IL.XV.B — Slope Operations
IL.XV.B for the Flight Instructor Powered Lift ACS: official objective, references, and 27 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 XV. Special Operations |
| Task | Task B. Slope Operations |
| Task code prefix | IL.XV.B |
| Official references | 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 slope 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.
- XV identifies Special Operations, the Area of Operation.
- B identifies Slope 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 |
|---|---|---|
| IL.XV.B.K1 | Elements related to slope operations. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.XV.B.K2 | Factors used for selecting an appropriate slope. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.XV.B.K3 | Effect of wind on slope operations. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.XV.B.K4 | Dynamic rollover considerations during slope operations and preventive/recovery techniques. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.XV.B.K5 | Aircraft configuration and slope limitations. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| IL.XV.B.K7 | 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.XV.B.R1 | Aircraft configuration. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.XV.B.R2 | Operations on a slope. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.XV.B.R3 | Conditions leading to dynamic rollover. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.XV.B.R4 | Flight control limits. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.XV.B.R5 | Surface conditions. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.XV.B.R6 | Embarking or disembarking passengers. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| IL.XV.B.R7 | Exceeding the manufacturer's slope limitations. | 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.XV.B.S1 | Select a suitable slope. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.XV.B.S2 | 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.XV.B.S3 | 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.XV.B.S4 | Maintain heading and ground position and prevent movement of aircraft on slope. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.XV.B.S5 | Recognize if slope is too steep and abandon the operation prior to reaching flight control limits. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.XV.B.S6 | Make a smooth positive descent to touch the upslope landing gear on the sloping surface. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.XV.B.S7 | Neutralize controls after landing. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.XV.B.S8 | Make a smooth transition from the slope to a stabilized hover parallel to the slope. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.XV.B.S9 | Properly move away from the slope. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.XV.B.S10 | Maintain positive control of aircraft 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.XV.B.S11 | Use controls while lowering the downslope landing gear to touchdown. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.XV.B.S12 | Maintain specified headings throughout the operation, ±5°. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| IL.XV.B.S13 | 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.XV.B.S14 | 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.XV.A — Confined Area Operations
Area of Operation XV. Special Operations
- IL.XV.C — Pinnacle Operations
Area of Operation XV. Special Operations