Airman Certification Standards On Deck

The FAA recently announced the new ACS guidance was ready for prime time and will be implemented this June for the private pilot-airplane and instrument rating-airplane practical tests. According to AOPA, the new ACS is designed to make the certification and testing process more relevant and meaningful to modern pilots.

Editorial Staff

Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The FAA is implementing new Airman Certification Standards (ACS) in June for private pilot and instrument ratings, which enhance the previous Practical Test Standards (PTS) by integrating knowledge, skills, and risk management, making testing more relevant and meaningful.
Proposed legislation to privatize U.S. air traffic control has been sidelined, allowing general aviation advocates to refocus efforts on priorities like aeromedical reform and Part 23 aircraft certification reform.
The FAA recommends "advanced preflights" that go beyond standard checklists, especially after maintenance, to include reviewing maintenance history and creating additional inspection items to prevent accidents caused by maintenance errors.

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In our July 2013 issue, a feature article by regular contributor Robert Wright explored the FAA’s planned replacement for the practical test standards, PTS, which the agency was preparing. The new tool, known as the airman certification standards (ACS), is designed to, in Bob’s words, “integrate airman knowledge, skills and risk management expertise in a way that could be more effectively evaluated than through the current PTS.”

The FAA recently announced the new ACS guidance was ready for prime time and will be implemented this June for the private pilot-airplane and instrument rating-airplane practical tests. According to AOPA, the new ACS is designed to “make the certification and testing process more relevant and meaningful to modern pilots.”