Instrument Rating - AirplaneFAA-S-ACS-8C
Area of Operation IV
Flight by Reference to Instruments
2 Tasks
Task A Instrument Flight
References
FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-15, FAA-H-8083-16, FAA-H-8083-25
Objective
To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with performing basic flight maneuvers solely by reference to instruments.
Knowledge
Elements related to attitude instrument flying during straight-and-level flight, climbs, turns, and descents while conducting various instrument flight procedures.
Interpretation, operation, and limitations of pitch, bank, and power instruments.
Normal and abnormal instrument indications and operations.
Risk Management
Situations that can affect physiology and degrade instrument cross-check.
Spatial disorientation and optical illusions.
Flying unfamiliar aircraft or operating with unfamiliar flight display systems and avionics.
Skills
Maintain altitude ±100 feet during level flight, selected headings ±10°, airspeed ±10 knots, and bank angles ±5° during turns.
Use proper instrument cross-check and interpretation, and apply the appropriate pitch, bank, power, and trim corrections when applicable.
Task B Recovery from Unusual Flight Attitudes
References
FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-15, FAA-H-8083-25; POH/AFM
Objective
To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with recovering from unusual flight attitudes solely by reference to instruments.
Knowledge
Procedures for recovery from unusual attitudes in flight.
Prevention of unusual attitudes, including flight causal, physiological, and environmental factors, and system and equipment failures.
Procedures available to safely regain visual meteorological conditions (VMC) after flight into inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions or unintended instrument meteorological conditions (IIMC)/(UIMC).
Appropriate use of automation, if applicable.
Risk Management
Situations that could lead to loss of control in-flight (LOC-I) or unusual attitudes in-flight (e.g., stress, task saturation, inadequate instrument scan distractions, and spatial disorientation).
[Archived]
Operating envelope considerations.
Interpreting flight instruments.
Assessment of the unusual attitude.
Control input errors, inducing undesired aircraft attitudes.
Control application solely by reference to instruments.
Collision hazards.
Distractions, task prioritization, loss of situational awareness, or disorientation.
Skills
Use proper instrument cross-check and interpretation to identify an unusual attitude (including both nose-high and nose-low) in flight, and apply the appropriate flight control, power input, and aircraft configuration in the correct sequence, to return to a stabilized level flight attitude.
Use single-pilot resource management (SRM) or crew resource management (CRM), as appropriate.