PL.IV.C — Air Taxi
PL.IV.C for the Private Pilot Powered Lift ACS: official objective, references, and 27 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.
FAA-S-ACS-13, 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 | Private Pilot |
|---|---|
| Aircraft category | Powered Lift |
| Area of operation | Area of Operation IV. Hovering Maneuvers |
| Task | Task C. Air Taxi |
| Task code prefix | PL.IV.C |
| Official references | AC 91-73; AIM; Chart Supplements; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-25; Flight Manual |
| FAA document | FAA-S-ACS-13 — Private Pilot for Powered-Lift Category 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 air taxi operations.
What the ACS code means
- PL identifies the ACS standard family used for this Private Pilot Powered Lift document.
- IV identifies Hovering Maneuvers, the Area of Operation.
- C identifies Air 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 |
|---|---|---|
| PL.IV.C.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. |
| PL.IV.C.K2 | Air 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. |
| PL.IV.C.K3 | Aircraft configuration. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PL.IV.C.K4 | Airport/heliport/helipad/landing area, signs, markings, and lighting. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PL.IV.C.K5 | Visual indicators for wind. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PL.IV.C.K6 | Aircraft lighting, as appropriate. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PL.IV.C.K7 | Procedures for: | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PL.IV.C.K7a | 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. |
| PL.IV.C.K7b | b. Safe air 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. |
| PL.IV.C.K7c | c. Overflying of runways | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PL.IV.C.K8 | Aircraft operating limitations. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PL.IV.C.K9 | Appropriate height and speed for air taxi. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PL.IV.C.K10 | Height/Velocity (H/V) considerations. | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| PL.IV.C.R1 | Activities and distractions. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PL.IV.C.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. |
| PL.IV.C.R3 | H/V diagram performance in case of powerplant failure. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PL.IV.C.R4 | Other aircraft and hazards. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PL.IV.C.R5 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| PL.IV.C.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. |
| PL.IV.C.S2 | 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. |
| PL.IV.C.S3 | Select a safe airspeed and altitude. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PL.IV.C.S4 | Maintain an appropriate aircraft configuration 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. |
| PL.IV.C.S5 | Maintain specified altitude, ±10 feet. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PL.IV.C.S6 | Air taxi from one point to another under various wind conditions. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PL.IV.C.S7 | Maintain the aircraft within operating limits 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. |
| PL.IV.C.S8 | Comply with airport/heliport/helipad/landing area markings, lights, signs, and ATC instructions. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PL.IV.C.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. |
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 Private Pilot Powered Lift ACS tasks
58 task-level resources from FAA-S-ACS-13.
- PL.IV.B — Hover Taxi
Area of Operation IV. Hovering Maneuvers
- PL.V.A — Normal Takeoff and Climb from a Hover
Area of Operation V. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds
- PL.IV.A — Vertical Takeoff and Landing
Area of Operation IV. Hovering Maneuvers