# PH.VIII.A — Powerplant Failure in a Hover in a Single-Engine Helicopter — Private Pilot Rotorcraft ACS

> PH.VIII.A from FAA-S-ACS-15, including the official objective, references, notes, and 20 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.

Canonical HTML: [https://www.check-ride.ai/acs/rotorcraft/private-pilot/ph-viii-a](https://www.check-ride.ai/acs/rotorcraft/private-pilot/ph-viii-a)

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

## Official Task context

- FAA document: Private Pilot for Rotorcraft Category Helicopter Rating Airman Certification Standards
- Identifier: FAA-S-ACS-15
- Published source date: November 2023
- Aircraft category: Rotorcraft
- Certificate or rating: Private Pilot
- Area of Operation: Area of Operation VIII. Emergency Operations
- Task: Task A. Powerplant Failure in a Hover in a Single-Engine Helicopter
- Task code prefix: PH.VIII.A
- Official references: FAA-H-8083-2, 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 exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with powerplant failure in-ground effect (IGE) hover

## Knowledge elements

- **PH.VIII.A.K1** — Elements related to powerplant failure in a hover, including energy management concepts.
- **PH.VIII.A.K2** — Effects of wind, weight, temperature, and density altitude.
- **PH.VIII.A.K3** — High and low inertia of rotor systems.
- **PH.VIII.A.K4** — Aerodynamics associated with powerplant failure in a hover.
- **PH.VIII.A.K5** — Proper orientation, division of attention, and proper planning.

## Risk management elements

- **PH.VIII.A.R1** — Powerplant failure in a hover.
- **PH.VIII.A.R2** — Flight control inputs.
- **PH.VIII.A.R3** — Helicopter movement.
- **PH.VIII.A.R4** — Dynamic rollover.
- **PH.VIII.A.R5** — Distractions, task prioritization, loss of situational awareness, or disorientation.

## Skills elements

- **PH.VIII.A.S1** — Complete the appropriate checklist(s).
- **PH.VIII.A.S2** — Make radio calls as appropriate.
- **PH.VIII.A.S3** — Clear the area.
- **PH.VIII.A.S4** — Select a suitable landing area.
- **PH.VIII.A.S5** — Establish a stationary or forward hover into the wind.
- **PH.VIII.A.S6** — Simulate powerplant failure.
- **PH.VIII.A.S7** — Maintain a heading, ±10°, throughout the maneuver.
- **PH.VIII.A.S8** — Touchdown with minimum sideward movement and no rearward movement.
- **PH.VIII.A.S9** — Use appropriate flight control inputs to cushion the touchdown.
- **PH.VIII.A.S10** — After touchdown, lower collective and neutralize flight controls.

## 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.

## Official Task notes

- Note: See Appendix 2: Safety of Flight.

## 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.