IL.VIII.F — Steep Approach and Landing
IL.VIII.F for the Flight Instructor Powered Lift ACS: official objective, references, and 29 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 VIII. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds |
| Task | Task F. Steep Approach and Landing |
| Task code prefix | IL.VIII.F |
| Official references | AIM; 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 steep approaches, 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.
- VIII identifies Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds, the Area of Operation.
- F identifies Steep Approach and Landing, 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.VIII.F.K1 | A stabilized steep approach. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VIII.F.K2 | Approach techniques and applicability. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VIII.F.K3 | Performance data and the height velocity (H/V) diagram. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VIII.F.K4 | Effects of atmospheric conditions on approach and landing performance. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VIII.F.K5 | Wind correction techniques. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VIII.F.K6 | Aircraft configuration. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VIII.F.K7 | Aircraft performance and limitations. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.VIII.F.K8 | 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.VIII.F.R1 | Selection of the approach path and landing area. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VIII.F.R2 | Effects of. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VIII.F.R2a | a. Crosswind | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VIII.F.R2b | b. Windshear | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VIII.F.R2c | c. Tailwind | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VIII.F.R2d | d. Wake turbulence | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VIII.F.R2e | e. Vortex ring state (VRS) | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VIII.F.R2f | f. Landing point condition | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VIII.F.R3 | Planning for. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VIII.F.R3a | a. Rejected landing and go-around | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VIII.F.R3b | b. Powerplant failure during the approach | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VIII.F.R4 | Landing in an area or in conditions where a takeoff/climb may not be possible. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VIII.F.R5 | Degraded Visual Environment (DVE) and flat light conditions. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.VIII.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. |
Skills elements
| ACS code | Official description | How a mock oral can probe it |
|---|---|---|
| IL.VIII.F.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.VIII.F.S2 | Position the 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.VIII.F.S3 | Maintain awareness of aircraft performance, limitations, and relative position throughout the maneuver. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.VIII.F.S4 | Arrive over the touchdown point on the surface ±5 feet from intended landing point or, at the discretion of the evaluator, at a stabilized hover ±5 feet height. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.VIII.F.S5 | Maintain proper ground track with crosswind correction, if necessary. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.VIII.F.S6 | 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.VIII.F.S7 | 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 3: Aircraft, Equipment, and Operational Requirements & Limitations for information related to this Task.
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.VIII.E — Normal Approach and Landing
Area of Operation VIII. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds
- IL.VIII.G — Running/Roll-On Landing
Area of Operation VIII. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds
- IL.VIII.A — Normal Takeoff and Climb from a Hover
Area of Operation VIII. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds
- IL.VIII.B — Rolling Takeoff and Climb
Area of Operation VIII. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds
- IL.VIII.C — Maximum Performance Takeoff and Climb
Area of Operation VIII. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds
- IL.VIII.D — Normal Approach to a Hover
Area of Operation VIII. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds