IL.VII.B — Hover Taxi
IL.VII.B for the Flight Instructor Powered Lift ACS: official objective, references, and 32 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.
FAA-S-ACS-27, 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 |
|---|---|
| Aircraft category | Powered Lift |
| Area of operation | Area of Operation VII. Hovering Maneuvers |
| Task | Task B. Hover Taxi |
| Task code prefix | IL.VII.B |
| Official references | AC 91-73; AIM; Chart Supplements; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-9, FAA-H-8083-25; Flight Manual |
| FAA document | FAA-S-ACS-27 — Flight Instructor for Powered-Lift Category Airman Certification Standards |
| FAA source library | Open the official ACS library |
Official task objective
To determine the applicant understands hover taxi operations, can apply that knowledge, manage associated risks, demonstrate appropriate skills, and provide effective instruction.
What the ACS code means
- IL identifies the ACS standard family used for this Flight Instructor Powered Lift document.
- VII identifies Hovering Maneuvers, the Area of Operation.
- B identifies Hover Taxi, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| IL.VII.B.K1 | Current airport aeronautical references and information resources such as the Chart Supplement, airport diagram, and Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs). | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VII.B.K2 | Hover taxi instructions, clearances, and limitations. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VII.B.K3 | Airport, heliport, helipad, or unprepared surface environment. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VII.B.K4 | Visual indicators for wind. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VII.B.K5 | Aircraft lighting, as appropriate. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VII.B.K6 | Procedures for: | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VII.B.K6a | a. Pilot activities during taxiing | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VII.B.K6b | b. Safe hover taxi at towered and non-towered airports/heliports/helipads/landing areas | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VII.B.K6c | c. Entering or crossing runways | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VII.B.K7 | Aircraft configuration. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VII.B.K8 | Aircraft operating limitations. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VII.B.K9 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| IL.VII.B.R1 | 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. |
| IL.VII.B.R2 | Reduced visibility or night taxi operations. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VII.B.R3 | Powerplant(s) failure during hover taxi. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VII.B.R4 | Other aircraft and hazards. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VII.B.R5 | Hazardous effects of downwash. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VII.B.R6 | Aircraft configuration. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VII.B.R7 | Height/Velocity (H/V) considerations. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VII.B.R9 | Crosswind limitations. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VII.B.R10 | Other hazards specific to the powered-lift make and model. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VII.B.R11 | Runway incursion. | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| IL.VII.B.S1 | 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. |
| IL.VII.B.S2 | Receive and correctly read back clearances/instructions, if applicable. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.VII.B.S3 | Use an airport diagram or taxi chart during taxi, if published, and 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. |
| IL.VII.B.S4 | Comply with airport/heliport taxiway markings, signals, and signs. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.VII.B.S5 | Position the primary flight controls, including the thrust vector, for the prevailing environmental conditions. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.VII.B.S6 | Hover taxi over specified ground references, demonstrating forward, sideward, and rearward hovering and hovering turns. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.VII.B.S7 | Maintain recommended hovering altitude, ±1/2 of that altitude within 10 feet of the surface, if above 10 feet, ±5 feet. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.VII.B.S8 | Make 90°, 180°, and 360° pivoting turns, stopping within 10° of specified headings. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.VII.B.S9 | 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. |
| IL.VII.B.S10 | 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 Powered Lift ACS tasks
73 task-level resources from FAA-S-ACS-27.
- IL.VII.A — Vertical Takeoff and Landing
Area of Operation VII. Hovering Maneuvers
- IL.VII.C — Air Taxi
Area of Operation VII. Hovering Maneuvers