PI.VII.B — Departure, En Route, and Arrival Operations
PI.VII.B 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 VII. Navigation Aids |
| Task | Task B. Departure, En Route, and Arrival Operations |
| Task code prefix | PI.VII.B |
| Official references | 14 CFR part 91, 97; AC 90-100, AC 90-105, AC 91-74; AIM; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-9, FAA-H-8083-15, FAA-H-8083-16, 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 exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with IFR departure, en route, and arrival operations solely by reference to instruments, 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.
- VII identifies Navigation Aids, the Area of Operation.
- B identifies Departure, En Route, and Arrival Operations, 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.VII.B.K1 | Elements related to ATC routes, including departure procedures (DPs) and associated climb gradients; standard terminal arrival (STAR) procedures and associated constraints. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PI.VII.B.K2 | Pilot/controller responsibilities, communication procedures, and ATC services available to pilots. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PI.VII.B.K3 | 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.VII.B.R1 | ATC communications and compliance with published procedures. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PI.VII.B.R2 | Limitations of traffic avoidance equipment. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PI.VII.B.R3 | Responsibility to use "see and avoid" techniques when possible. | 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.VII.B.S1 | Select, identify (as necessary) and use the appropriate communication and navigation facilities associated with the proposed flight. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.VII.B.S2 | Perform the appropriate checklist items relative to the phase of flight. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.VII.B.S3 | Use the current and appropriate paper or electronic navigation publications. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.VII.B.S4 | Establish two-way communications with the proper controlling agency, use proper phraseology, and comply in a timely manner with all ATC instructions and airspace restrictions. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.VII.B.S5 | Intercept all courses, radials, and bearings appropriate to the procedure, route, or clearance in a timely manner. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.VII.B.S6 | Comply with all applicable charted procedures. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.VII.B.S7 | Maintain airspeed ±10 knots, altitude ±100 feet, and selected headings ±10°, and apply proper correction to maintain a course allowing no more than ¾-scale deflection of the course deviation indicator (CDI). | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.VII.B.S8 | Update/interpret weather in flight. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.VII.B.S9 | Use displays of digital weather and aeronautical information, as applicable to maintain situational awareness. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PI.VII.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.VII.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.
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.VII.A — Intercepting and Tracking Navigational Systems and DME Arcs
Area of Operation VII. Navigation Aids
- PI.VIII.A — Non-precision Approach
Area of Operation VIII. Instrument Approach Procedures