to landing conditions that may require a go-around.
Area of Operation VI. Performance Maneuvers
- CP.VI.A — Rapid Deceleration/Quick Stop
20 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with rapid deceleration/quick stop and conditions that may require a rapid deceleration/quick stop.
- CP.VI.B — Inflight Conversion During Straight-and-Level Flight
20 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with Commercial Pilot for Powered-Lift Category ACS (FAA-S-ACS-2) 33 Area of Operation VI. Performance Maneuvers converting from thrust-borne configuration to wing-borne configuration, and returning to thrust-borne configuration.
- CP.VI.C — Steep Turns
16 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with steep turns.
Area of Operation VII. Navigation
- CP.VII.A — Pilotage and Dead Reckoning
25 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with pilotage and dead reckoning.
- CP.VII.B — Navigation Systems and Radar Services
16 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with navigation systems and radar services.
- CP.VII.C — Diversion
13 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with diversion.
- CP.VII.D — Lost Procedures
12 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with lost procedures and can take appropriate steps to achieve a satisfactory outcome if lost.
Area of Operation VIII. Slow Flight and Stalls
- CP.VIII.A — Maneuvering During Slow Flight (Wing-Borne Configuration)
12 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with maneuvering during slow flight in wing-borne configuration.
- CP.VIII.B — Power-Off Stalls
23 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with power-off stalls.
- CP.VIII.C — Power-On Stalls
23 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with power-on stalls.
- CP.VIII.D — Accelerated Stalls
22 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with accelerated stalls (power-on or power-off).
Area of Operation IX. Emergency Operations
- CP.IX.A — Powerplant(s) Failure (Simulated) during Takeoff in Thrust-Borne Flight
17 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with indications and pilot actions after powerplant(s) failure during takeoff while the aircraft is predominantly in thrust-borne flight in a multi-powerplant aircraft.
- CP.IX.B — Powerplant(s) Failure (Simulated) during Takeoff While in Semi-Wing-Borne Flight
20 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with indications and pilot actions after powerplant(s) failure during takeoff while in semi-wing-borne flight in a multi-powerplant aircraft.
- CP.IX.C — Inflight Powerplant(s) Failure and Restart in Multi-Powerplant Aircraft
21 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with an inflight powerplant(s) failure and restart, if applicable, in a multi-powerplant powered-lift aircraft.
- CP.IX.D — Vortex Ring State (VRS) Avoidance
15 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge and risk management associated with preventing the aircraft from entering and the procedure for recovering from Vortex Ring State (VRS).
- CP.IX.E — Approach and Landing with Powerplant(s) Failure (Simulated)
22 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with approach and landing with simulated powerplant(s) failure.
- CP.IX.F — Emergency Descent
16 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with Commercial Pilot for Powered-Lift Category ACS (FAA-S-ACS-2) 49 Area of Operation IX. Emergency Operations emergency descent.
- CP.IX.G — Emergency Equipment and Survival Gear
9 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with emergency equipment, and survival gear appropriate to the aircraft and environment encountered during flight.
- CP.IX.H — Systems and Equipment Malfunctions
17 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with system and equipment malfunctions appropriate to the aircraft provided for the practical test.
- CP.IX.I — Dynamic Rollover
11 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with dynamic rollover.
- CP.IX.J — Recovery from Unusual Flight Attitudes
13 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with attitude instrument flying while recovering from unusual attitudes solely by reference to instruments.
Area of Operation X. High-Altitude Operations
- CP.X.A — Supplemental Oxygen
17 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with flight at higher altitudes where supplemental oxygen is required or recommended.
- CP.X.B — Pressurization
11 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with flight in pressurized aircraft at high altitudes.
Area of Operation XI. Special Operations
- CP.XI.A — Confined Area Operations
36 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with confined area operations.
- CP.XI.B — Slope Operations
25 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with slope operations.
- CP.XI.C — Pinnacle Operations
38 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with pinnacle operations.
Area of Operation XII. Postflight Procedures
- CP.XII.A — After Landing, Parking, and Securing
10 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with after landing, parking, and securing procedures.
Related ACS documents
- Commercial Pilot — Airplane
60 Tasks from FAA-S-ACS-7B.
- Commercial Pilot — Rotorcraft
51 Tasks from FAA-S-ACS-16.
- Private Pilot — Powered Lift
58 Tasks from FAA-S-ACS-13.
- Instrument Rating — Powered Lift
22 Tasks from FAA-S-ACS-3.
- Flight Instructor — Powered Lift
73 Tasks from FAA-S-ACS-27.
- Flight Instructor – Instrument — Powered Lift
37 Tasks from FAA-S-ACS-28.
Practice the material
Use the task pages to review official ACS scope, then practice explaining and applying the material in a spoken scenario. This index does not reproduce an FAA examiner's plan of action or predict the exact questions on a practical test.
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