PI.VI.F — Timed Turns to Magnetic Compass Headings
PI.VI.F for the Flight Instructor – Instrument Powered Lift ACS: official objective, references, and 17 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 VI. Flight by Reference to Instruments |
| Task | Task F. Timed Turns to Magnetic Compass Headings |
| Task code prefix | PI.VI.F |
| Official references | FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-9, FAA-H-8083-15, FAA-H-8083-25 |
| 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 understands attitude instrument flying during timed turns to magnetic compass headings, and can apply that knowledge, manage associated risks, demonstrate appropriate skills, and provide effective instruction.
What the ACS code means
- PI identifies the ACS standard family used for this Flight Instructor – Instrument Powered Lift document.
- VI identifies Flight by Reference to Instruments, the Area of Operation.
- F identifies Timed Turns to Magnetic Compass Headings, 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.VI.F.K1 | Elements related to attitude instrument flying during timed turns to magnetic compass headings, including operating characteristics and errors of the magnetic compass. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PI.VI.F.K2 | The relationship of pitch, bank, and power during timed turns to magnetic compass headings. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PI.VI.F.K3 | Full and partial panel procedures for timed turns to specified magnetic compass headings. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PI.VI.F.K4 | Normal and abnormal instrument indications and operations. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PI.VI.F.K5 | Instrument cross-check techniques. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PI.VI.F.K6 | 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.VI.F.R1 | Fixation and omission. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PI.VI.F.R2 | Instrument Interpretation. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PI.VI.F.R3 | Aircraft coordination. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PI.VI.F.R4 | Situations that can affect physiology and degrade instrument cross-check. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PI.VI.F.R5 | Flying unfamiliar aircraft or operating with unfamiliar flight display systems and avionics. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PI.VI.F.R6 | 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.VI.F.R7 | Control application solely by reference to instruments. | 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.VI.F.S1 | Use proper instrument cross-check and interpretation, and apply the appropriate pitch, bank, power, configuration, and trim corrections when applicable. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.VI.F.S2 | Complete timed turns to specific magnetic compass headings using instrument cross-check and interpretation and coordinated control application. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.VI.F.S3 | Maintain altitude ±100 feet, maintain a standard rate turn, roll out on the assigned heading ±10°, and obtain the desired airspeed ±10 knots. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.VI.F.S4 | 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.
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.VI.E — Constant Rate Climbs and Descents
Area of Operation VI. Flight by Reference to Instruments
- PI.VI.G — Steep Turns
Area of Operation VI. Flight by Reference to Instruments
- PI.VI.A — Straight-and-Level Flight
Area of Operation VI. Flight by Reference to Instruments
- PI.VI.B — Turns
Area of Operation VI. Flight by Reference to Instruments
- PI.VI.C — Change of Airspeed in Straight-And-Level and Turning Flight
Area of Operation VI. Flight by Reference to Instruments
- PI.VI.D — Constant Airspeed Climbs and Descents
Area of Operation VI. Flight by Reference to Instruments