The Coming Airman Certification Standards

The practical test standards (PTS) spell out the requirements for successfully completing an FAA checkride for pilot certificates and ratings. They have been around for nearly 30 years and, while an improvement over the previous flight test guides, they did not fundamentally alter the manner in which the applicant demonstrates compliance with the regulations. The general aviation community and FAA are developing a new concept of airman testing that will be embodied in completely new airman certification standards (ACS). The ACS, when implemented, will require applicants to integrate their knowledge, skills and risk management proficiency to demonstrate to the examiner they can do more than just perform standard training procedures and maneuvers.

Key Takeaways:

• The existing FAA Practical Test Standards (PTS) for pilot certification have proven insufficient in reducing general aviation accident rates, primarily due to a lack of emphasis on pilot risk management despite technological advancements.
• The FAA, in collaboration with the aviation community, is developing new Airman Certification Standards (ACS) to replace the PTS, aiming to address critical safety gaps.
• The ACS will fundamentally change pilot testing by integrating and requiring applicants to demonstrate proficiency in knowledge, practical skills, *and* risk management, moving beyond simple procedural performance to evaluate a pilot's ability to identify and mitigate real-world hazards.

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