Master the Helicopter ACS (The Rotorcraft Collective)

My name is Chris Bauer, and as a Czech Airman and Pilot, I know how stressful an evaluation can be. But one of the best ways to reduce that stress is solid preparation. Getting familiar with the Airman Certification Standards, or ACS, will give you a clear picture of what you're expected to know, consider, and demonstrate on your practical tests. Let's discuss this next on the Rotorcraft Collective. The FAA's Airman Certification Standards break each required task into three main areas, knowledge, risk management, and skills. Understanding what's expected in each area means fewer surprises on the practical test day. The new ACS tasks retain much of the familiar content from the practical test standards, but now we have additional clarity for each of the elements. Many of the longer task notes and guidance from the PTS have been moved to three specific appendices. Along with the appendices, you'll find a separate companion guide containing critical details for your practical test success. Appendix 1 covers items like eligibility requirements, instructor and evaluation responsibilities, and possible test outcomes. Appendix 2 focuses on safety, including the new requirements such as completing turns during autorotations before 300 feet AGL. Appendix 3 clarifies aircraft and equipment requirements, including the use and credit for flight simulators and training devices. Hi, I'm Matt Johnson, and as an FAA-designated pilot examiner, I've evaluated hundreds of practical tests. I can't stress enough that you should read the ACS line by line. That's how you know you're truly prepared for the test. The ACS requires that each task include at least one knowledge element, one risk management element, and all skill elements. If you miss any questions on your knowledge test, the ACS codes on your test report make those items mandatory topics during the practical test. Those items can count as one of your mandatory knowledge or risk checks, but either way, we will talk about them. Make sure to study any deficiencies from the knowledge test. The ACS coding system is a significant improvement over the old PTS codes. These new codes show the applicant and instructor exactly which knowledge areas need work, making it easier to retrain on those deficiencies. So aim for a high score on the knowledge test because fewer missed questions mean fewer mandatory items to cover with the examiner, which can lead to a quicker, less turbulent check ride. I love to see an applicant who understands the content of the ACS well. That tells me they've taken responsibility for their preparation, which usually means a more efficient practical test. So if you want to ace your practical test, start by knowing the ACS like the back of your hand. To learn more about the Helicopter ACS, tap the link in the video description. For the FAA Safety Team and the United States Helicopter Safety Team, I'm Chris Bauer. And I'm Matt Johnson.