CH.VI.A — Rapid Deceleration/Quick Stop
CH.VI.A for the Commercial Pilot Rotorcraft ACS: official objective, references, and 13 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.
FAA-S-ACS-16, 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 | Commercial Pilot |
|---|---|
| Aircraft category | Rotorcraft |
| Area of operation | Area of Operation VI. Performance Maneuvers |
| Task | Task A. Rapid Deceleration/Quick Stop |
| Task code prefix | CH.VI.A |
| Official references | FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-21, FAA-H-8083-25; POH/RFM |
| FAA document | FAA-S-ACS-16 — Commercial Pilot for Rotorcraft Category Helicopter Rating 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 rapid deceleration/quick stop and conditions that may require a rapid deceleration/quick stop.
What the ACS code means
- CH identifies the ACS standard family used for this Commercial Pilot Rotorcraft document.
- VI identifies Performance Maneuvers, the Area of Operation.
- A identifies Rapid Deceleration/Quick Stop, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| CH.VI.A.K1 | Purpose of the maneuver. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| CH.VI.A.K2 | Effects of atmospheric conditions on a rapid deceleration/quick stop. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| CH.VI.A.K3 | Wind correction techniques during rapid deceleration/quick stop. | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| CH.VI.A.R1 | Recognition of the need for a rapid deceleration/quick stop. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| CH.VI.A.R2 | Powerplant and rotor management. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| CH.VI.A.R3 | Vortex ring state (VRS). | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| CH.VI.A.R4 | Collision hazards. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| CH.VI.A.R5 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| CH.VI.A.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. |
| CH.VI.A.S2 | Maintain powerplant and main rotor (Nr) speed within normal limits. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| CH.VI.A.S3 | Coordinate all controls throughout the execution of the maneuver to terminate in a hover at an appropriate hover height. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| CH.VI.A.S4 | Maintain an altitude that permits safe clearance between the tail boom and the surface. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| CH.VI.A.S5 | Maintain heading throughout the maneuver, ±5°. | 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 Commercial Pilot Rotorcraft ACS tasks
51 task-level resources from FAA-S-ACS-16.
- CH.V.G — Go-Around
Area of Operation V. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds
- CH.VI.B — Straight-In Autorotation in a Single-Engine Helicopter
Area of Operation VI. Performance Maneuvers
- CH.VI.C — Autorotation with Turns in a Single-Engine Helicopter
Area of Operation VI. Performance Maneuvers