HI.X.C — Autorotation with Turns in a Single-Engine Helicopter
HI.X.C for the Flight Instructor Rotorcraft ACS: official objective, references, and 36 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.
FAA-S-ACS-29, 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 | Rotorcraft |
| Area of operation | Area of Operation X. Performance Maneuvers |
| Task | Task C. Autorotation with Turns in a Single-Engine Helicopter |
| Task code prefix | HI.X.C |
| Official references | AC 61-65, AC 61-140; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-4, FAA-H-8083-9, FAA-H-8083-21, FAA-H-8083-25; POH/RFM |
| FAA document | FAA-S-ACS-29 — Flight Instructor for Rotorcraft Category Helicopter Rating Airman Certification Standards |
| FAA source library | Open the official ACS library |
Official task objective
To determine the applicant understands autorotation with turns with a power recovery or touchdown to the surface, can apply that knowledge, manage associated risks, demonstrate appropriate skills, and provide effective instruction.
What the ACS code means
- HI identifies the ACS standard family used for this Flight Instructor Rotorcraft document.
- X identifies Performance Maneuvers, the Area of Operation.
- C identifies Autorotation with Turns in a Single-Engine Helicopter, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| HI.X.C.K1 | Elements related to autorotation with turns. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| HI.X.C.K2 | Effects of wind, weight, temperature, and density altitude. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| HI.X.C.K3 | Various rotor systems and their effects on autorotation. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| HI.X.C.K4 | Main rotor (Nr) speed. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| HI.X.C.K5 | Energy management. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| HI.X.C.K6 | Causes and effects of high descent rates. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| HI.X.C.K7 | Effect of varying bank angles, airspeeds, and rotor rpm. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| HI.X.C.K8 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| HI.X.C.R1 | Low entry altitudes. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| HI.X.C.R2 | Flight control inputs. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| HI.X.C.R3 | Turbulence, including wake turbulence. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| HI.X.C.R4 | Windshear. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| HI.X.C.R5 | Energy management. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| HI.X.C.R6 | Main rotor (Nr) speed. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| HI.X.C.R7 | Low rotor rpm or rotor stall. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| HI.X.C.R8 | Excessive rate of descent. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| HI.X.C.R9 | Powerplant failure during the maneuver. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| HI.X.C.R10 | Rolling out of the turn. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| HI.X.C.R11 | Collision hazards. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| HI.X.C.R12 | Terminating an autorotation. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| HI.X.C.R13 | Power recovery and go-around. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| HI.X.C.R14 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| HI.X.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. |
| HI.X.C.S2 | Make radio calls 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. |
| HI.X.C.S3 | Select a suitable landing area. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| HI.X.C.S4 | Clear the area. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| HI.X.C.S5 | Select an appropriate entry altitude. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| HI.X.C.S6 | Initiate the maneuver at the proper point. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| HI.X.C.S7 | Establish power-off glide with the aircraft properly trimmed and autorotation airspeed, ±5 knots. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| HI.X.C.S8 | Maintain main rotor (Nr) 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. |
| HI.X.C.S9 | Maneuver to avoid undershooting or overshooting the selected landing area. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| HI.X.C.S10 | Roll out no lower than 300 feet above ground level (AGL) along the flight path to the selected landing area. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| HI.X.C.S12 | Use proper deceleration and collective pitch application that permits safe clearance between the aircraft 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. |
| HI.X.C.S13 | Initiate proper power recovery, or touchdown to the surface as briefed by the evaluator. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| HI.X.C.S14 | Terminate autorotation to a stabilized hover, or to the surface within 100 feet of a designated point. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| HI.X.C.S15 | 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 2: Safety of Flight and 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 Rotorcraft ACS tasks
65 task-level resources from FAA-S-ACS-29.
- HI.X.B — Straight-In Autorotation in a Single-Engine Helicopter
Area of Operation X. Performance Maneuvers
- HI.XI.A — Powerplant Failure in a Hover in a Single-Engine Helicopter
Area of Operation XI. Emergency Operations
- HI.X.A — Rapid Deceleration/Quick Stop
Area of Operation X. Performance Maneuvers