Private Pilot — Rotorcraft ACS tasks
Browse 49 FAA ACS Tasks from FAA-S-ACS-15, with official objectives, references, and exact K/R/S item descriptions.
FAA-S-ACS-15, November 2023. Verify amendments and current applicability in the FAA source library.
Document context
| FAA document | Private Pilot for Rotorcraft Category Helicopter Rating Airman Certification Standards |
|---|---|
| Document identifier | FAA-S-ACS-15 |
| Published source date | November 2023 |
| Aircraft category | Rotorcraft |
| Certificate or rating | Private Pilot |
| Task pages | 49 |
| K/R/S item descriptions | 925 |
| FAA source library | Open the official ACS library |
Area of Operation I. Preflight Preparation
- PH.I.A — Pilot Qualifications
8 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with airman and medical certificates including privileges, limitations, currency, and operating as pilot-in-command as a private pilot.
- PH.I.B — Airworthiness Requirements
17 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with airworthiness requirements, including aircraft certificates.
- PH.I.C — Weather Information
34 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with weather information for a flight under VFR.
- PH.I.D — Cross-Country Flight Planning
22 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with cross-country flights and VFR flight planning.
- PH.I.E — National Airspace System
8 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with National Airspace System (NAS) operations under VFR as a private pilot.
- PH.I.F — Performance and Limitations
19 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with operating a helicopter safely within the parameters of its performance capabilities and limitations.
- PH.I.G — Operation of Systems
18 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with safe operation of systems on the helicopter provided for the flight test.
- PH.I.H — Human Factors
22 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with personal health, flight physiology, and aeromedical and human factors related to safety of flight.
Area of Operation II. Preflight Procedures
- PH.II.A — Preflight Assessment
17 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with preparation for safe flight.
- PH.II.B — Flight Deck Management
11 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with flight deck management practices.
- PH.II.C — Powerplant Starting and Rotor Engagement
11 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with recommended powerplant starting and rotor engagement procedures.
- PH.II.D — Before Takeoff Check
11 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with before takeoff check.
Area of Operation III. Airport and Heliport Operations
- PH.III.A — Runway/Taxiway/Heliport/Helipad Signs, Markings, and Lighting
8 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with runway/taxiway/heliport/helipad signs, markings and lighting.
- PH.III.B — Communications, Light Signals, and Runway Lighting Systems
15 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with normal and emergency radio communications, air traffic control (ATC) light signals, and runway lighting systems.
- PH.III.C — Traffic Patterns
13 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with traffic patterns.
Area of Operation IV. Hovering Maneuvers
- PH.IV.A — Vertical Takeoff and Landing
16 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with vertical takeoff and landing from a hover.
- PH.IV.B — Hover Taxi
31 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with hover taxi operations, including runway incursion avoidance.
- PH.IV.C — Air Taxi
23 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with air taxi operations.
- PH.IV.D — Taxiing with Wheel-Type Landing Gear
25 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with ground taxi operations, in a wheel-type aircraft, including runway incursion avoidance.
- PH.IV.E — Slope Operations
24 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with slope operations.
Area of Operation V. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds
- PH.V.A — Normal Takeoff and Climb
27 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with normal takeoff, climb operations, and rejected takeoff procedures.
- PH.V.B — Normal and Crosswind Approach
26 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with a normal and crosswind approach.
- PH.V.C — Maximum Performance Takeoff and Climb
23 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with maximum performance takeoff and climb.
- PH.V.D — Steep Approach
30 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with steep approach.
- PH.V.E — Go-Around
16 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with go-around with emphasis on factors that contribute to landing conditions that may require a go-around.
- PH.V.F — Confined Area Operations
35 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with confined area operations.
- PH.V.G — Pinnacle Operations
36 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with pinnacle operations.
- PH.V.H — Shallow Approach and Running/Roll-On Landing
23 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with shallow approach and running/roll-on landing operation.
- PH.V.I — Rolling Takeoff (Wheel-Type Landing Gear)
27 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with rolling takeoff with wheel-type landing gear.
Area of Operation VI. Performance Maneuvers
- PH.VI.A — Rapid Deceleration/Quick Stop
13 K/R/S items. 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.
- PH.VI.B — Straight-In Autorotation in a Single-Engine Helicopter
31 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with a straight-in autorotation to a power recovery.
- PH.VI.C — Autorotation with Turns in a Single-Engine Helicopter
32 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with autorotation with turns.
Area of Operation VII. Navigation
- PH.VII.A — Pilotage and Dead Reckoning
25 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with pilotage and dead reckoning.
- PH.VII.B — Navigation Systems and Radar Services
16 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with navigation systems and radar services.
- PH.VII.C — Diversion
13 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with diversion.
- PH.VII.D — Lost Procedures
12 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with lost procedures and can take appropriate steps to achieve a satisfactory outcome if lost.
Area of Operation VIII. Emergency Operations
- PH.VIII.A — Powerplant Failure in a Hover in a Single-Engine Helicopter
20 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with powerplant failure in-ground effect (IGE) hover
- PH.VIII.B — Powerplant Failure at Altitude in a Single-Engine Helicopter
24 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with a simulated powerplant failure at altitude.
- PH.VIII.C — Approach and Landing with One Engine Inoperative (OEI) (Simulated) (Multiengine Helicopter Only)
15 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with approach and landing with one engine inoperative (simulated).
- PH.VIII.D — Systems and Equipment Malfunctions
18 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with causes, indications, and pilot actions for system malfunctions.
- PH.VIII.E — Vortex Ring State (VRS)
18 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with main rotor Vortex Ring State (VRS).
- PH.VIII.F — Low Rotor Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) Recognition and Recovery
15 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with low rotor rpm recognition and recovery.
- PH.VIII.G — Antitorque System Failure
9 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge and risk management associated with an antitorque system failure.
- PH.VIII.H — Dynamic Rollover
11 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge and risk management associated with dynamic rollover.
- PH.VIII.I — Ground Resonance
10 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge and risk management associated with ground resonance.
- PH.VIII.J — Low Gravity (G) Recognition and Recovery
10 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge and risk management associated with low G conditions.
- PH.VIII.K — Emergency Equipment and Survival Gear
9 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with emergency equipment, and survival gear appropriate to the helicopter and environment encountered during flight.
Area of Operation IX. Night Operations
- PH.IX.A — Night Operations
17 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge and risk management associated with night operations.
Area of Operation X. Postflight Procedures
- PH.X.A — After Landing, Parking, and Securing
11 K/R/S items. To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with after landing, parking, and securing procedures.
Related ACS documents
- Private Pilot — Airplane
61 Tasks from FAA-S-ACS-6C.
- Commercial Pilot — Rotorcraft
51 Tasks from FAA-S-ACS-16.
- Instrument Rating — Rotorcraft
20 Tasks from FAA-S-ACS-14.
- Flight Instructor — Rotorcraft
65 Tasks from FAA-S-ACS-29.
- Private Pilot — Powered Lift
58 Tasks from FAA-S-ACS-13.
Practice the material
Use the task pages to review official ACS scope, then practice explaining and applying the material in a spoken scenario. This index does not reproduce an FAA examiner's plan of action or predict the exact questions on a practical test.
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