PH.IV.B — Hover Taxi
PH.IV.B for the Private Pilot Rotorcraft ACS: official objective, references, and 31 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.
FAA-S-ACS-15, 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 | Rotorcraft |
| Area of operation | Area of Operation IV. Hovering Maneuvers |
| Task | Task B. Hover Taxi |
| Task code prefix | PH.IV.B |
| Official references | AC 91-73; AIM; Chart Supplements; FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-21, FAA-H-8083-25; POH/RFM |
| FAA document | FAA-S-ACS-15 — Private 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 hover taxi operations, including runway incursion avoidance.
What the ACS code means
- PH identifies the ACS standard family used for this Private Pilot Rotorcraft document.
- IV identifies Hovering Maneuvers, the Area of Operation.
- B identifies Hover 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 |
|---|---|---|
| PH.IV.B.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. |
| PH.IV.B.K2 | Hover 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. |
| PH.IV.B.K3 | 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. |
| PH.IV.B.K4 | Visual indicators for wind. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PH.IV.B.K5 | Aircraft lighting, as appropriate. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PH.IV.B.K6 | Procedures for: | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PH.IV.B.K6a | 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. |
| PH.IV.B.K6b | b. Safe hover 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. |
| PH.IV.B.K6c | c. Entering or crossing runways | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| PH.IV.B.K7 | 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. |
| PH.IV.B.K8 | Aircraft operating limitations. | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| PH.IV.B.R1 | 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. |
| PH.IV.B.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. |
| PH.IV.B.R3 | Runway incursion. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PH.IV.B.R4 | Other aircraft, vehicles, persons, and hazards. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PH.IV.B.R5 | Hazardous effects of downwash. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PH.IV.B.R6 | Main rotor, tail rotor, and tail strike hazards. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PH.IV.B.R7 | Height/Velocity (H/V) considerations. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| PH.IV.B.R8 | Confirmation or expectation bias as related to taxi instructions. | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| PH.IV.B.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. |
| PH.IV.B.S2 | Receive and correctly read back clearances/instructions, if applicable. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PH.IV.B.S3 | 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. |
| PH.IV.B.S4 | Comply with airport/heliport taxiway markings, signals, and signs. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PH.IV.B.S5 | 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. |
| PH.IV.B.S6 | Maintain a straight ground track within ±4 feet of a designated ground track. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PH.IV.B.S7 | Maintain recommended hovering altitude, ±1/2 of that altitude within 10 feet of the surface, if above 10 feet, ±5 feet. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PH.IV.B.S8 | Hover taxi over specified ground references, demonstrating forward, sideward, and rearward hovering and hovering turns. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PH.IV.B.S9 | Maintain a constant rate of turn at pivot points. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PH.IV.B.S10 | Maintain a position within 4 feet of each pivot point during turns. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PH.IV.B.S11 | Make a 360° pivoting turn, left and right, stopping within 10° of a specified heading. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| PH.IV.B.S12 | Make smooth, timely, and correct control application during 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. |
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 Rotorcraft ACS tasks
49 task-level resources from FAA-S-ACS-15.
- PH.IV.A — Vertical Takeoff and Landing
Area of Operation IV. Hovering Maneuvers
- PH.IV.C — Air Taxi
Area of Operation IV. Hovering Maneuvers
- PH.IV.D — Taxiing with Wheel-Type Landing Gear
Area of Operation IV. Hovering Maneuvers
- PH.IV.E — Slope Operations
Area of Operation IV. Hovering Maneuvers