IP.II.A — Aircraft Systems Related to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) Operations

IP.II.A for the Instrument Rating Powered Lift ACS: official objective, references, and 7 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.

FAA-S-ACS-3, November 2023. This study page does not replace the current FAA publication or an examiner's plan of action.

Official task context

IP.II.A official ACS context
Certificate or ratingInstrument Rating
Aircraft categoryPowered Lift
Area of operationArea of Operation II. Preflight Procedures
TaskTask A. Aircraft Systems Related to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) Operations
Task code prefixIP.II.A
Official references14 CFR part 91; AC 91-74; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-15, FAA-H-8083-25; Flight Manual
FAA documentFAA-S-ACS-3 — Instrument Rating – Powered-Lift Airman Certification Standards
FAA source libraryOpen the official ACS library

Official task objective

To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with anti-icing or deicing systems, and other systems related to IFR flight.

What the ACS code means

  • IP identifies the ACS standard family used for this Instrument Rating Powered Lift document.
  • II identifies Preflight Procedures, the Area of Operation.
  • A identifies Aircraft Systems Related to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) 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

Official ACS knowledge items and mock-oral treatment
ACS codeOfficial descriptionHow a mock oral can probe it
IP.II.A.K1The general operational characteristics and limitations of applicable anti-icing and deicing systems, including airframe, rotor, intake, fuel, and pitot-static systems.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
IP.II.A.K2Flight control systems.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.

Risk management elements

Official ACS risk management items and mock-oral treatment
ACS codeOfficial descriptionHow a mock oral can probe it
IP.II.A.R1Operations in icing conditions.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
IP.II.A.R2Limitations of anti-icing and deicing systems.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
IP.II.A.R3Use of automated systems in instrument conditions.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.

Skills elements

Official ACS skills items and mock-oral treatment
ACS codeOfficial descriptionHow a mock oral can probe it
IP.II.A.S1Demonstrate familiarity with anti- or de-icing procedures or information published by the manufacturer specific to the aircraft used on the practical test.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
IP.II.A.S2Demonstrate familiarity with the automatic flight control system (AFCS) procedures or information published by the manufacturer specific to the aircraft used on the practical test, 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.

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.

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