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Airman Certification Standards MP3

Airman Certification Standards (FAA Website Link)


 

FAA-S-ACS-6 July 2016

Aeronautical knowledge, flight proficiency, and risk management
standards for certification in the airplane category, single-engine
land class.
This album was made available on-line through music distributors,
and now available by selecting the links below.

Play Entire Private Pilot ACS  Album 1:58

In 2017 the FAA replaced the PTS for the Private Pilot Airplane certificate and the Instrument-Airplane rating, with the ACS.

ACS provides a single-source set of standards for both the knowledge exam and the practical test.

It clearly tells applicants, instructors, and evaluators what an airman must KNOW, CONSIDER, and DO to pass the knowledge test and the practical test for an airman certificate or rating.

It shows how the required knowledge, risk management, and skill elements for each Area of Operation/Task are connected.

It defines expectations and behaviors for risk management and connects them to specific Tasks.

It puts the “special emphasis” items from the PTS in the right context.

The ACS enhances safety by making tests relevant to actual operations and contributes to standardization.

01_Introduction

02_Pilot Qualifications

03_Airworthiness Requirements

04_Weather Information

05_Cross-Country Flight Planning

06_National Airspace System

07_Performance and Limitations

08_Operation of Systems

09_Human Factors

10_Preflight Assessment

11_Cockpit Management

12_Engine Starting

13_Taxiing

14_Before Takeoff Check

15_Communications and Light Gun Signals

16_Traffic Patterns

17_Normal Takeoff and Climb

18_Normal Approach and Landing

19_Soft Field Takeoff and Climb

20_Soft-Field Approach and Landing

21_Short-Field Takeoff and Maximum Performance Climb

22_Short-Field Approach and Landing

23_Forward Slip to a Landing

24_Go-Around Rejected Landing

25_Steep Turns

26_Ground reference Maneuvers

27_Pilotage and Dead Reckoning

28_Navigation Systems and Radar Services

29_Diversion

30_Lost Procedures

31_Maneuvering During Slow Flight

32_Power Off Stalls

33_Power On Stalls

34_Spin Awareness

35_Straight-and-Level Flight

36_Constant Airspeed Climbs

37_Constant Airspeed Descents

38_Recovery from Unusual Flight Attitudes

39_Turns to Headings

40_Emergency Descent

41_Emergency Approach and Landing (Simulated)

42_Radio Communications, Navigation Systems, Facilities, and Radar Services

43_Systems and Equipment Malfunction

44_Emergency Equipment and Survival Gear

45_Night Preparation

46_After Landing, Parking and Securing

47_Conclusion

     













FAA-S-ACS-8 July 2016

Aeronautical knowledge, flight proficiency, and
|risk management standards for Instrument Rating
 certification in the airplane category, single-engine land class.

This album is now available by selecting the links below.

Play Entire Instrument Rating ACS Album 42:37
 

01_Introduction

02_Pilot Qualifications

03_Weather Information

04_Cross-Country Flight Planning

05_Aircraft Systems Related to IFR Operations

06_Aircraft Flight Instruments and Navigation Equipment

07_Instrument and Equipment Cockpit Check

08_Compliance with Air Traffic Control Clearances

09_Holding Procedures

10_Instrument Flight

11_Recovery From Unusual Flight Attitudes

12_Intercepting and Tracking Navigational Systems and DME Arcs

13_Departure, En route and Arrival Operations

14_Nonprecision Approach

15_Precision Approach

16_Missed Approach

17_Circling Approach

18_Landing from an Instrument Approach

19_Loss of Communications

20_Approach with Loss of Primary Flight Instrument Indicators

21_Checking Instruments and Equipment

22_Conclusion

1985 PTS ALBUM NOTES
In 1985 while teaching flying in New Jersey, I discovered the new standard of the industry for the conduct of pilot training, testing and evaluation. The new standard was called the Practical Test Standards or PTS. PTS was a breakthrough, because it established standards for practical tests conducted in airplanes. 

From this point on, examiners were required to conduct practical tests in compliance with these standards.
I found the PTS extremely helpful in preparing my students for the practical test.  To help prepare my students, I transcribed text of the first version of the PTS into a readable narrative format, and recorded audio cassettes of the material.

The transcript served as a template for the administration of my flight training lessons, and enabled my learning and understanding of the task details.

    
                 FAA-S-8081-14B
            With Changes 1-6 (2012)
I remade the PTS in 2012 with the latest changes prior to the release of ACS. These albums were available through music distribution sources. 8081-14B with changes 1-6 included Single Pilot Resource Management, and revised areas of emphasis.

                  FAA-S-8081-1 (1985)
My first PTS was a cassette tape narrating the 47 tasks which may be required to be performed during the Private Pilot Checkride in Single-engine aircraft with fixed-pitch propellers and non-retractable landing gear.
Tasks in the 12 Areas of Pilot Operation are spoken in logical order with the first three letters of each task in Morse Code for punctuation. Tasks are discussed in detail and included what should be done, the conditions under which the task is to be performed, and the minimum acceptable standards for successful completion. Areas upon which the evaluator will place emphasis were included.

Cassette Cover Graphics by Peter Bonneau

 

Private Pilot Airplane Flight On Tape
Cassettes were sold in 1989 through ads placed in magazines, and contained clear shells and boxes.

AREAS OF OPERATION
Preflight Preparation
Ground Operations
Airport and Traffic
Pattern Operations
Takeoffs and Climbs
Cross-Country Flying
Flight by Reference to Instruments
Flight at Critically Slow Airspeeds
Turn Maneuvers
Flight Maneuvering by Reference to Ground Objects
Night Flight Operations
Approaches and Landings

SELECT CASSETTE
TO LISTEN

                 FAA-S-8081-4 (1987)
My second cassette was the Instrument Rating PTS for airplanes and helicopters. I called it Flight Test on Tape. 

I found this tape useful as a review of the tasks required during the conduct of IFR Check rides, as a review of the tolerances and evaluation criteria for each task.

Cassette Graphics by Tom Gorski

                     FAA-S-8081-4E
           With Changes 1-5 (2010)
This was a revision of my second audio cassette which was release in 1986.  8081-14E with Changes 1-5 included Single Pilot Resource Management, and revised areas of emphasis.

Instrument Rating Flight Test on Tape
Cassettes were sold in 1989 through ads placed in magazines, and contained clear shells and boxes.
 

SELECT CASSETTE
TO LISTEN

AREAS OF OPERATION
Ground Phase
Air Traffic Control
Clearances &
Procedures
Flight By Reference
To Instruments
Navigation Aids
No-Gyro Procedures
Instrument Approach Procedures
Instrument Flight In A Multi-Engine Aircraft

Before the PTS, we utilized Flight Test Guides.  These Advisory Circulars were bound, printed and sold by the Government Printing Office, and available at FBO's for purchase. They cost less than a dollar at the time. With Flight Test Guides, evaluators could pick and choose which procedures and/or maneuvers to evaluate.
 

The Private Pilot Flight Test Guide (1975) had 10 Areas of Operations:

Preflight Operations
Airport and Traffic Pattern Operations;
Flight Maneuvering by Reference to Ground Objects;
Flight at Critically Slow Airspeeds;
Takeoffs and Landings;
Maneuvering by Reference to Instruments;
Cross-Country Flying;
Max Performance Takeoffs and Landings;
Night Flying-Night VFR Navigation;
and
Emergency Operations.

Flight Test Guides were booklets containing Areas of Knowledge, Objectives, Descriptions of Procedures, and Acceptable Performance Guidelines.

I made these recordings to help remember relevant details and subtexts upon which to build my instructional scenarios. Learning the Standards is as important for the CFI as regulations and procedures are for the certificated pilot.
I hope you enjoy listening to these programs. Thank You!
-Tom Gorski 2267082CFI