The new airman certification standards (ACS) unveiled in June were created to update elements of the private pilot and the instrument rating knowledge exams, both of which were often riddled with outdated or confusing questions that did little to evaluate an applicant’s decision-making or risk-management skills.
Pilot Examiners Debate ACS Definition of Slow Flight
Key Takeaways:
- The Airman Certification Standards (ACS) replaced the Practical Test Standards (PTS) to modernize pilot training and evaluation, focusing on decision-making and risk management.
- A controversial, unapproved FAA change to the ACS redefines "slow flight," shifting the emphasis from understanding the aerodynamic edge of a stall to flying within a specific airspeed range (5-10 knots above stall) without activating a stall warning.
- Flight examiners and educators criticize this revision, arguing it promotes a reactive, warning-dependent flying style over a deep understanding of aircraft aerodynamics, potentially leading to less skilled pilots and an increased risk of loss of control accidents.
- Critics contend the new definition is impractical, as many stall warning systems activate within the specified airspeed range, and it inappropriately applies commercial airline stall prevention techniques to private pilot training.
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