Federal Aviation Administration

Private Pilot Airman Certification Standards Federal Aviation Administration

The Airman Certification Standards (ACS) is the guide for aviation students, instructors, and FAA-designated examiners to know what pilot and industry license applicants must know, do, and consider for their FAA Knowledge Exam and practical (checkride) to earn a certificate or rating. The new ACS (effective June 2018) replaces the Practical Test Standards (PTS) and it is basically an enhanced version of the PTS. It adds task-specific knowledge and risk management elements to each PTS "Area of Operation" and "Task." The result is a comprehensive presentation that integrates the standards for what an applicant needs to know, consider, and do in order to pass both the knowledge test and the practical test for a certificate or rating.