# HI.VII.A — Vertical Takeoff and Landing — Flight Instructor Rotorcraft ACS

> HI.VII.A from FAA-S-ACS-29, including the official objective, references, notes, and 18 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.

Canonical HTML: [https://www.check-ride.ai/acs/rotorcraft/flight-instructor/hi-vii-a](https://www.check-ride.ai/acs/rotorcraft/flight-instructor/hi-vii-a)

Site reference: [https://www.check-ride.ai/llms.txt](https://www.check-ride.ai/llms.txt)

## Official Task context

- FAA document: Flight Instructor for Rotorcraft Category Helicopter Rating Airman Certification Standards
- Identifier: FAA-S-ACS-29
- Published source date: November 2023
- Aircraft category: Rotorcraft
- Certificate or rating: Flight Instructor
- Area of Operation: Area of Operation VII. Hovering Maneuvers
- Task: Task A. Vertical Takeoff and Landing
- Task code prefix: HI.VII.A
- Official references: 14 CFR part 91; AC 90-95; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-4, FAA-H-8083-9, FAA-H-8083-21, FAA-H-8083-25; POH/RFM
- FAA source library: https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/acs

## Official Task objective

To determine the applicant understands vertical takeoff and landing from a hover, can apply that knowledge, manage associated risks, demonstrate appropriate skills, and provide effective instruction.

## Knowledge elements

- **HI.VII.A.K1** — Elements related to a vertical takeoff to a hover and landing from a hover.
- **HI.VII.A.K2** — Effect of wind on flight control inputs.
- **HI.VII.A.K3** — Effect of weight and balance and various centers of gravity.
- **HI.VII.A.K4** — Ground effect.
- **HI.VII.A.K5** — Common errors related to this Task.

## Risk management elements

- **HI.VII.A.R1** — Loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE).
- **HI.VII.A.R2** — Dynamic rollover.
- **HI.VII.A.R3** — Ground resonance.
- **HI.VII.A.R4** — Powerplant failure during hover.

## Skills elements

- **HI.VII.A.S1** — Complete the appropriate checklist(s).
- **HI.VII.A.S2** — Comply with air traffic control (ATC) or evaluator instructions and make radio calls as appropriate.
- **HI.VII.A.S3** — Maintain powerplant and main rotor (Nr) speed within normal limits.
- **HI.VII.A.S4** — Ascend to and maintain recommended hovering altitude, and descend from recommended hovering altitude in headwind, crosswind, and tailwind conditions, without drift.
- **HI.VII.A.S5** — Maintain recommended hovering altitude, ±1/2 of that altitude within 10 feet of the surface, if above 10 feet, ±5 feet.
- **HI.VII.A.S6** — Maintain position within 2 feet of a designated point with no aft movement.
- **HI.VII.A.S7** — Descend vertically to within 2 feet of the designated touchdown point.
- **HI.VII.A.S8** — Maintain specified heading, ± 10°.
- **HI.VII.A.S9** — Analyze and correct common errors related to this Task.

## Difficulty methodology

Difficulty calibration is ongoing for this Task. Observed difficulty is a privacy-thresholded check-ride.ai mock-oral practice proxy, not an FAA practical-test pass or fail rate. Underlying sample sizes and the private reporting threshold are not published.

## Use in practice

A mock examiner can ask a pilot to explain the published elements, apply them to the configured aircraft and airport context, identify risks, and defend a decision. Practice prompts are not represented as actual FAA examiner scripts or predictions of the questions a candidate will receive.