There's An Advisory Circular for That

Advisory Circulars are perhaps the least-read material published by the FAA, quite possibly due to their bureaucratic-sounding name. But if youre willing to go on a little scavenger hunt, youll likely find in-depth information on some of your favorite topics. There are hundreds of ACs, from how to build an airport to the inner workings of airworthiness standards. Of course, most of these have limited appeal, but if you just want some good nuggets about operating in the system, there are plenty of pilot-friendly items, too.

Elaine Kauh

Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Advisory Circulars (ACs) are FAA documents that supplement federal aviation regulations, offering detailed guidance on various aviation subjects.
Despite a bureaucratic name and often poor organization on the FAA website, ACs contain valuable, in-depth information for pilots and operators.
Useful ACs cover critical topics such as flight in icing conditions, aviation weather services, datalink weather, ADS-B operations, and mitigating runway overruns.
Finding specific ACs is best done by using an online search for the topic along with "FAA Advisory Circular," as the official FAA list can be counter-intuitive and outdated.

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Advisory Circulars are perhaps the least-read material published by the FAA, quite possibly due to their bureaucratic-sounding name. But if you’re willing to go on a little scavenger hunt, you’ll likely find in-depth information on some of your favorite topics. There are hundreds of ACs, from how to build an airport to the inner workings of airworthiness standards. Of course, most of these have limited appeal, but if you just want some good nuggets about operating in the system, there are plenty of pilot-friendly items, too.

What Are They?

Think of ACs as supplements to the federal aviation regulations, providing guidance on specific subjects. A good number of them are related to the regs we know best—14 CFR Parts 61, 91, 121 and the like. Most are in the 10- to 20-page range with appendices, although a few are book-length.