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PH.VII.A — Pilotage and Dead Reckoning

PH.VII.A for the Private Pilot Rotorcraft ACS: official objective, references, and 25 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

PH.VII.A official ACS context
Certificate or ratingPrivate Pilot
Aircraft categoryRotorcraft
Area of operationArea of Operation VII. Navigation
TaskTask A. Pilotage and Dead Reckoning
Task code prefixPH.VII.A
Official referencesFAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-21, FAA-H-8083-25; Helicopter Route Charts; VFR Navigation Charts
FAA documentFAA-S-ACS-15 — Private Pilot for Rotorcraft Category Helicopter Rating Airman Certification Standards
FAA source libraryOpen the official ACS library

Official task objective

To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with pilotage and dead reckoning.

What the ACS code means

  • PH identifies the ACS standard family used for this Private Pilot Rotorcraft document.
  • VII identifies Navigation, the Area of Operation.
  • A identifies Pilotage and Dead Reckoning, 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

Official ACS knowledge items and mock-oral treatment
ACS codeOfficial descriptionHow a mock oral can probe it
PH.VII.A.K1Pilotage and dead reckoning.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PH.VII.A.K2Magnetic compass errors.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PH.VII.A.K3Topography.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PH.VII.A.K4Selection of appropriate:Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PH.VII.A.K4aa. RouteExplain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PH.VII.A.K4bb. Altitude(s)Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PH.VII.A.K4cc. CheckpointsExplain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PH.VII.A.K5Plotting a course, including:Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PH.VII.A.K5aa. Determining heading, speed, and courseExplain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PH.VII.A.K5bb. Wind correction angleExplain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PH.VII.A.K5cc. Estimating time, speed, and distanceExplain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PH.VII.A.K5dd. True airspeed and density altitudeExplain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PH.VII.A.K6Power setting selection.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.
PH.VII.A.K7Planned calculations versus actual results and required corrections.Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant.

Risk management elements

Official ACS risk management items and mock-oral treatment
ACS codeOfficial descriptionHow a mock oral can probe it
PH.VII.A.R1Collision hazards.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.
PH.VII.A.R2Distractions, 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.VII.A.R3Unplanned fuel/power consumption, if applicable.Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision.

Skills elements

Official ACS skills items and mock-oral treatment
ACS codeOfficial descriptionHow a mock oral can probe it
PH.VII.A.S1Prepare and use a flight log.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
PH.VII.A.S2Navigate by pilotage.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
PH.VII.A.S3Navigate by means of pre-computed headings, groundspeeds, elapsed time, and reference to landmarks or checkpoints.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
PH.VII.A.S4Use the magnetic direction indicator in navigation, including turns to headings.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
PH.VII.A.S5Verify position within three nautical miles of the flight-planned route.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
PH.VII.A.S6Correct for and record the differences between preflight fuel, groundspeed, and heading calculations and those determined en route.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
PH.VII.A.S7Arrive at the en route checkpoints within five minutes of the initial or revised estimated time of arrival (ETA) and provide a destination estimate.Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test.
PH.VII.A.S8Maintain the selected altitude, ±200 feet and heading, ±15°.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.

Practice in a mock oral

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