PI.IX.B — Powerplant(s) Inoperative (Simulated) during Straight-and-Level Flight and Turns
PI.IX.B for the Flight Instructor – Instrument Powered Lift ACS: official objective, references, and 19 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.
FAA-S-ACS-28, 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 | Flight Instructor – Instrument |
|---|---|
| Aircraft category | Powered Lift |
| Area of operation | Area of Operation IX. Emergency Operations |
| Task | Task B. Powerplant(s) Inoperative (Simulated) during Straight-and-Level Flight and Turns |
| Task code prefix | PI.IX.B |
| Official references | FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-9, FAA-H-8083-15, FAA-H-8083-25; Flight Manual |
| FAA document | FAA-S-ACS-28 — Flight Instructor – Instrument Rating Powered-Lift 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 flight solely by reference to instruments with powerplant(s) inoperative, and provide effective instruction.
What the ACS code means
- PI identifies the ACS standard family used for this Flight Instructor – Instrument Powered Lift document.
- IX identifies Emergency Operations, the Area of Operation.
- B identifies Powerplant(s) Inoperative (Simulated) during Straight-and-Level Flight and Turns, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| PI.IX.B.K1 | Procedures used if powerplant(s) fail during straight-and-level flight and turns while on instruments. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PI.IX.B.K2 | Common errors related to this Task. | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| PI.IX.B.R1 | Identification of the inoperative powerplant(s). | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PI.IX.B.R2 | Inability to climb or maintain altitude with any inoperative powerplant(s). | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PI.IX.B.R3 | Collision hazards. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PI.IX.B.R4 | 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. |
| PI.IX.B.R5 | Fuel management. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PI.IX.B.R6 | Configuring the aircraft. | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| PI.IX.B.S1 | Promptly recognize powerplant(s) failure and maintain positive aircraft control. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.IX.B.S2 | Establish the best inoperative powerplant(s) aircraft configuration. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.IX.B.S3 | Use flight controls and configure the aircraft as required to maintain best performance or as recommended by the manufacturer. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.IX.B.S4 | Verify the prescribed checklist procedures used for securing any inoperative powerplant(s). | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.IX.B.S5 | Attempt to determine and resolve the reason for the powerplant(s) failure. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.IX.B.S6 | Monitor powerplant functions 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. |
| PI.IX.B.S7 | Maintain the specified altitude ±100 feet or minimum sink rate if applicable, airspeed ±10 knots, and the specified heading ±10°. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.IX.B.S8 | Assess the aircraft’s performance capability and decide an appropriate action to ensure a safe landing. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.IX.B.S9 | Maintain control and fly within the aircraft’s operating limitations. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.IX.B.S10 | Use single-pilot resource management (SRM) or crew resource management (CRM), as appropriate. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.IX.B.S11 | Analyze and correct common errors related to this Task. | 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.
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 Flight Instructor – Instrument Powered Lift ACS tasks
37 task-level resources from FAA-S-ACS-28.
- PI.IX.A — Loss of Communications
Area of Operation IX. Emergency Operations
- PI.IX.C — Instrument Approach and Landing with Inoperative Powerplant(s) (Simulated)
Area of Operation IX. Emergency Operations
- PI.IX.D — Approach with Loss of Primary Flight Instrument Indicators
Area of Operation IX. Emergency Operations