The FAA Instrument Rating ACS, Explained End-to-End

What is the Airman Certification Standards (ACS)?

The ACS is the FAA's official document specifying exactly what a DPE must evaluate, at what standard, during a practical test — it replaced the older Practical Test Standards (PTS) for most certificates starting in 2016. For the instrument rating specifically, FAA-S-ACS-8C Change 1 is the current governing edition, published August 2022. It carries the same regulatory weight as the PTS it replaced: 14 CFR 61.43 requires that practical tests be conducted in accordance with the applicable ACS or PTS.

The ACS is not a study guide — it is a testing standard. Every element listed in an ACS Task is a testable item, and DPEs are required by FAA Order 8900.2 to evaluate applicants against the ACS, not personal preferences or regional conventions. As an applicant, understanding the ACS structure means you know exactly what you will be tested on — nothing more, nothing less.

The document covers two phases of the checkride: the oral examination (where Knowledge and Risk Management elements are primarily tested) and the flight portion (where Skill elements are evaluated to specific tolerances). This two-phase structure, and the explicit performance standards that come with it, is the core innovation the ACS brought over the PTS.

How is the Instrument ACS structured?

The ACS organizes evaluation into three integrated elements — Knowledge (K), Risk Management (R), and Skill (S) — applied within each Task. Under the old PTS, DPEs had broad discretion to determine what "satisfactory performance" meant. The ACS eliminates that ambiguity.

Each Task is a discrete unit of evaluation. If you fail a single K, R, or S element within a Task, the entire Task is graded unsatisfactory and a Notice of Disapproval is issued citing the specific Task code (e.g., "Area VI, Task B — Precision Approach"). You may re-test only the Area of Operation containing the failed Task, not the full checkride, per 14 CFR 61.43(f).

The ACS also specifies which elements are evaluated on the aircraft-specific portion versus the general knowledge portion, and whether an element may be evaluated by scenario, question-and-answer, or flight demonstration.

What is the difference between the ACS and the old PTS?

The PTS (Practical Test Standards) described what a DPE should evaluate but left the "how well" determination largely to the examiner's judgment. The ACS replaced this with three improvements that directly affect how you prepare.

Explicit performance tolerances. The PTS said applicants must maintain "assigned altitudes" with "satisfactory precision." The ACS says ±100 feet. That number is now a regulatory standard, not an examiner opinion.

Source citations on every element. Each K and R element in the ACS cites the specific FAR section, AIM paragraph, handbook chapter, or Advisory Circular from which the question is drawn. This means you can trace every oral question directly to its primary source and study it there — not from a third-party prep book.

Integrated risk management. The PTS addressed safety procedurally. The ACS added a discrete Risk Management element to every Task, requiring applicants to demonstrate not just procedural knowledge but also hazard identification and ADM skills. This reflects the FAA's Safety Management System framework and the finding that the majority of fatal GA accidents involve failures of decision-making, not stick-and-rudder skill.

The transition from PTS to ACS for the instrument rating occurred with the publication of FAA-S-ACS-8 in 2016. FAA-S-ACS-8C Change 1 (August 2022) is the third revision and the currently operative edition. Earlier editions are superseded and should not be used for checkride preparation.

Area I: Preflight Preparation

Area I covers every element of planning and preparation that happens before the aircraft moves. It contains 7 Tasks (A through G) and is almost entirely oral — the DPE evaluates your ability to gather, interpret, and apply information before the flight departs. A weak Area I performance signals to the examiner that subsequent flight decisions may be unreliable.

IR.I.A — Pilot Qualifications tests currency and eligibility: instrument currency requirements under 14 CFR 61.57(c) (6 approaches, holds, and intercepting/tracking within 6 calendar months), required endorsements, and medical certificate applicability.

IR.I.B — Airworthiness Requirements covers the ARROW documents (14 CFR 91.9, 91.203), required inspections (annual, 100-hour, transponder, pitot-static, ELT per 91.411 and 91.413), MEL/MMEL procedures, and the rules governing inoperative instruments under 14 CFR 91.213.

IR.I.C — Weather Information is the largest oral area in the ACS and requires genuine working knowledge of all IFR weather products: METARs, TAFs, PIREPs, AIRMETs, SIGMETs, G-AIRMETs, radar, prog charts, and icing forecasts. The DPE will typically present a weather package for the planned flight and ask you to interpret it. AC 00-45H (Aviation Weather Services) is the authoritative source.

IR.I.D — Cross-Country Flight Planning tests your ability to construct a legal IFR flight plan: alternate airport requirements (14 CFR 91.169), fuel requirements (14 CFR 91.167), preferred routes, NOTAMs, TFRs, and ATC filing procedures per AIM 5-1-1 through 5-1-13.

IR.I.E — Aircraft Systems tests knowledge of the pitot-static system, gyroscopic instruments (and their failure modes), the magnetic compass, autopilot, anti-ice/de-ice systems, and any glass cockpit avionics installed — sourced from the specific aircraft's POH/AFM and FAA-H-8083-15B Chapter 5.

IR.I.F — Instrument Cockpit Check covers the pre-departure instrument check: static system check, heading indicator alignment, attitude indicator erection, turn coordinator check, VOR check per 14 CFR 91.171, and glass cockpit AHRS/ADC initialization.

IR.I.G — Navigation Systems and Facilities tests GPS/WAAS operations, database currency requirements (per the aircraft's AFM supplement), RAIM prediction, VOR/DME/ILS capabilities, and FMS/RNAV procedures as described in AIM Chapter 1 and the Instrument Procedures Handbook FAA-H-8083-16B.

Area II: Preflight Procedures

Area II covers the transition from ramp to runway and contains 4 Tasks. Most elements in this Area are evaluated by observation rather than oral questioning — the DPE watches you conduct the preflight inspection and taxi, then evaluates whether your actions match your stated knowledge.

IR.II.A — Aircraft Preflight Inspection tests systematic preflight technique with emphasis on IFR-specific items: static port obstruction, pitot tube condition, fuel quantity for the planned flight including alternate fuel, pitot heat function, and the condition of all antennas required for IFR navigation.

IR.II.B — Cockpit Management covers task management, checklist discipline, and workload management during the departure sequence — including loading and verifying the departure procedure, setting navigation radios, and briefing instrument departure procedures per FAA-H-8083-16B Chapter 2.

IR.II.C — Engine Starting is evaluated by observation against the POH/AFM — the DPE is looking for checklist use and awareness of cold-weather starting limitations where applicable.

IR.II.D — Taxiing Under IFR Conditions tests low-visibility ground operations per AIM 2-3-1 through 2-3-14, including surface movement awareness, airport diagram use, progressive taxi instructions, runway incursion avoidance, and the use of airport surface detection lighting systems.

Area III: Air Traffic Control Clearances and Procedures

Area III covers the clearance environment — receiving, reading back, and executing IFR clearances, and managing the lost-communications contingency. It contains 2 Tasks.

IR.III.A — ATC Clearances tests the full CRAFT/PTAC clearance copy and readback sequence, departure procedure compliance, void-time departures, and lost-communications procedures under 14 CFR 91.185. The ACS specifically requires that you know the AVE-F mnemonic (Assigned, Vectored, Expected, Filed) for route of flight under lost comms and the altitude rules (MEA or last assigned, whichever is higher — then expected or filed altitude at the time the assignment was expected). AIM 6-4-1 is the primary prose reference.

IR.III.B — Holding Procedures tests standard and non-standard holding entries (direct, teardrop, parallel), timing corrections, DME/GPS holds, published hold procedure interpretation, and holding speed limits per AIM 5-3-7 through 5-3-9. The DPE will typically evaluate this in flight with an assigned hold at a fix on the checkride route. The ACS Skill tolerance requires maintaining a ±100-foot altitude in the hold and tracking the inbound course to ±10 degrees.

Area IV: Flight by Reference to Instruments

Area IV tests the fundamental instrument flying skills that underpin every other task. It contains 2 Tasks and is evaluated entirely in flight.

IR.IV.A — Instrument Flight tests straight-and-level flight, turns to headings, climbs, descents, and combined maneuvers using full and partial panel. The DPE may cover the attitude indicator (AI) to evaluate partial-panel proficiency. The ACS Skill standards: altitude ±100 feet, heading ±10 degrees, airspeed ±10 knots, bank angle ±5 degrees in level flight. These standards apply throughout the checkride, not only during this dedicated Task.

IR.IV.B — Recovery from Unusual Attitudes tests nose-high and nose-low unusual attitude recovery using the FAA-H-8083-15B technique: nose-high — reduce bank, lower nose; nose-low — level wings, then pull. The DPE evaluates prompt recognition of the unusual attitude from primary instruments and smooth recovery without exceeding structural limits. Exceeding Vno during recovery would constitute a task failure.

Area V: Navigation Systems

Area V evaluates en-route navigation competency — tracking, intercepting, and navigating using the aircraft's installed navigation systems. It contains 2 Tasks.

IR.V.A — Intercepting and Tracking tests VOR, LOC, GPS, and LPV course tracking; DME arc navigation; and the ability to intercept a course from off-course using a calculated intercept angle. The ACS Skill standard is ±3/4-scale CDI deflection, or ±10 degrees on a VOR/NDB where CDI is not applicable. The DPE may introduce wind to test wind correction angle technique.

IR.V.B — Departure, En Route, and Arrival Operations is the most operationally comprehensive Task in Area V. It covers SID interpretation and compliance, en-route IFR minimum altitudes (14 CFR 91.177), MEA/MOCA/MRA/MCA distinctions, STAR procedures, and transition to the approach environment. The DPE evaluates this primarily through oral questioning and observation during the en-route phase of the checkride flight.

Area VI: Instrument Approach Procedures

Area VI is the most heavily weighted Area in the ACS and contains 4 Tasks — one for each major approach category. The DPE is required to evaluate at least one precision and one non-precision approach, and will typically require one approach with a published missed approach segment flown in full.

IR.VI.A — Non-Precision Approach covers LNAV, VOR, NDB, LOC, LDA, and SDF approaches. The Knowledge elements require you to interpret the approach plate: minimum altitudes at each fix, step-down fixes, the Missed Approach Point (MAP), and visibility/ceiling requirements by aircraft approach category. The Skill standard during the final approach segment is ±3/4-scale CDI, ±100 feet at each altitude crossing restriction, and no descent below MDA without the visual references required by 14 CFR 91.175(c).

IR.VI.B — Precision Approach covers ILS (Cat I), LPV, and LNAV/VNAV approaches. These have a Decision Altitude (DA) rather than an MDA — you must execute the missed approach at or before DA if the required visual references specified in 14 CFR 91.175(c) are not in sight. The ACS Skill standard adds a glideslope tolerance of ±3/4-scale deflection. The DPE evaluates instrument crosscheck, power management, and configuration changes in sequence during the approach.

IR.VI.C — Missed Approach is evaluated as a continuation of the approach Tasks. The ACS requires the applicant to initiate the missed approach at the MAP or DA, fly the published procedure, and track the missed approach course to ±3/4-scale CDI. The Knowledge element requires understanding of balked landing vs. missed approach procedures, and the effect of altitude restrictions on the climb gradient. Per AIM 5-4-21, the published missed approach procedure must be flown unless ATC assigns an alternate clearance.

IR.VI.D — Circling Approach tests the circling approach maneuver: maneuvering to land on a runway not aligned with the final approach course while remaining within the circling radius for the aircraft's approach category. 14 CFR 91.175(e) prohibits descent below MDA for circling until in a position from which a normal landing can be made. The DPE evaluates the decision to circle, obstacle clearance awareness, and the circling pattern flown.

Area VII: Emergency Operations

Area VII tests emergency procedures under IFR — the scenarios that have the highest consequence when handled incorrectly. It contains 4 Tasks and combines oral evaluation with flight demonstration.

IR.VII.A — Loss of Communications is one of the highest-stakes oral Topics in the ACS. You must know the full 14 CFR 91.185 procedure cold: attempt to establish communications, squawk 7600, continue via the filed/expected route, maintain the highest of assigned/expected/MEA altitudes, and descend for an approach beginning at the Expect Further Clearance (EFC) time or estimated arrival time. A common DPE scenario is: "ATC gave you radar vectors — you lose comms. What route do you fly and when do you begin the approach?" The answer draws directly on AIM 6-4-1.

IR.VII.B — OEI Approach (Multi-Engine only) requires demonstrating an instrument approach with one simulated engine inoperative. The DPE evaluates configuration management (gear, flaps, power), directional control, and whether the applicant uses the missed approach criteria if the runway environment is not in sight at DA/MDA. This Task is omitted for single-engine airplane checkrides.

IR.VII.C — Loss of Pressurization (where applicable to the aircraft) tests emergency descent initiation, oxygen use, and divert planning. The Knowledge element covers time of useful consciousness at altitude and the requirement to descend to a safe altitude immediately. For aircraft not equipped with pressurization, the DPE will note this Task as N/A.

IR.VII.D — Partial Panel Approach is evaluated in flight with the attitude indicator and heading indicator (or AHRS) covered or failed. You must complete an approach (typically a non-precision approach) using only the magnetic compass, turn coordinator, airspeed, altimeter, and VSI. The ACS Skill standards are slightly relaxed: ±150 feet at MDA/DA and ±15 degrees heading, reflecting the reduced precision available. The compass turn technique — leading and lagging for compass errors (UNOS/ANDS) — is a Knowledge element evaluated orally.

Area VIII: Postflight Procedures

Area VIII contains a single Task and is typically the shortest evaluation period of the checkride, but a failure here — particularly a runway overrun or failure to use the checklist — can result in an unsatisfactory grade.

IR.VIII.A — Checking Instruments and Equipment covers the post-flight instrument check: logging the VOR check per 14 CFR 91.171 if a ground check was performed, completing the shutdown checklist, and annotating the maintenance logbook for any discrepancies found during the flight. The Risk Management element requires you to articulate how discovered discrepancies would affect the airworthiness of the aircraft for a subsequent IFR flight.

How is the ACS used on checkride day?

The DPE carries the ACS as the authoritative checklist during both the oral and flight portions of the checkride. Understanding how the document is used in practice removes much of the uncertainty from the checkride experience.

Oral examination. The DPE works through Area I and portions of Areas III, V, and VI orally, selecting at least one Knowledge and one Risk Management element from each Task they are evaluating. The DPE is not required to ask every element — but they are required to confirm you meet the standard on the elements they do evaluate. If you demonstrate knowledge beyond the minimum, a good DPE notes it; if you fail a single element, the Task is unsatisfactory.

Flight evaluation. The DPE observes and records performance against each Skill element during the flight. They are looking for consistent, deliberate technique — not perfection. A brief exceedance of ±100 feet that is promptly detected and corrected is typically not a task failure; failing to detect or correct the same deviation is. The ACS does not define how many exceedances constitute failure — that remains examiner judgment, bounded by the standard.

Scenario-based evaluation. Many DPEs integrate the oral into the flight via simulated scenarios — "We've just lost VOR navigation and ATC is not responding — what's your plan?" This is permitted and encouraged by the ACS framework, which recognizes that isolated knowledge elements don't fully test aeronautical decision-making in context.

Grading and the Notice of Disapproval. If the applicant fails, the DPE issues an FAA Form 8710-1 Notice of Disapproval noting the specific Area of Operation and Task code. The retesting applicant must demonstrate proficiency in all Tasks within that Area, per 14 CFR 61.43(f). No additional ground training is required unless the DPE specifically recommends it to the CFII.

Practical Test Checklist. The DPE also uses a Practical Test Checklist to confirm all administrative requirements are met before the test begins: correct airman certificate application, medical, logbook entries showing 14 CFR 61.65 experience requirements, a signed CFII recommendation, and the aircraft's airworthiness documents.

How does MockDPE map to the ACS?

MockDPE is built directly on FAA-S-ACS-8C. Every oral scenario the AI examiner generates maps to a specific Task code — the session interface shows which ACS element is being evaluated as you practice. When a session ends, your performance summary lists each Task you were evaluated on, whether you demonstrated Knowledge, Risk Management, or Skill proficiency, and which elements warrant additional study.

The DPE personas — from methodical and by-the-book to scenario-heavy — reflect the real range of examiner styles, but every question maps back to an ACS element. There is no invented content. If the ACS does not require it, MockDPE does not test it.

You can run full-checkride simulations that work through all 8 Areas, or focused practice sessions targeting a single Area — useful when a CFII recommends additional work in a specific area before the real checkride.

Practice Questions

1. Under 14 CFR 91.185, you lose radio communications while being radar-vectored for the ILS 24 approach at your destination. ATC last assigned you 4,000 feet MSL. The published MEA on the approach is 3,000 feet. The filed altitude is 5,000 feet. At what altitude do you fly, and when do you begin the approach?

2. You are shooting the ILS 10 approach in IMC. At 200 feet AGL (published DA), you have the approach lights in sight but cannot see the runway itself. May you continue the descent below DA? Cite the applicable FAR.

3. Your destination TAF shows OVC004 at your ETA. The alternate airport is 50 nm away. Its TAF shows BKN010. Is a filed alternate required? What weather minimums must the alternate meet? (14 CFR 91.169)

4. Your VOR receiver was last checked using the ground checkpoint at a Class D airport 30 days ago. The log shows an error of ±3 degrees. Is the aircraft legal for IFR flight? (14 CFR 91.171)

5. During your preflight, you discover the attitude indicator is inoperative. The aircraft has no MEL. What options do you have under 14 CFR 91.213? Can you legally depart IFR?

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What edition of the Instrument ACS is currently in effect?

FAA-S-ACS-8C with Change 1, published August 2022, is the current edition. It replaced FAA-S-ACS-8B and added clarifications to the IFR cross-country planning task and the instrument approach procedures area. Always verify the edition on the FAA ACS landing page before a checkride.

Q: How many Areas of Operation are in the Instrument ACS?

The Instrument ACS contains 8 Areas of Operation (I through VIII) and 21 Tasks, coded IR.I.A through IR.VIII.A. Each Task contains discrete Knowledge (K), Risk Management (R), and Skill (S) elements that the DPE evaluates independently during the oral and flight portions.

Q: What does a DPE mean when they say you are "unsatisfactory" on a Task?

Under the ACS model, a single unsatisfactory Knowledge, Risk Management, or Skill element within a Task causes the entire Task to be graded unsatisfactory. A Notice of Disapproval is issued citing the specific Task code. You may re-test only the Area of Operation containing the failed Task, not the entire checkride.

Q: Is the instrument ACS the same for single-engine and multi-engine airplanes?

FAA-S-ACS-8C covers the Instrument Rating for Airplane, with separate sections for single-engine and multi-engine where Tasks differ. The DPE selects the aircraft category/class appropriate to the applicant's training. A separate ACS (FAA-S-ACS-9) covers the Instrument Rating for Helicopter.

Q: What is the difference between a Knowledge element and a Skill element in the ACS?

Knowledge (K) elements are evaluated orally — the DPE asks the applicant to explain, describe, or recall information. Skill (S) elements are evaluated in flight and have specific tolerances (e.g., ±100 feet altitude, ±10 knots airspeed). Risk Management (R) elements can be evaluated either orally or by observation in flight.

Q: Does the ACS list specific altitude and airspeed tolerances?

Yes. The ACS Appendix sets the standards: maintain altitude ±100 feet, heading ±10 degrees, airspeed ±10 knots, and track a course within 3/4-scale CDI deflection or ±10 degrees if no CDI. These replace the general "satisfactory" language used in the old PTS and give both applicants and DPEs precise, objective pass/fail criteria.

Q: Can a DPE add tasks or change standards from what is in the ACS?

No. The ACS is the regulatory floor — DPEs evaluate only the Tasks listed and apply only the standards specified. However, a DPE may ask follow-up oral questions to probe depth of understanding within a Knowledge element, provided the core evaluation remains within the ACS framework defined in FAA Order 8900.2.

Q: Where can I download the current Instrument ACS PDF?

The current edition (FAA-S-ACS-8C Change 1) is available as a free PDF from the FAA ACS landing page. The direct PDF link may change when future changes are published, so always navigate from the landing page rather than bookmarking the PDF URL directly.

Sources

• FAA-S-ACS-8C Change 1: Instrument Rating ACS (FAA ACS Landing Page)
• 14 CFR Part 61 — Certification: Pilots, Flight Instructors, and Ground Instructors
• 14 CFR 61.43 — Practical Tests: General Procedures
• 14 CFR 61.57 — Recent Flight Experience: Pilot in Command
• 14 CFR 61.65 — Instrument Rating Requirements
• 14 CFR Part 91 — General Operating and Flight Rules
• 14 CFR 91.167 — Fuel Requirements for Flight in IFR Conditions
• 14 CFR 91.169 — IFR Flight Plan: Information Required
• 14 CFR 91.171 — VOR Equipment Check for IFR Operations
• 14 CFR 91.173 — ATC Clearance and Flight Plan Required
• 14 CFR 91.175 — Takeoff and Landing Under IFR
• 14 CFR 91.177 — Minimum Altitudes for IFR Operations
• 14 CFR 91.185 — IFR Operations: Two-Way Radio Communications Failure
• 14 CFR 91.213 — Inoperative Instruments and Equipment
• 14 CFR 91.411 — Altimeter System and Altitude Reporting Equipment Tests and Inspections
• 14 CFR 91.413 — ATC Transponder Tests and Inspections
• Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM)
• FAA Instrument Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-15B
• FAA Instrument Procedures Handbook FAA-H-8083-16B
• AC 00-45H: Aviation Weather Services
• AC 91-74B: Pilot Guide — Flight in Icing Conditions
• AC 60-28B: English Language Skill Standards

This article was researched from FAA primary sources (ACS FAA-S-ACS-8C, 14 CFR Parts 61 and 91, AIM, Instrument Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-15B, Instrument Procedures Handbook FAA-H-8083-16B, and Advisory Circulars) and citing current regulatory requirements — drafted by MockDPE. Last updated: May 2026. If you spot an inaccuracy, email corrections@mockdpe.org.