Private Pilot ACS
Private Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards
The Airman Certification Standards define what an applicant must know, consider and do. Each Task lists knowledge (K), risk management (R) and skill (S) elements with their own codes. The ACS is a certification standard, not a regulation.
Area of Operation I
- PA.I.ATask A — Pilot Qualifications
- PA.I.BTask B — Airworthiness Requirements
- PA.I.CTask C — Weather Information
- PA.I.DTask D — Cross-Country Flight Planning
- PA.I.ETask E — National Airspace System
- PA.I.FTask F — Performance and Limitations
- PA.I.GTask G — Operation of Systems
- PA.I.HTask H — Human Factors
- PA.I.ITask I — Water and Seaplane Characteristics, Seaplane Bases, Maritime Rules, and Aids to Marine Navigation (ASES, AMES)
Area of Operation II
Area of Operation III
Area of Operation IV
- PA.IV.ATask A — Normal Takeoff and Climb
- PA.IV.BTask B — Normal Approach and Landing
- PA.IV.CTask C — Soft-Field Takeoff and Climb (ASEL)
- PA.IV.DTask D — Soft-Field Approach and Landing (ASEL)
- PA.IV.ETask E — Short-Field Takeoff and Maximum Performance Climb (ASEL, AMEL)
- PA.IV.FTask F — Short-Field Approach and Landing (ASEL, AMEL)
- PA.IV.GTask G — Confined Area Takeoff and Maximum Performance Climb (ASES, AMES)
- PA.IV.HTask H — Confined Area Approach and Landing (ASES, AMES)
- PA.IV.ITask I — Glassy Water Takeoff and Climb (ASES, AMES)
- PA.IV.JTask J — Glassy Water Approach and Landing (ASES, AMES)
- PA.IV.KTask K — Rough Water Takeoff and Climb (ASES, AMES)
- PA.IV.LTask L — Rough Water Approach and Landing (ASES, AMES)
- PA.IV.MTask M — Forward Slip to a Landing (ASEL, ASES)
- PA.IV.NTask N — Go-Around/Rejected Landing
Area of Operation V
Area of Operation VI
Area of Operation VII
Area of Operation VIII
- PA.VIII.ATask A — Straight-and-Level Flight
- PA.VIII.BTask B — Constant Airspeed Climbs
- PA.VIII.CTask C — Constant Airspeed Descents
- PA.VIII.DTask D — Turns to Headings
- PA.VIII.ETask E — Recovery from Unusual Flight Attitudes
- PA.VIII.FTask F — Radio Communications, Navigation Systems/Facilities, and Radar Services
Area of Operation IX
- PA.IX.ATask A — Emergency Descent
- PA.IX.BTask B — Emergency Approach and Landing (Simulated) (ASEL, ASES)
- PA.IX.CTask C — Systems and Equipment Malfunctions
- PA.IX.DTask D — Emergency Equipment and Survival Gear
- PA.IX.ETask E — Engine Failure During Takeoff Before VMC (Simulated) (AMEL, AMES)
- PA.IX.FTask F — Engine Failure After Liftoff (Simulated) (AMEL, AMES)
- PA.IX.GTask G — Approach and Landing with an Inoperative Engine (Simulated)(AMEL, AMES)
Area of Operation X
- PA.X.ATask A — Maneuvering with One Engine Inoperative (AMEL, AMES)
- PA.X.BTask B — VMC Demonstration (AMEL, AMES)
- PA.X.CTask C — One Engine Inoperative (Simulated) (solely by Reference to Instruments) During Straight-and- Level Flight and Turns (AMEL, AMES)
- PA.X.DTask D — Instrument Approach and Landing with an Inoperative Engine (Simulated) (AMEL, AMES)
Area of Operation XI
Area of Operation XII
Source information
- Source type
- Airman Certification Standards
- Official title
- Private Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards
- Citation
- FAA-S-ACS-6C
- Publication number
- FAA-S-ACS-6C
- Revision
- Change 1 (November 2023)
- Effective / amended
- Nov 1, 2023
- Status
- Current
- Last checked by SkeyeMentor
- Aug 8, 2026
- Internal version
- acs-ingest-1.0.0
- Official source